“For a long time most of the villagers have made a living from fishing. They have always fished the entire coast of Belize. Even those who don’t take part in the traditional lifestyle still make their income from the sea. With their close relationship to the reefs, Sartenejans quickly notice changes to the reef and fish,” says the narrator on an informative video put out by the Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development (SACD).

Out with a local fishermen in Sarteneja, Belize. Photo courtesy of Travel Off the Radar

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System is impressive, covering 560 miles from Cancun to Honduras. In Belize, where the reef stretches for a remarkable 186 miles, a company called Blue Ventures has taken a creative and effective approach to conservation.

Beginning in January of 2010, Blue Ventures, already in its eighth year of operation, began a project with the Belizean community of Sarteneja, the Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development (SACD) and other organizations to understand the impact the local coastal communities have on the nearby reef.

Fishing and marine environments provide a huge source of income and nourishment for nearby residents, and while some are tempted to take extreme conservation measures, SACD clarifies in a video on the Blue Ventures website: “In this community, when people hear the word conservation, they think ‘no fishing.’ That’s not what SACD wants. Conservation can allow fishing to continue, but there are always better ways to do it. There are best practices to ensure the sustainable use of these natural resources.”

Working at the manatee rehabilitation program. Photo courtesy of Travel Off the Radar

For six weeks, volunteers with the Belize project are able to conduct research with Blue Ventures and their partner organization, the SACD. The mission behind the research is to eventually develop a sustainable environmental management plan for the region that not only increases the quality of life for the residents of Sarteneja, but also increases and sustains a healthy level of marine biodiversity.

Depending on schedules, volunteers undergo 7-15 days of their science training program, learning techniques of monitoring and identifying species. If you have not received your PADI certification, courses for PADI Advanced Open Water certification are given within two weeks of arrival.

Sign up for a spot on one of the trips they have coming up in November; more dates are also available in 2012. Blue Ventures also has training and volunteer programs for their research sites in Madagascar. If you aren’t sure which would be the best fit for you, read about each one on their website.

Turtles are curious creatures that have walked (and swum) this earth since the time of the dinosaurs. Little is known about this migratory animal that often will swim thousands of miles across oceans to return to the very beaches where they were born to lay their eggs. This green turtle was photographed in Seychelles, an image courtesy of Flickr/whl.travel

Saving the marine turtle just may be one of the few things the international community can agree on these days. This seafaring migratory creature doesn’t know anything of borders, fishing routes or beach resorts properties. Unfortunately, though, these are the very factors threatening the sea turtle with extinction; finding ways to help them hasn’t been easy.

Despite being the subject of much inquiry, marine turtles have proven to be elusive subjects, creatures that date back to the age of dinosaurs, spend most of their time at sea and swim thousands of miles each year. In fact, female turtles only come to shore in the summer months to lay two to four batches of eggs. Each one digs a nest about 40-centimetres deep and lays 80-100 soft-shelled eggs. The mother turtle then leaves the nest and, after two months of incubation, the hatchlings emerge and make their way by the light of the moon to the sea. A lot can go wrong in this delicate process, which explains why, on average, 1 in 1,000 hatchlings survives.

Threats to Turtle Survival

There are seven species of sea turtles, only two of which are prominent in the Mediterranean – loggerhead and green turtles, although there have been occasional leatherback sightings as well. No one knows for sure how large the turtle populations once were in the Mediterranean, but in the 1950s and 1960s, turtle soup was considered a delicacy and the green turtle female population was notably weakened to fewer than 500 individuals. In the last 100 years, human factors in the region have continued to threaten these species to the point of endangerment.

Most turtles are caught as they push up the beach to lay their eggs. Many are killed and large numbers of their eggs harvested for food. Laws now outlaw such practices, but turtle populations have yet really to reinforce their numbers. Part of the reason for this is turtles are just as vulnerable at sea as they have been on land, as many sea turtles are routinely caught in long fishing nets and lines and are either drowned or, when released, prone to die of the injuries sustained in the nets.

Perhaps most devastating of all is the boom in beach developments along the Mediterranean coast and islands. Each turtle will only lay her eggs on the same beach where she was born. This means that if a beach is lost to a resort or seaside restaurant, an entire colony of turtles can be wiped out.

