Volunteering in Costa Rica and Protecting Wildlife

Reporter Jane from the Brisbane Times had the following account of working as a volunteer taking care of wildlife in Costa Rica.  It’s a great read and makes me want to return to Costa Rica.

Tapir (Photo credit: FrogMiller)

By 8am we’re sitting on upturned buckets on the floor of a concrete shed, up to our elbows in bananas, plantains, papayas and a curious tuberous vegetable called yucca. It has very hard, pure white flesh and tough, brown skin and it takes a good whack with a lethally sharp knife to break into bite-size pieces – just the way a hungry tapir likes it.

Later we’ll load two big buckets of this concoction into a wheelbarrow and march it down a short track to four hungry tapirs.

Animal rescue… tapirs are cared for at La MarinaWildlife Rescue Centre. Photo: Jane Mundy

Preparing food for the animals is the first task of the day at La Marina, a privately funded animal rescue centre in the central valley of Costa Rica. Animals as diverse as spider monkeys, capuchins, kinkajous, pythons, scarlet macaws, ocelots, eagles and vultures, crocodiles and even a pair of lions find homes here. Some are injured, some have lost their habitats or are handed in by people who have kept them as pets. Some will be nursed back to health and released into their natural habitat – but most will not. They will see out their days at La Marina, cared for and protected.

The small team of volunteers busy chopping, slicing and dicing is like a mini European Union. Tinoos is a thirtysomething Danish opera singer-turned-carpenter. Elias is a Belgian university dropout. Romy is undertaking field work for the biology course she studies in the Netherlands. There is someone from Russia, someone from Germany. They all seem younger than us and must wonder why a couple of oldies from Australia choose to spend a week of their Central American holiday in a place like this.

Yes, we could have opted for something cleaner, safer and more fragrant. But that’s one of the things about volunteering – you get all kinds.

As we come along the track with our wheelbarrow, the tapirs – three adults and an adolescent who has just grown out of his stripy juvenile coat – wait and watch. Tapirs are extraordinary-looking creatures, rather like a large pig with an extended nose-cum-trunk. It’s as though the animal thought for a while about being an elephant, then changed its mind. They come to the gate of their large, leafy enclosure, hungry and curious, sniffing the air, teeth bared.

I have a healthy respect for wild animals and the need to keep one’s distance so I tread cautiously. Two hundred kilograms of angry tapir can make a mess of your arm. Yet although they are equipped with a formidable set of teeth, these tapirs are docile and affectionate – seemingly not just because they’re hungry. They appear to be fond of being stroked, scratched and cuddled. Yes, cuddled. Arms around their necks, cheeks pressed against coarse hide. The full love-in.

Around the middle of the day we make our way to the lunch room where volunteers compare the contents of lunch boxes prepared for us by our hosts.

Part of the deal at La Marina is that volunteers are billeted with Costa Rican families and our “mother”, Xinia, takes the job of feeding us seriously. Today it is rice and beans. Yesterday it was beans and rice. Xinia speaks barely a word of English but we can more or less make ourselves understood and as well as feeding us and washing our filthy work clothes, Xinia makes us feel part of her wonderful extended family.

It’s usual for family members to live next door to one another; living next to Xinia is one of her five sisters and family, and next door again is a brother.

In Costa Rica, where more than 25 per cent of the country is dedicated national park, there’s no shortage of animal-viewing opportunities: by river, horse-back ride to the base of a volcano or guided walk through a forest.

Eco-tourism is a big earner but viewing opportunities in the wild, although plentiful, must be from a distance: scarlet macaws flash across a clear blue sky; a sloth is curled high in the tree tops; rustling branches denote a troupe of howler monkeys on the move.

You need luck, patience and good binoculars. At La Marina you get to see animals at close range, for longer, and can touch some of them.

But volunteering here is not all about cuddling tapirs, however. There is hard work to be done and it’s not glamorous: bird cages cleaned; building materials carried; paths swept. The wild pigs’ enclosure is cleaned daily – not a popular task.

However, there is something satisfying about these hands-on experiences and I find that I don’t want to leave. I have become attached to the animals. Even to tapirs.

FAST FACTS

Getting there

United Airlines has a fare to San Jose from Los Angeles for about $600 low-season round trip, including tax. Flight is about 8hr,s including transit time in Houston).

Volunteering there

La Marina Wildlife Rescue Centre is in San Carlos, Alajuela, 60 kilometres north-west of San Jose. A bus ($2.50, about 3hr) operates from downtown San Jose to Ciudad Quesada (8½ kilometres from La Marina).

A flat fee of $US250 ($256) applies regardless of the length of stay, including airport pick-up and introduction to a host family. An extra $US13 a day covers a room and meals; see zoocostarica.com.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/travel/holiday-type/eco-tourism/talk-to-the-animals-20120531-1zjxs.html#ixzz1xF1I3JIj

Ecotourism in Costa Rica

Author (and darn great writer) Alice Henly had a great article about Ecotourism in Costa Rica, which echoed my experiences (and concerns) from my travel there.  Here’s Alice:

 

“The pigs stank when we got close. Six large ones, mottled cream and pink with enormous glistening snouts, lounged in the shed just down the path from my hotel room. “They’re our composting machines,” explains Andres Soley, the sustainability manger at Lapa Rios Ecolodge, which is perched on the southern tip of Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. “They eat all our organic waste from the lodge restaurant and kitchen.”

After the pigs churn through a meal, their excrement is pumped into a nearby biodigester, which captures the methane it releases. It’s then burned as a fuel for cooking meals. The leftover excrement is used as rich liquid fertilizer for nearby water lilies and other native plants that fill the lodge grounds.

I had never seen a biodigester until arriving at Lapa Rios for a winter vacation with my family. I spent my first afternoon at the lodge on a two-hour sustainability tour (which is offered biweekly to guests), getting up close and personal with the whole process — pigs, poop, power, and all.

Making energy from food scraps is just the beginning at this ecolodge, one of 148 nationally certified sustainable hotels in the Central American country located between Panama and Nicaragua. “Costa Rica is one of the pioneers of sustainable tourism, dating back to the 1980s when visiting tropical biologists started to bring their friends and family along on field trips,” says Ronald Sanabria, the Rainforest Alliance’s vice president ofsustainable tourism. Ecotourism thrives in Costa Rica, Sanabria says, because of the country’s impressive biodiversity, proximity to North America, long history of political stability, and high literacy rate.

“Costa Rica is not all eco,” says Martha Honey, co-founder of theCenter for Responsible Travel and former executive director of The International Ecotourism Society. “But the ecotourism revolution in Costa Rica has been really profound. It … still remains the best example in the world of successful ecotourism.” Today, though, that record is threatened by the growth of international hotel chains and plans for another international airport, which could transform the Osa Peninsula and push out its eco-lodges.

Despite covering 0.01 percent of the world’s landmass, Costa Rica’s rainforests and coral reefs are home to close to 5 percent of the planet’s biodiversity. The country boasts 500,000 (and counting) different plant and animal species. Roughly a third of the size of New York state, this small country has coasts on two oceans and six active volcanoes, creating many different microclimates, variable weather (sun and showers seem to swap places every few minutes), and a wide range of ecosystems.

In order to protect this ecological richness, Costa Rica’s government has preserved 26 percent of its land and 16 percent of its marine surface in 27 national parks, 11 wetland reserves, and two biosphere reserves. In 1997 Costa Rica’s Tourism Board (or ICT) established the Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) to distinguish and guide businesses that “comply with a sustainable model of natural, cultural and social resource management,” according to the CST mission statement. The CST ranks businesses on a scale of 0 to 5 to reward pioneering ecolodges and encourage further interest in ecotourism.

In 2003 Lapa Rios was the first hotel to achieve CST’s top ranking, level 5. The lodge is nestled in a fecund rainforest canopy alive with the calls of the chestnut mandible toucan and scarlet macaw. It overlooks the meeting point of the Pacific Ocean and the Golfo Dulce, the Sweet Gulf. “The lodge supports local micro-businesses wherever possible,” says Soley, the sustainability manager. Locals use recycled or renewable materials, like the locally grown Suiita palm, to make everything from the reusable bamboo straws in the restaurant to the furniture in the lounge.

The food is also grown or sourced locally. Three quarters of all ingredients come from San Jose, cutting down on the amount of gas guzzled and emissions spewed by transporting food from other parts of the world. All guests make their dinner selections in the morning so that the kitchen can order exactly the right amount to minimize waste.

During the four days I stayed at Lapa Rios, I began to appreciate first-hand the rich, diverse beauty of our surroundings. I swam underneath a waterfall. I surfed at a volcanic black sand beach. I hiked through the rainforest, watched howler monkeys swing through the trees, and held a baby green iguana, thanks to one of Lapa Rios’ wildlife guides. But I had the most fun walking hand in hand with Sweetie, the matriarch spider monkey, meeting and feeding animals at the Osa Wildlife Sanctuary.

We finally had to board a tiny airplane and fly back to grungy, bustling San Jose. As we took off, I had a clear view of the landscape and coastline leading away from the small town of Puerto Jimenez. Just inland from the shimmering water and untouched beaches I could see an abrupt shift from wild primary forest to the monoculture of a palm plantation. I later discovered that the massive plantation grows African palm oil, which a few years ago replaced smaller banana farms.

Honey, with the Center for Responsible Travel, told me that a massive development boom began in Costa Rica in 2002, particularly along the Pacific coast in a region called Guanacaste, when a new airport established direct flights from that area to the United States. The period from 2002 to 2008 saw an explosion of vacation homes, high-rise condos, and about a hundred new all-inclusive resorts.