Turtles are at their most vulnerable when laying their eggs. The number of human-caused obstacles that occur at this delicate time are innumerable, from bright hotel lights and over-trodden beaches to trash, large fishing nets and beach development. This green turtle was seen in Sandakan, Malaysia, photo courtesy of Flickr/whl.travel

The Benefits of Turtle Tourism

In the face of all these challenges, marine turtles persevere. The most populous loggerhead and green nesting grounds in the region are in Kefalonia, Greece, with other prominent sites in North Cyprus and Dalyan, Turkey. On the nearby Arabian Peninsula, one beach in Oman hosts 15,000 green turtle nests each year, the largest nesting site in the region.

Thankfully, in recent years, several of these key nesting sites have taken a different approach to tourism. Local tourism providers have realised – some faster than others – that keeping turtles around isn’t just good for the environment, it’s good for business too. By offering turtle-safe viewing areas and organised volunteer activities, such as beach cleanups – or ‘turtle rescues’ from traditional shallow nets – animal-curious tourists learn about local turtles and how to protect them. It’s a self-fulfilling circle that provides education for tourists and locals alike while giving the turtles what they need to survive.

Turtle Security in Action

When in the Mediterranean, if you want to see turtles or volunteer for a local organisation, there are several places from which to choose. In the Middle East, the most prominent one is Ras Al Jinz in Oman, home to 15,000 green turtle nests, the largest concentration In the region.The community of Ras Al Jinz has embraced the turtle phenomenon and, thanks to the centrally located Scientific Research Center and the cooperation of many hotels in Ras Al Jinz, the beach as maintained as a nesting site and the turtles are well cared for.

For example, the Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve hotel has minimal lighting in order to not disturb the nesting turtles at night. The nearby Turtle Beach Resort is great base from which to explore the surrounding wildlife; it offers turtle, bird and dolphin watching, along with snorkelling and diving trips. You can even stay adjacent to the Ras Al Jinz Scientific Research Center at the Carapace Lodge, which is ideally situated for early-morning and late-night turtle sightings far from the other accommodation. There are also many tours in Oman that combines visits to the Wahiba sands with experiences at the Ras Al Jinz turtle reserve.

Right in the Mediterranean basin, the three main loggerhead- and green-turtle viewing sites are in Kefalonia, Greece; North Cyprus; and Dalyan, Turkey. On the island of Kefalonia, Mounda Beach is the most famous nesting site for loggerhead turtles. Fears of overdevelopment and burgeoning tourism have seen the establishment of associations like the Katelios Group, an assembly of locals who began working together in 1994 to help conserve the turtle population and natural wildlife.

Turtles are natural seafaring creatures that can measure up to 51 inches (130 centimetres) in length and weigh 660 pounds (300 kilograms). They are the earth's oldest living reptiles. Known for their shy defensive mechanisms, turtles actually have some of the best night vision in the animal kingdom. This loggerhead turtle was is off the coast of Turkey near Kas. Photo courtesy of Flickr/whltravel

In North Cyprus, tour operator Kaleidoskop Turizm often sends turtle-seeking guests to the Marine Turtle Conservation Project, which cooperates with post-graduate students to research the effect of fisheries on turtle populations. Turtle watching in North Cyprus can be arranged through a variety of tours, though viewing through a conservation project is usually most beneficial to the turtles as they have closely monitored nesting times, migration patterns and feeding habits.

Dalyan, Turkey, is one of the most famous examples of successful turtle conservation in the Mediterranean. In 1986, Izutuzu Beach (now known as ‘Turtle Beach’) was slated for a large luxury-hotel development. However, because the beach is one of the key nesting grounds of the loggerhead turtle, international condemnation, helmed by David Bellamy himself, successfully reversed the decision and now the beach is a protected site. Wooden stakes mark nesting sites and visitors are encouraged to be careful where they walk, as the sand could get packed down and make digging a nest more difficult. Izutuzu Beach was named the world’s best beach in 1995 and is regarded as a hallmark of successful conservation. Many beach hotels in Dalyan are located near the site, but the part of the beach housing nests is closed during incubation and hatching periods.

Beach Rules to Follow

Many beaches are still unprotected in the Mediterranean and Middle East, where turtles are facing an uphill battle. But all is not lost. For tourists, following a few simple guidelines is essential and could mean the difference between extinction and survival.