Giants like JW Marriott, Hilton, and Four Seasons now dominate Guanacaste’s tourism industry. These complexes flatten thousands of acres with manicured lawns, spa centers, and golf courses. The Marriott, an imposing 310-room hotel that features four restaurants, two bars, and Costa Rica’s largest swimming pool, also boasts 7,223 square feet of indoor meeting space for up to 500 people.

The top ecolodges are expensive (Lapas Rios will cost a couple $760 per night during the peak season), but the best traditional hotels are in the same ballpark (rates vary daily but run around $745 a night for an ocean-view room at the Marriott). For the country as a whole, though, sustainable tourism is the better deal, Honey says. “The research that we’ve done indicates that these internationally owned complexes are a far less valuable tourism model for the country, both for high value long-term employment and benefits to conservation.

The Costa Rican government has recently proposed building another international airport in the Osa Peninsula. If these plans go ahead, the region will likely go the way of Guanacaste, and Lapa Rios could find itself struggling to compete with giant cookie-cutter hotel complexes. If that happens, the eco-lodge experience I enjoyed could become a thing of the past, along with the lush wild rainforest and fascinating local culture it nurtures.”

You can read the full article at http://www.onearth.org/article/can-ecotourism-survive-in-costa-rica

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Vacation in the Wild – Costa Rica, Germany, Norway, and Scotland

Image by FrogMiller via Flickr

Costa Rica: While it’s a relatively small country, there are innumerable ways to get out into the wild during a vacation in Costa Rica.  You could get up in the wee hours of the morning to see the fascinating routine of a sea turtle coming in to lay her eggs on the beach and then be on a zip line through the rainforest by the afternoon. Costa Rica boasts 500,000 animal species and national parks occupy more than one-tenth of the country’s total area, and even more of the country’s land is protected from development.

Wild vacations… in Europe?

Many people visit Europe for the old world charm within its cities, but there are also abundant unique natural tours for visitors who are drawn to the wild.

Norway: Its stunning fjords offer contrast between water and highlands, and with such a varied terrain, Norway is home to many magnificent species of animals, including musk ox, reindeer, orcas and sperm and humpback whales.

Germany: The Black Forest of Germany marries history and the natural world, as 14,000 miles of trails connect small villages through the coniferous forest. Visitors will traverse scenic hills containing many picturesque waterfalls.

Scotland: The Scottish highlands offer lush and varied terrain, with some of the oldest rock formations on earth. Visitors can expect to see wild goats and red deer, but those hoping to see the mythical Loch Ness Monster will probably go home disappointed – although the gorgeous scenery around the deep mountain lake is a pretty good consolation

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Costa Rica designated BioGen by NRDC

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As written by Alexandra Marks of the Christian Science Monitor–

I’m currently sitting in the airport in Costa Rica, fresh from a yoga retreat and heading back home to Sheep Dog Hollow, the 100-year-old farmhouse we’re trying to renovate in as green a manner as is economically practical. (Think: from calming, tropical paradise to construction mayhem.)

I confess, I’m not quite ready yet to tackle the questions that I know are waiting for me – from timing on when we can start spraying our foam insulation to worries about our fast-draining checking account and whether we can really afford those $7-a-square-foot reclaimed wide board floors (that’s $7 a square foot not including installation or refinishing.

No, in my mind I’m still hearing the gentle roar of the ocean waves, the morning’s orchestral array of bird songs, and the rustling of palm fronds in the wind.

And so, since I won’t get to Sheep Dog to check on progress and attack some of those questions until Wednesday, I thought I’d just take a moment to reflect on how lovely it is to spend time in a genuine “BioGem.”

Yes, Costa Rica is the first country in the world to be designated a BioGem by the Natural Resources Defense Council. The reason for the designation, says the NRDC, is the government’s commitment to “becoming the world’s first carbon-neutral nation by 2021.”

For years, it’s also pushed sustainability and eco-tourism and expanded its natural parks to preserve its biodiversity. To say nothing of the fact that Costa Rica one of the hemisphere’s oldest, most stable democracies, which ranks pretty high in the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals and the UN’s Human Development Index.

Yes, it’s an extraordinary place.

When you arrive, you experience it in subtle ways. The people have gentleness about them, or, as they say in Spanish, are they are “mui amable” – very amiable. The food you buy in the supermarkets, such as the tomatoes, have that sweet, home-grown taste that here in the States you can only get from a home garden.

And then, of course, there’s the pure air and the abundance of birds, iguanas, and little lizards you frequently see lazing in the sun. Yeah, there’s heat and dust – as well as pollution in the big cities – but compared to the other Latin American countries I’ve visited, it’s a veritable ecological Eden.

But there’s another reason the NRDC designated Costa Rica a BioGem: Because it’s potentially threatened. As the website Earth Explore notes:

Pressures to open coastlines to oil and gas exploration and drilling, and exploit virgin rainforest for timber and mining are ramping up. All too easily, this small nation could be directed down the path seen so often in the tropics; of slash and burn and quick profit.

To help the country stay on its current ecological path, the NRDC is “working with the Energy and Environment Ministry to identify measures to help the country meet its [goal to be carbon neutral.

The NRDC also just signed an agreement with the national electric utility, Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad, on energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. In collaboration with other Latin American environment agencies, it’s also launched “a rainforest rejuvenation project to plant 30,000 trees to restore a natural rainforest.”

So, as I head back home from that tropical ecological paradise, my Sheep Dog Hollow worries and questions have been put into a new perspective.

Yes, this green renovation is costing us more in the short term – in cash and headaches – but I again realize that if I can do a little bit now to help future generations enjoy the natural beauties of our country as I just have enjoyed Costa Rica’s, I know it’s worth the cost.

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Eco Tourism comes to Bolivia

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Bolivia is a country that has a special place in my heart.  (And so does Christi Sue Penland, a girl I dated from Bolivia).   The country, especially the capital city, La Paz, is just a trip.  Almost 13,000 feet above sea level, high in the Andes, most people don’t have the constitution to do well (at first) in the capitol.  Not much grows, and everything, from houseflies to airplanes, have difficulty in the high high altitude.

Can such a place be ideal for eco-tourism?  When travelers think of ecotourism destinations, places like Costa Rica or Belize come to mind, but not Bolivia. However, This is about to change because the indigenous people known as the Tacanas, of Bolivia’s Amazon region, are banking on ecotourism as an alternative way to make a living.

Located at the banks of the Beni River in the village of San Miguel del Bala, the Tacanas, about 5,000 in population throughout the area, built an eco-lodge that includes seven cabins, made of local materials including dry palm leaves and native wood. The cabins are scattered throughout the area, providing privacy inside the rainforest. The remote lodging is accessible by way of a 40-minute boat ride from the small town of Rurrenbaque in Northern Bolivia.

While at the lodge, guests can go trek through different trails that lead out from the lodge. These excursions teach visitors about ancient hunting techniques, and medicinal plants found in the rainforest. Guests can also visit a salitral cave where wildlife roam freely or a natural pool and waterfall. After a long day of hiking the forest, guests enjoy local cuisine such as grilled fish wrapped in the leaves of the dunucuabi plant. Visitors can also visit with one of the Tacana families in one of their houses made of palm leaves and bamboo.

According to the Latin American Herald Tribune the 45 Tacana families that live in San Miguel de Bala are primarily fishermen and farmers. The community’s leader, Biter Supa, told the Tribune that lack of electricity and health care are the Tacana’s main problems. But, that they do have potable water and a local school which the roughly 60 children living in the village attend.

Near the lodge is Madidi National Park, consisting of 4.5 million acres of land located between the northeastern area of La Paz province and on the border of Peru. The park is one of the largest biodiversity regions in the world and is home to 1,000 animal species including jaguar, spectacled bear, tapir, and capybara. It’s also home to approximately 6,000 varieties of plants.

Some of the park has been designated as Tierras Comunitarias de Origen (TCOs), by the government, which can be described as similar to the Native American reservations throughout the U.S. The area is set-aside for the indigenous communities to continue their traditions and to have a permanent home in the region.

According to Nicolas Janco, with the Mashaquipe tourist agency who spoke with the Latin American Herald Tribune,  “Tourism is an engine that is helping us greatly to improve our quality of life. Especially for the Tacana.”  He is currently lobbying the Bolivian government to promote the indigenous-populated rainforest area as a tourist destination.

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List of Ecotourism sites

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If you share a love of both the environment and travel, then an ecotourism vacation could be a way to combine the best of both into one great adventure. You’ll get to see some of the most remote and beautiful locations on earth, all while making sure you preserve them for those who follow. Whether you’re new to ecotourism or an old pro, these sites can help you get some basic information, book a trip, and even contribute to making sure that the world’s most spectacular sites stay that way.

Organizations and Associations

There are numerous organizations worldwide that are dedicated to preserving and protecting the environment while promoting tourism. Here are a few you can get some great information from or even use to get involved.