So the next time you’re on a turtle’s beach, be sure to:

1. Pick up your trash. Like sea birds, turtles can become strangled in plastic rings and bags.
2. Only place umbrellas or other fixtures in wet sand. Turtles nest in dry sand and driving stakes into it could damage the nests.
3. Not walk on the beach at night. Hatchlings use the light from the stars and moon to guide their path to the sea. Loud noises or lights will frighten nesting turtles and confuse hatchlings.
4. Not touch or move turtle hatchlings going toward the ocean. This imprints on the turtle during a key period in the first few hours of their life. Also, they develop and use key muscle groups in their walk to the ocean. If you want to help, stay out of the way and clear any obstructions, like sandcastles or trash.
5. Not camp or drive on the beach. This packs down the sand and makes digging a nest difficult.
6. Make sure your hotel has a ‘low light’ policy as bright lights from large developments or beach-front hostels are one of the primary deterrents for nesting turtles.

You can learn more about turtle conservation in Europe and other parts of the world through the Sea Turtle Conservancy.

The One Day on Earth project began in 2008, with the vision of uniting the entire world in a single film-related project. The potential for collaboration offered by the internet is something that continues to be explored to this day, but the group behind One Day on Earth set out to achieve something that had never been seen before: a collection of moments, experiences and events from all corners of the globe with a single unifying experience – they all took place on the same day.

The 10th of October 2010 (10/10/10) was the distinctive date chosen to be documented in never-before-seen detail by crews from around the world. The beauty and diversity displayed in every country on the planet was captured for all to see. It has now been compiled into a full-length feature. You can view the trailer below:

One Day on Earth – Motion Picture Trailer from One Day On Earth on Vimeo.

Despite some confusion with director Ridley Scott’s Hollywood offering, Life in a Day, One Day on Earth, which is due to be repeated on November 11th this year (11/11/11), aims to raise awareness of the environmental issues that we face together as a race, as well as the interconnectedness of all aspects of life on the planet. In addition, it specifically intends to draw attention to causes in need of your support, including 350.org, Human Rights Watch, Oxfam and the WWF.

You can pre-order the complete 10/10/10 feature and find out how you can get involved in upcoming events on the One Day on Earth website.

Do you shop when you travel? Are souvenirs irresistible? It's important to understand the perils of irresponsible shopping and learn how to shop the fair way - or else. Photo courtesy of Flickr/|vvaldzen|

The great part about buying handmade items like these is that they were all purchased directly from the artists who made them – an exceedingly rare interaction in an increasingly mass-produced world. Buying the items felt good to me, but best is that I know these local artists appreciated each sale as well.

Whether our purchases make a positive impact when we travel is unfortunately not always so clear. Yet in developing countries, where Western currency goes that much further, it’s a thought worth investigating. How can we be sure that our purchasing choices will ensure the well-being of locals and the environment? Are we supporting an industry that helps sustain the local economy? Do our penchants support a trade that values the labour, dignity and rights of all those it employs?

You could hardly do better than local handicrafts made from indigenous bamboo grown in the forests around Luang Prabang, Laos. Photo courtesy of Stanislas Fradelizi/Teamworkz

When it comes to buying the “fairest” souvenirs, being well informed can make a big difference. Responsible shopping means understanding what’s at stake with each penny traded with the goal to preserve the world’s heritage and resources.

Here then are a few points to consider to help ensure that our tourist dollars are well spent. I’d really encourage you to add some of your own.

Look Around for Local Crafts

From the hand-woven traditional textiles of Laos to the fine filigree jewellery available in Portugal or the eclectic wire sculptures sold along South Africa’s Garden Route, nothing compares in value to beautifully produced local handicrafts made by some of the world’s finest artists. After all, craft items make far better gifts than boring old t-shirts, and purchasing locally produced goods constitutes a viable source of income for local creative types the world over.

When you buy goods and handcrafts directly from the local producers, your money goes straight to the community and will help to preserve those traditional arts. Keep your eyes out at the smaller markets in rural areas for some of the best deals, or buy through specialty Fair Trade stores such as Global Exchange.

Get Goods Made from Sustainable Sources

We all know that poaching is wrong. Tourists who buy endangered animal furs have as much blood on their hands as the poachers themselves. Fortunately, butterflies do not look nice to me in a box. I’d never consider buying ivory, that barbaric and illegal trade that causes incredible agony and death to the most magnificent of creatures. I boycott buying furniture made from rare and endangered woods and always aim to buy products made from the finest renewable sources.

Enough said? Are you sure? Take a stroll down almost any tourist beach and you will likely see vendors selling coral or seashells. But, except in places where some invasive coral is harvested to preserve the native ecosystem, how many people know that the market for harvested coral is destroying the world’s ocean reefs and causing irreparable damage to underwater ecosystems? The colourful shells now sold as earrings and necklaces once contained living animals – creatures that are now dead because someone wanted pretty adornments. Please don’t encourage this trade.