1. VISIT: VISIT stands for “Voluntary Initiative for Sustainability in Tourism” and this site was created to help tourists and tourist destination countries work together to protect the environment while still making it accessible for everyone.
2. Tourism Concern: This organization focuses on issues related to tourism and the environment. You can read up on campaigns and get helpful information for your next trip.
3. The Travel Foundation: This charity website can be a great place to find information on how you can better learn to travel without harming the environment. Even if you can’t take a trip, you can also get involved and give back through the site.
4. EcoClub.com: This international tourism club is a great place to meet up with others interested in ecotourism, find environmentally friendly hotels, and even get links to jobs in ecotourism. Join the site or sign up to receive emails with loads of useful ecotourism information.
5. International Ecotourism Society: This worldwide community can help you to learn more about ecotourism, support programs, find ecotourism experts, and locate exciting destinations and environmentally friendly accommodations for your next vacation.
6. The Blue Flag Organization: This Foundation for Environmental Education-run site can help you plan your next beach getaway. Blue Flag rates and certifies thousands of beaches in Europe, South Africa, Morocco, New Zealand, Canada and the Caribbean on water quality, environmental management as well as a number of other factors.
7. The Nature Conservancy: It’s only natural that one of the largest organizations dedicated to preserving nature would have a whole portion of its site dedicated to ecotourism. Learn how to reduce your impact, take trips through the Nature Conservancy, or check out their list of resources to learn more.
8. The Rainforest Alliance: Rainforest lovers will find numerous resources on this site about preserving the rainforest, rainforest friendly tours, and even a place where you can adopt a little piece of the rainforest for yourself.
9. South American Explorers: This non-profit organization can help you to book your next trip to South America. Whether you want to try out your Spanish in Lima or travel down the Amazon in Brazil, you’ll find help on this site to do so all while being ecologically responsible.
10. World Tourism Organization: Find out everything you ever wanted to know about tourism on this site. The sustainable tourism section has articles on the latest developments and important issues in ecotourism.
11. Green Cross International: According to the mission statement on this site, Green Cross “provides unbiased environmental analysis and expertise, information dissemination, education, objective evaluations for public debate, scientific studies, and social and medical support.” This site can be a great way to learn the real statistics of any place you choose to visit.

Travel Booking

Whether you want to book an exotic rainforest vacation or a camel ride across the Sahara, these sites can help you find a trip that will be both environmentally friendly and fun.

1. Sustainable Travel International: On this comprehensive site, you’ll find all kinds of ecotourism resources including trip bookings, eco-certification, newsletters and even advice on how to carbon-offset your trip.
2. ResponsibleTravel.com: At this site, you’ll find loads of great ecologically friendly holiday getaways as well as travel tips, an ecotourism blog, and even an ezine to help keep you informed.
3. MesoAmerican Ecotourism Alliance: Recognized for their ecotourism trips by National Geographic, the MEA offers numerous exciting vacations that will help inspire your love for the environment and nurture your adventurous spirit.
4. GreenStop.net: GreenStop.net contains a directory of accredited green hotels and travel companies to help make finding and booking your next ecotour easier than ever. With destinations on every continent, you can find sustainable vacations just about anywhere.
5. EcoTour: If you want to book an earth-friendly vacation, EcoTour is a great place to start your planning. With hundreds of ecotour providers, you’ll find tours to everywhere in the world from the Congo to Sahara. Additionally, you’ll find travel guides and articles to help you learn more about your destination of choice.
6. EcoTourism at Conservation International: Whether you’re looking for an African safari or a trip to the Galapagos, you can find information on how to do so responsibly and even find some very special destinations the organization has helped set up in Brazil, Bolivia, Ghana, Venezuela and more.
7. EarthFoot: This small company can help you create a fun and personalized environmentally conscious vacation. See the bright avian residents of Guatemala on a birding getaway or swim with the dolphins in beautiful Hawaii.
8. GAP Adventures: Ecotourism doesn’t have to be boring. Turn your trip into an unforgettable adventure with this booking site. You can visit the new seven wonders of the world or get up close and personal with the mountain gorillas of Uganda.
9. Global Exchange: Global exchange offers what are referred to as “reality tours”. Travel to Cambodia to learn about and how you can help stop child prostitution or get informed on protecting the coastal environment of Costa Rica.
10. Intrepid Travel: This award winning company specializes in environmentally responsible tourism and can help you arrange your next eco-friendly vacation. With trips to just about every corner of the globe, you’ll undoubtedly find something that interests you and won’t leave you feeling guilty.
11. Journeys International: You’ll find a wide variety of small group tours on this family-owned site. Whether your interests lie in trekking through the Andes or exploring the wildlife from the icy decks of an Antarctic cruise, this site has something for you.
12. Blue Ventures: Combine education, research and conservation with the trip of a lifetime. This site’s tour of Madagascar was named one of the top 50 tours of a lifetime by National Geographic Traveler.
13. Tribes Travel: This fair trade travel company offers expeditions to Africa, South America and Asia that can allow you to watch lions sleeping away the day or enjoy an eco-friendly honeymoon in a posh hotel in Marrakech.
14. Wildland Adventures: Make your next trip an adventure by booking a safari or trip down the Nile with this small ecotourism company.
15. Peregrine Adventures: This Australian based company offers small group adventure tours to destinations worldwide including far-flung locales like the Himalayas and Antarctica.
16. World Expeditions: Get adventurous without hurting the environment with this ecotourism company. Book trips to volcanic landscapes, the lemur filled jungles of Madagascar or follow in the steps of Genghis Khan on the Mongolian Steppes.
17. Earth Routes: Find your next earth-friendly vacation through this site. You’ll find tours to the Caribbean, Switzerland and even a few small ship cruises as well as travel tips and green travel information.
18. Orbitz.com: Orbitz isn’t one of the biggest travel sites without a reason: they offer travel tailored to just about any need, even ecotourism. You’ll find a list of destinations, information about ecotourism, travel tips and more on this part of Orbitz’s site.

Blogs

Blogs are becoming and ever more popular source of information for Internet users, and these ecotourism blogs can be a great way to learn about everything eco-friendly.

1. Ecotourism Blog: This blog covers some of the most beautiful destinations in the world in regard to protecting and preserving them as well as reporting on various news stories that apply to ecotourism.
2. EcoTravelLogue: This blog provides all kinds of information for the potential ecotraveler with posts on destinations, planning a trip, accommodation, things to do, and more.
3. Development Crossing: Whether you’re looking for information on global warming or issues concerning ecotourism, this environmentally conscious blog addresses it all.
4. Beautiful Oceans: If your ecotourism dreams lie in the coral reefs or kelp forests of the world’s oceans, then you’ll find plenty to read about here. Learn about reef conservation, eco-diving, and even a little bit about underwater photography.
5. Low Impact Living: Focusing on all aspects of low impact living, this blog contains some great information on vacations that won’t take a toll on the environment. Learn about organic eating, green spas, hybrid car rentals, environmentally friendly hotels, and more.

Information and Guides

Before you ever leave your home, read up on all kinds of ecotourism tips, facts and other information on these great sites.

1. EcoHoliday Guide: Find tons of resources for planning your next eco-trip on this site. You’ll find information on environmentally conscious vacation rentals, travel agents, activities, transport, and even places to eat.
2. World Surface: This online travel magazine was created to promote sustainable tourism and is contributed to by writers and photographers from all over the globe. Visitors to the site will find information on tons of destinations and can create their own travel diaries and photo albums to share with other travelers.
3. Planeta: Find resources on ecotourism, recommendations on books, and guides on everything from bird watching to local crafts on this site.
4. GreenTraveller: Get some great tips on how to have a greener and more environmentally friendly holiday at GreenTraveller. You’ll find directories of green hotels, tours, and low impact ways to travel to them.
5. Eco-Index: Sustainable Tourism: Here you’ll find a list of businesses in Latin America and the Caribbean that have been certified to be environmentally friendly. It can be a great way to protect the beautiful rainforests and beaches of these destinations while making sure they stay that way.
6. EcoTravel.com: This online magazine features stories from all over the world about the most exciting ecotourist destinations. It also features a directory of tour companies and agents to help you book your next trip.
7. Transitions Abroad: This site addresses a wide variety of travel issues, but it does contain a valuable section on ecotourism. You’ll find responsible travel programs and article archives, as well as links to important websites and organizations.
8. NewConsumer: This UK based magazine is dedicated to stories about how you can live a more ethically, vacations included. Check out the travel section for articles on environmentally friendly vacation ideas all over the world.
9. Big Volcano Ecotourism Resource Center: Find information on the history of ecotourism, codes of conduct, and loads of other ecotourism articles and resources on this site.
10. Best Ecotourism Vacations: Not sure where you want to head to? Get some ideas of the best and most popular ecotourism destinations in this article from SmarterTravel.

Volunteering

Take ecotourism to the next level with these sites that allow you to get your hands dirty working on various humanitarian and environmental projects all over the world.

1. GoEco: This organization arranges volunteer trips to South Africa, Kenya, Nepal and much more to help improve the welfare of the local people and the environment.
2. EcoVolunteer: Just like the name suggests, this site helps set travelers up on various volunteering vacations, and users can choose their trips based on preferred destinations or particular animals they are interested in helping.
3. Global Vision: Make a difference in some of the world’s locations that are in most desperate need of conservation help. Work at preserving marine environments, do wildlife research or even help teach others about conservation and wildlife.
4. Voluntourists Without Borders: Use your volunteer power and vacation time to work on issues involving rural poverty, conservation and environmentally friendly tourism. Work to help preserve the Pang Soong Nature Trails or the village of Ban Mae Lai.
5. People and Places: On this site, you’ll find a diverse assortment of volunteer projects that range from wildlife conservation in India to building Habitat for Humanity houses in Madagascar.
6. Green Volunteers: With one of the largest collections of conservation volunteering opportunities, this site is be a valuable resource for those who want to provode a little environmental help on their vacation. Just purchase the guide and choose your exciting vacation from hundreds of options.

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• Expedia.ca Invites Canadians to Choose their Adventures with G.A.P Adventures (newswire.ca)

Geotourism Challenge Winners

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Fifteen groundbreaking projects from around the world are the finalists in the “Geotourism Challenge: Celebrating Places/Changing Lives” competition, a collaboration of National Geographic’s Center for Sustainable Destinations and Ashoka’s Changemakers. The online contest was created to discover and support entrepreneurs with innovative approaches to geotourism, defined as tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place — its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents.