Keep an eye out for homemade items made from sustainable resources, like the natural dyes used by traditional weavers in Peru's Sacred Valley. Photo by Laurel Angrist

Buy with a Conscience – Patronise Stores that Give Back

Another important way to ensure we spend our money responsibly is to purchase items that help to support the communities we visit. In the peaceful Xieng Khoang province of northeast Laos, for example, lies the cultural village of Ban Napia. Despite the countless atrocities they suffered as residents of the most heavily bombed region in the Indochina War, the villagers here are resilient and resourceful: aluminium scrap metal from leftover bombs is converted into delicate spoons and bracelets that are sold to tourists visiting the village-owned souvenir shop.

Around the world, of course, there are many other small stores that provide self-sustainable income to locals, whether through skills training or other means, and countless shops that contribute to worthy causes. Get online and ask around to find the best local charity shops and patronise businesses donating a percentage of profits to local community projects, environmental conservation or humanitarian assistance programs.

The successful thrift shops and bookstore run by Housing Works support programs providing housing, healthcare and job training to more than 20,000 low-income New York City residents living with HIV and AIDS. Photo courtesy of housingworks.org

Consider an Item’s Trade Roots – and Think Outside the Factory-Made Box

Many infamous examples exist of products made by exploited workers, produced under dismal conditions for shockingly minuscule wages. The most high-profile cases that come to my mind are the Christmas ornaments that were made by child workers and sold at Walmart, the Nike shoe company’s questionable labour practices and the horrific abuse and involvement of the Koidu diamond mines in fuelling Sierra Leone’s bloody, decade-long civil war.

Unfortunately, such stories only come to light once a corporation’s underhanded practices become too egregious to ignore. Let’s face it: mass production has had a long history of labour violations, many of which we choose to ignore because we want our cheap dinner plates, children’s toys, cell phones and you name it.

In South Africa, the Consolidated Diamond Mine, owned by De Beers, is said to have the largest private earthmoving fleet in the world. Outmoded vehicles and machines are dumped in this eerie graveyard without a second thought about the environment. Photo courtesy of Flickr/sosij

Factory-made souvenir items such as magnets, key chains or t-shirts are often manufactured outside of the destinations they represent, and typically have little to no real connection to the places they are supposed to portray. I don’t know the industrial origins of the most common and obvious mass-market souvenir items, but knowing what we know already, how much do we really want them? How great could they really be?

Instead, why not hunt for more meaningful mementos? Vacations are the perfect time to get just a little bit more creative: think of items that are not merely souvenirs but are actually used in local households for decoration or day-to-day living. Need some ideas? Go ask a local. They’re bound to come up with some imaginative suggestions you may never have thought of on your own.

Barra de Potosí is a small coastal village at the mouth of a lagoon, part of a complex and interdependent system of lagoons, which runs along the coast of the Municipio de Petatlan. The lagoon network regulates the lives of both human and animal lives and has a balanced ecosystem that has kept its people gainfully employed and its environment protected.

Barra de Potosí beach. Photo courtesy of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)

A Mega-Development Threat

The people of Barra de Potosí are now confronted by a development project that they believe will destroy the existing ecosystem, in spite of Mexican laws protecting the environment and in contradiction with industry trends that seem to point toward interests in sustainability and ecotourism.

Fonatur, a branch of the Ministry of Tourism, and its subsidiary Fonatur Operadora SA de CV are planning a mega project in the area of Petatlan that includes Barra de Potosí. The proposed development would include construction of a cruise ship pier in the bay, as well as the expansion of an existing installation in the bay of Zihuatanejo. The official document published in the Gazetta Official refers to a concession in the bay of Potosí covering 1,500 hectares and an almost 8,000-square-meter pier. Indicating the intention to go ahead with these plans, developers a few miles south of Barra de Potosí have recently built a road that will block the natural flow of water from one of the rivers that feeds the lagoon.

Residents of Barra de Potosí and neighboring communities have tried to obtain detailed information about this development project, but have only received evasive answers. The people have stood up in protest, for example in Zihuatanejo and Petatlan, to convince civil servants as well as representatives of Fonatur and its subsidiaries that this project goes against all national environmental laws. It would also annihilate the unique biodiversity of this region in a just few years, while depriving the population of its traditional means of existence.