From the 323 entries submitted from 84 countries, these 15 finalists were selected:

1.    Wildlife Conservation Society, Gabon: Establishing Gabon as the gateway to Africa’s rainforests by highlighting its pristine nature and ancient cultures

2.    Blue Ventures Conservation, Madagascar: Using paying volunteer program as a strategy to protect threatened marine resources

3.    Banyon Tree Hotel, Maldives: Creating a marine lab to protect, conserve, research and educate about the coral reef environment

4.    CC Africa, South Africa: Pioneering land and wildlife conservation, and giving local rural communities a meaningful share of the benefits

5.    Chumbe Island Coral Park, Ltd., Tanzania: Creating a financially, ecologically and socially sustainable model to save the country’s coral reefs

6.    Crete’s Culinary Sanctuaries, Greece: Offering seminars for organic farmers, chefs, historians, mountaineers and other locals to share their knowledge about Crete’s culture and nature with visitors

7.    Eco-Health Farms, Latvia: Integrating ancestral traditions, nature protection and health prevention

8.    Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa, Thailand: Setting up an eco-trail that shows locals and guests the resort’s environmental practices

9.    Exotica Cottages, Dominica: Integrating local expertise in gardening and conservation into the island’s ecotourism efforts

10. Great Baikal Trail, Russia: Establishing Russia’s first system of hiking trails to promote environmentally sustainable development

11. Rios Tropicales Lodge, Costa Rica: Protecting the rainforest through the collaboration of local communities, tourists and conservation organizations

12. Snow Leopard Conservancy India Trust, India: Changing local mindsets towards snow leopards

13. 3 Sisters Adventure Trekking, Nepal: Training and empowering women to be guides in adventure tourism efforts

14. Tourism Board of Bhutan, Bhutan: Making geotourism development a national policy

15. Yachana Foundation, Ecuador: Offering lodging, meals, adventure and education through experiences with local Amazonian nature and culture

The four judges who reviewed submissions and selected the finalists were Keith Bellows, vice president of the National Geographic Society and editor-in-chief of National Geographic Traveler magazine; Susan Berresford, past president of the Ford Foundation; Leonard Cordiner, CEO of WHL Travel; and Nachiket Mor, president of the ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth.

“I was stunned at the quality of the applications,” said Bellows. “They showcased great innovation that can be exported to other countries, terrific successes against long odds and a far-reaching global distribution of projects. Not only did the entries make fascinating reading, but I was inspired by the vision, imagination, passion and entrepreneurship of the people who are making a difference in the lives of locals and travelers.”

The global online community can vote for the three winners, through Wednesday, June 11, at www.changemakers.net. The winners will be announced on Tuesday, June 17, and each will receive a cash prize of US $5,000.

“The Geotourism Challenge received entries from the most countries for any collaborative competition we’ve held so far,” said Charlie Brown, executive director of Changemakers. “This shows that the Changemakers global online community is influential in surfacing innovators who are helping destinations benefit from tourism while protecting the assets that make their places special.”

National Geographic’s Center for Sustainable Destinations is dedicated to protecting the world’s distinctive places through wisely managed geotourism and enlightened destination stewardship.

Sonoma moves towards Eco-Tourism

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Sonoma County prepares for Eco-Tourism

Several years ago a group of people in the Sonoma County tourist industry realized that they needed to do something to extend tourism year-round so that our town’s economy wouldn’t rise and fall with the summer season…to have jobs extend throughout the year so the local economy could be more stable. Knowing that our greatest asset is the beauty of our land and sea and that our population is ecologically conscious and concerned, they created EcoRing, to encourage Eco-Tourism as a solution to both economic needs as well as environmental concerns.

By Dawn E. Bell

One of the things that separates Sonoma County from other California counties is the endless variety of experiences that can be had in these 1,768 square miles. The ones that we are most known for – vineyards, coastline and redwoods – continue to attract attention from throngs of tourists. Among these 7.4 million annual visitors, many claim an unforgettable first impression of our environment. The first impactful view of the wild Sonoma Coastline is an awesome encounter for many. The first walk through ancient redwoods can change the way one views the world there after. And a drive through the changing colors of hillside vineyards causes more shutters to click than a herd of paparazzi faced with their favorite celebrity. We who live here are not only privileged to live with these beauties on a daily basis, but also with the responsibility to care for them.

There are many organizations here whose purpose is to protect Sonoma County’s treasures. Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, Daily Acts, for example, focus on protecting and caring for our environment; offering natural docent tours, sustainable activities and education. But one organization is blending the best of stewardship with tourism and is poised to help create economic growth through ecotourism: EcoRing. “This is where the river meets the sea and where a kayaker can float up to a seal pupping area, view the great blue heron or watch an Osprey hunt for dinner in its natural habitat” said Toni Tacoma, President of EcoRing. “All of these elements lend themselves to the heart of eco-tourism: responsible travel that sustains the local population. EcoRing expects to be a big part of the ecotourism market for many years to come and to help lead Sonoma County in conservation and tourism”.