Local fisherman hard at work near the mangroves. Photo courtesy of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)

An Irreplaceable Ecosystem

The Potosí lagoon and those interconnected with it, together with long stretches of adjoining beaches, are home to over 200 species of birds, endangered butterflies, rare mammals and reptiles, nesting sea turtles, coral reefs, breeding whales and many species of threatened plants.

Preliminary studies by biologists from the Independent University Metropolitan (UAM) indicate that within the ecosystems of Barra de Potosí there are hundreds of species of flora and fauna, of which 46 are endangered or at risk according to the official Mexican regulation NOM-059. For example of the seven surviving species of sea turtles in the world, the leatherback, olive ridley and hawksbill all nest on the beaches of Barra. The Laguna de Potosí contains 450 hectares of mangrove swamps and three threatened species of manglar: botoncillo, black, red and white listed in NOM-059.

Other species threatened by extinction are the rare Tamandua anteater, the puma jaguarundi, the jaguar or Panthera onca, Mexican white tail deer, boa constrictor, iguana and American crocodile. Over two hundred species of birds – including 22 on the NOM-059 list – have been sighted by UAM scientists including roseate spoonbills, painted buntings, trogans, white and brown pelicans and woodstorks. The nearby islands of Los Moros are rookeries for brown boobies, tropicbirds and magnificent frigates, to name a few. The waters off the beach form part of the migration route for humpback whales, bottlenose and tropical dolphins, among other endangered species.

Over 200 species of birds have been sighted here in the pristine Potosí lagoon, and in the surrounding ecosystem. Photo courtesy of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)

Barra de Potosí’s Youth: Ideas to Sustain the Community

Some of the local youth, well-educated sons and grandsons of fishermen have been working on developing an economic plan that would help preserve their way of life along with the precious natural environment. These future leaders of the community have been working on an ecotourism project alongside academics from various national universities. They believe very strongly that this project is not only an economically and environmentally sound venture, but also acts as a line of defense against predatory mega-tourism enterprises which often ally with short-sighted government agencies.

The youth’s efforts in this grassroots ecotourism project are strongly supported by the great majority of the population, which has seen the unfortunate results of devastating mega-tourism projects in Huatulco, Cancun, nearby Ixtapa and elsewhere in Mexico. A defense fund has been created and an environmental lawyer has been hired to help on the legal front, while an informational campaign has been launched with the aim of enlisting help from the general public as well as from international organizations.

A young protester at a public march. Photo courtesy of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)

How You Can Help

This fight against a huge government institution out of touch with its own public policies is proving to be a difficult one, and the people of Barra de Potosí can use all the help they can get. Consider offering your support of this community by participating in one of these easy ways:

1. Send an email to Mexican decisionmakers. See here for a sample template and instructions for how to address your letter.
2. Spread the word on Facebook. Join the Barra de Potosí “Causes” page.
3. Post a message of support on the Save Barra de Potosí guestbook page here.
4. Use your voice! Tell popular cruise lines that you don’t want them in Barra de Potosí, and let them know that Barra residents have international support. See more information here on how and where to send an email or letter to cruise lines.
5. Inform yourself and others about this important issue.
6. Spread the word! Share this link with your friends and colleagues!

Let the decisionmakers know that the small town of Barra de Potosí is not alone in its fight against over development, destruction of an irreplaceable ecosystem and disregard of an entire community.

Once a quaint fishing village, Porto de Galinhas, Brazil, has watched as traces of its sleepy origins fade into yesteryear. Although the pace of life is still welcomingly calm on off days, easy village rhythms have been replaced by the modern buzz of vacationing crowds that flood in on holidays and weekends. This should come as no surprise for a place unanimously declared the country’s best beach for 10 years running. After all, where else is there such an incredible combination of a near-equatorial coastal location, natural pools a stone’s throw from the beach and ecological trails all within close proximity to the major state capital of Recife.

During low tide, natural swimming pools are easily reached on foot from Brazil's Porto de Galinhas village. Photo courtesy of the Secretary of Porto de Galinhas

In an effort to maintain its reputation as THE best beach in Brazil, the area’s infrastructure has been strategically developed to keep pace with the influx of holidaymakers. There is a plethora of Porto de Galinhas hotels, plus plenty of resorts ready to accommodate suntanned and beach-beaten guests looking to relax indoors. One option with a good reputation is Ecoporto, which is run by a welcoming couple from Southern Brazil. This pousada (Brazilian guesthouse) is located far enough outside the bustling town centre to escape the noise, but still within strolling distance of its restaurants and shops.

There are tons of things to see and do in Porto de Galinhas. Top of the list for most visitors is lazing on the idyllic white sands as waves break over the surrounding reefs, although gazing at beautiful fish in natural pools and diving to explore lost shipwrecks are both available as options. One truly amazing experience is observing seahorses in their natural habitat on a kayaking trip through the Maracaípe mangroves before paddling out to where the Maracaípe River meets the ocean.

Alternatively for those who like to feel the wind in their hair and the sand beneath their feet, jumping on a three-hour or full-day Buggy Tour is a wonderful way to explore the beaches in the area, while allowing the freedom to stop at will for a stroll on the shoreline.

Porto de Galinhas, Brazil, means 'Port of Chickens'. In the 18th century, when the slave trade was outlawed in Brazil, the traffic continued in this port town. The code for explaining that a shipment had arrived was 'new chickens were in town.' Courtesy of Pedro Paulo Capelossi

No matter what you do, most days are finished off in the same way – with caipirinha drinks at a local watering hole.

The whl.travel local connection in Porto de Galinhas is Pedro Paulo Capelossi and his team at Trip Noronha, who also cover the Brazilian island paradise of Fernando de Noronha. “I am pleased to finally bring the local community and small inns of Porto de Galinhas the technological tools to reach a market they never could before,” said Capelossi. “Our mission, in addition to bringing quality information to travellers, is to encourage sustainable tourism in this region where it is still not a common focus for many tourism providers and accommodations.”

As with any booming tourist destination, many suppliers in Porto de Galinhas are driven by the ever-mighty bottom line. However, in the name of truly responsible tourism, Pedro seeks out tour providers and accommodation operators working toward improving the sustainability of this gorgeous beach destination by hiring local people, recycling, utilising green energy systems and improving awareness of the local culture.

As an avid diver, Pedro’s responsible practices extend to his concern for Brazil’s oceans. Over the years he has completed over 5,000 dives and accompanied over 20,000 divers. Trip Noronha has also been involved with noteworthy projects like the Spinner Dolphin Project and conservation efforts for rehabilitating overused dive sites in Fernando de Noronha.

www.portodegalinhas.travel is the latest addition to the ever-growing network of destinations covered by whl.travel partners all over Brazil.

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EM PORTUGUÊS / IN PORTUGUESE:

Outrora uma exótica aldeia de pescadores, Porto de Galinhas assistiu com o tempo os traços das suas origens singulares desaparecerem no passado. Embora o ritmo de vida ainda seja tranquilamente convidativo em certos dias, a aldeia teve os compassos substituídos pelo buzz moderno das férias e multidões que a inundam em feriados e fins de semana. Isso não deve ter sido nenhuma surpresa para um lugar que por unanimidade foi escolhido como a melhor praia do país por 10 anos seguidos. Afinal, aonde mais existe esta combinação incrível de um local paradisíaco, com piscinas naturais a poucos passos da praia e várias trilhas ecológicas? E tudo nas proximidades de uma capital de estado.

Em um esforço contínuo para manter a sua reputação como a melhor praia do Brasil a infraestrutura da região foi desenvolvida para manter o ritmo com o fluxo de turistas. Existe uma infinidade de hotéis em Porto de Galinhas, além de resorts prontos para acomodar os que procuram relaxamento. Uma opção com boa reputação é Ecoporto, que é gerido por um casal do sul do Brasil. Esta pousada está localizada distante o suficiente do centro da cidade para escapar da agitação, mas ainda assim a curta distância dos seus restaurantes e lojas.

The locals have capitalised on the town's catchy name and craft chickens can be found all over the village, even though the name is rooted in a time of slavery. Courtesy of Pedro Paulo Capelossi

Há várias coisas para ver e fazer em Porto de Galinhas. No topo da lista para a maioria dos visitantes é espreguiçar nas areias brancas enquanto as ondas quebram sobre os recifes ao redor, contemplar belos peixes nas piscinas naturais ou mergulhar para explorar nasvios naufragados são passeios disponíveis. Uma experiência verdadeiramente surpreendente é observar os cavalos-marinhos em seu habitat natural em uma viagem de caiaque pelo mangue de Maracaípe antes de remar para fora, onde o Rio Maracaípe encontra o oceano.

Alternativamente, para aqueles que gostam de sentir o vento em seus cabelos e a areia sob seus pés, um passeio de buggy de três horas ou um passeio de Buggy o dia todo é uma maneira maravilhosa de explorar as praias da região.

Não importa o que você faça, pois na maioria das vezes os dias terminam da mesma forma – com caipirinha em um bar!