Many countries around the world have focused their tourism dollars on eco-tourism. Countries like Costa Rica, Kenya and Australia where people can enjoy any number of protected natural environments. Countries where tourists can also find activities related to the great outdoor experience through “eco-adventures”. Whether it’s free diving off the coast of Australia, going on a photo-safari in Kenya or spotting rare birds in a Costa Rican rainforest, all Eco-Adventures are designed to promote tourism while protecting the environment.

But you don’t have to go to Australia to experience an exotic EcoAdventure. To international and domestic travelers alike Sonoma County is exotic and exciting. To many travelers Sonoma County is a wild place, filled with lush growth, fine weather, rolling hills and vistas unmatched in the world. Sonoma County will become an ecotourism destination famous for its conservation practices, the warmth of its people and the variety of activity. And EcoRing is leading the way to ensure exciting and safe adventure travel and opportunities.

According to a study by The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), 70% of British and Australian travelers would willingly pay up to an additional $150 per week to stay somewhere with a “responsible environmental attitude”. The TIES study also reports ecotourism has been growing 20%-34% per year since the 1990s. TIES analysts predict there will be a boom to eco-resorts and hotels and other nature (eco) tourism businesses in the coming year. “All of this is good news for eco-tourism and therefore, great news for Sonoma County”, said Tacoma.

A big part of EcoRing’s mission is to increase ecotoursim in order to positively impact local commerce and to help create new jobs through this effort. “By marketing eco-adventures, green stays and other environmentally important aspects of travel, EcoRing is poised to bring a lot of responsible travel to Sonoma County in the coming year”, said Tacoma. By working with nearly one hundred and fifty local adventure providers (hot air balloon rides, kayak companies, horseback riding, etc.), the EcoRing website (ecoring.org) provides a way for interested eco-travelers to find and book their green vacations, find out about the region and learn practical tips to being a green tourist.

EcoRing will continue to work with its affiliates like Stewards and Daily Acts to market all types of eco adventures. EcoRing will also oversee the sale of group tours and activities through work with outside contractors like travel agents, meeting planners and other hospitality and travel related industry professionals. Through these collaborative relationships, EcoRing believes its goals will be met and that success to this already popular region will increase in the coming years with the added benefit of new and extended employment and an environment that is maintained through thoughtful visitors.

Adult Summer Camp to Costa Rica

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Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve offers extreme adventure camp

The Indy Star website announced that Ritchey Woods has a brand new opportunity that allows even adults to go to summer camp. Travel with the naturalist staff of Ritchey Woods and a bilingual guide to Costa Rica. Compare the habitats and wildlife of the tropical paradise to the habitats and wildlife of Indiana. Program will include classes at Ritchey Woods before and after the trip to explore Indiana’s flora and fauna for comparison.

The company, Education First, Educational Tours, offers trips all over the globe. They have been doing so since 1965. The program is an eco tourism summer camp for adults as well as children ages 12 and older. The hope is that participants will take on a new appreciation of how diverse and amazing Ritchey Woods is and that protecting the amazing resources in “your own backyard” is vital to the health of the entire globe.

Participants must register with EF Tours by March 1. $30 paid to Town of Fishers per participant and $2,365 per adult or $2,075 per child (ages 12-23) paid to EF Tours Educational Tour Company. Prices are approximate and may vary slightly. Prices are locked n at time of registration. Under most circumstances, the sooner participants register, the more affordable the price. Price includes travel, three meals per day, and admittance to all activities on the itinerary.

Related articles:

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• Move Over, Costa Rica
• 5 Things You Must Do When Eco-Touring in Fragile Ecosystems
• La Selva Biological Station Costa Rica
• Carbon Neutral Vacations in Costa Rica
• Costa Rica votes on trade deal
• Doing more good than harm to the planet

Costa Rica Rainforest Canopy Zip Lines

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Taken in Naranjito, Puntarenas (See more photos or videos here)

9°26′ 50″ N, 84°4′ 26″ W9.447156-84.073863

<!– Does this harness make my butt look big? 2007 chrisafer chrisafer

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One of the most fun things I did during my trip to Costa Rica was using a zip line (a cable with a wheeled hand grip), to see the rainforest from up high.

Since something like 90% of the life in the rainforest is in the forest canopy, this is a great way to see exotic birds, capuccin and other monkeys, and enjoy the thrill rush of being up high without a net (in some cases).  As I’ve mentioned, I don’t get compensation from any travel or tour companies (or anyone) on this blog, but I understand that The Original Canopy Tour has 2 and a half hour tours in Monteverde on NASA quality cables. They also have a tour at Iguana Park, near the capitol of San Jose, and at Selvatura Park, which has a tamer version of canopy tours in Costa Rica with 8 different bridges of varying sizes.