Agora, além do portal WHL de Fernando de Noronha, Pedro Paulo Capelossi, da Trip Noronha compartilhou conosco como ele está “satisfeito de finalmente trazer ás comunidades locais e pequenas pousadas de Porto de Galinhas, as ferramentas tecnológicas para alcançar um mercado nunca antes explorado. A nossa missão, além de trazer informações de qualidade aos viajantes, é promover o turismo sustentável na região, pois ainda não é uma prática comum de muitas pousadas e prestadores de turismo locais”.

Com o crescimento do turismo em Porto de Galinhas, as grandes operadoras turísticas começaram a comercializar o destino de forma desordenada, e é aonde a verdadeira essência do turismo sustentável entra em jogo. Pedro procura trabalhar com fornecedores que tenham a preocupação em desenvolver um turismo sustentável a fim de preservar o destino, contratando mão de obra local, reciclagem de lixo, utilizando energia solar, evidenciando os aspectos da cultura local. Pedro é um instrutor de mergulho experiente, com mais de 5000 mergulhos e já acompanhou mais de 20.000 mergulhadores de todo o mundo. A Trip Noronha apóia e já auxiliou projetos como o Projeto Golfinho Rotador, e também participou da exploração de novos pontos de mergulho para reabilitar pontos de mergulho já saturados em Fernando de Noronha.

www.portodegalinhas.travel tem muito orgulho de participar de uma extensa rede de destinos já lançados no Brasil.

If you have not yet heard of Earth Day, it is an annual commemoration of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970 and it ‘has inspired and mobilized individuals and organizations worldwide to demonstrate their commitment to environmental protection and sustainability.’

Students celebrate Earth Day by hugging a tree. Photo courtesy of Flickr/snre

Now, 41 years later, the Earth Day theme is A Billion Acts of Green, a ‘people-powered campaign to generate a billion acts of environmental service and advocacy.’

It calls upon anyone and everyone to declare an act of green and/or start or participate in an Earth Day event.

In this spirit, for the past several weeks The Travel Word has been focusing on the incredible earth-conscious acts of the many conscientious people part of the WHL Group family.

Following yesterday’s blog post sharing our favourite Earth Day videos, and as part of our online Earth Day push to spotlight acts of environmental generosity and sensitivity that could add to the tally of global efforts, we would like again to call attention to a few of them here just from the last month.

+ The theme of The Travel World newsletter for April was biodiversity. In it, we first lamented our world in which the species extinction rate is higher than it has ever been, but then called upon everyone to be part of the solution to species extinction rather than part of the problem. We also looked at

• our Top Five Ways to Experience Biodiversity Hotspots while showing respect for the fragile flora and fauna
• Eco Etiquette for Travelling in the Galapagos
• Brilliant Butterflies in the Kingdom of Bhutan
• the Last Ecological Frontier of Palawan, Philippines
• the Coastal Ecosystems of Paraná, Brazil
• the Benefits of Ecotourism for Children.

+ We have also highlighted efforts to Counter Invasive Coral in Ilha Grande, Brazil.

+ We have profiled some of the ‘green’ local partners of Green Path Transfers, a new global provider of eco-friendly airport transfers and ground transportation.

+ We celebrated Earth Hour 2011.

There is, of course, so much more!

But these are just a few of the millions of stories out there, stories we hope you will share throughout the day today. The goal is to inspire those around you. And to help make our fragile planet more vital tomorrow than it is today.

Happy Earth Day!

Milky Way Rising from Australia

“I love this stop-motion clip of the Milky Way rising, filmed in Coonabarabran, New South Wales, Australia. This clip illustrates how much light pollution affects our ability to see the stars by showing us what’s visible without expensive equipment once you get out into the unpolluted Australian bush. On a personal note, I have regularly spent time in Coona throughout my life, and as an Aussie living in London it’s lovely to see the Milky Way and the Aussie scrub in a familiar context.”
~Jen Campbell, Social Media Specialist at WHL Group

The Playground Earth

“When I first saw the clip, I was simply inspired by it — the beauty of the images, the longing it created to see the places pictured. Now that I have two young sons, one of whom has started asking difficult questions about our place in the cosmos, I find the video even more entrancing. After reviewing with my son an astrology book that zoomed out from the earth to the solar system to the galaxy to the universe, this video let me zoom back in on the earth, so that we could talk about who we are, the terrestrial environment in which we exist and the responsibility we have for it.”
~Ethan Gelber, Director of Media and Communications at WHL Group

This is What Global Warming looks like.

“In this video that highlights how violently the earth ‘fought back’ in 2010, what I find most chilling is that it makes me think about the devastation that natural disasters have caused around the globe in the short few months that have followed the video. To me, it’s a haunting reminder of what to expect if we don’t take action.”
~Jennifer Aston, Africa Regional Office Director, whl.travel

Earth amazing sights

“There are many, but I like the entire series shown here. You cannot help but be overwhelmed by how truly awesome and versatile our planet earth is.”
~Rob Shortland, CEO at whl.travel

Saving the sea: Maldives cabinet meets underwater!

“This video inspires me as it is people like Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed who are leading the charge on climate change awareness. Through videos and novel ideas such as this to raise awareness, I hope that finally world leaders will act, and climate change will cease being a political issue, but rather something we must do, and do now.”
~Shaun Gilchrist, Urban Adventures associate and local partner

The Solar House

“This video captures the spirit of a new way of living – one which connects us with the earth and the communities in which we can live in joyous and fulfilling ways. The fact is that most still see anything “eco” as being uncomfortable, tasteless, boring, and something to be wary of. The reality is quite the opposite and this video is a celebration of that.”
~Len Cordiner, founder and CEO of WHL Group

‘Ice Skating’ Polar Bears – Nature’s Great Events

“I love this clip because it’s full of bittersweet ‘firsts.’ For this polar bear cub, it’s the first time venturing out onto the ice. It may be the first time that the mother has taken her young onto such thin ice, and the first time she’s had to spread her weight more widely. We can see the first signs of adaptation to the new conditions brought about by a warming planet. We’re learning that for the first time, humans have had a hand in climate change. This poignant ‘ice skating’ moment doubles as a call to action.”
~Cynthia Ord, managing editor of The Travel Word newsletter

Maya Lin – Unchopping a Tree

“I saw this video after it was shown at the Copenhagen Climate Summit and I guess it made an impression on me because I never forgot it. I think it really adds some perspective onto the damage we are doing to our planet. It has that inspirational punch that makes me want to get out there and chain myself to a tree!”
~Maureen Valentine, chief content editor at whl.travel

Female Elephants Rescue a Drowning Baby

“I love elephants, so my choice for an Earth Day moment had to be an elephant clip. See how the elephants use different techniques to pull and push the baby out. These great creatures are teaching us a few lessons here. We all can work together no matter how difficult the job. And no matter how little we are we all count and are important to somebody.”
~Sylvia Cordiner, admin support for WHL Group

Lontra Comendo Peixe | Parque Nacional do Iguaçu

“I like this video because it was a wonderful ending to our day at Iguazu National Park. This past Saturday, Wallace, Fabio (Foz do Iguaçu MPO) and I went to the park for a full day of activities. It was an amazing experience! The falls are incredible of course, but the park is also full of life. We had the chance to see a wide range of species, including Tufted Capuchin, Caiman, Common Agouti, Nasua and Toucan. The most exciting was the view of an otter having a dinner. We got really close, and I had the chance to record this cool video. Our guide, who has been working in the park for the past 7 years, said that he never managed to get so close to one for that long. It was definitely an inspiring nature experience.”
~André Franchini, Manager at Hotel Link Solutions

International year of Forests * 2011

“Forests have always fascinated me. My major interest is the trees. I used to spend hours reading about the different species, their reproduction, the seeds, flowering period, the use that the natives make of them, etc. I had the pleasure to travel widely in the Brazilian Amazon and Atlantic Forest. It’s unexplainable the feeling you get near a tree that is 300 or even 500 years old.”
~Wallace Faria, Central and South America Project Manager, whl.travel

Earth Day: Give Earth a Hand

“I like this one because it shows a great concept of giving a hand to make the Earth greener. At the beginning, it expresses Human’s ambitions, focusing just on things (cars and machines) that might cause harm to the Earth and the living environment. The clip’s message, then, is that it’s time the Earth’s inhabitants should switch their needs to something more essential, without side effects like destruction and pollution.”
~Tuan Truong, content approval on the content team of WHL Group

SchoolHouse Rocks Energy

“I grew up watching Schoolhouse Rock videos and although “The Energy Blues” first aired in 1978, the video’s message remains relevant today. Energy: quit wasting it all, will ya?”
~Laura Fornadel, Asia and the Pacific Project Manager, whl.travel

Home

(embedding disabled — click title to view on YouTube)
“With breathtaking footage of earth juxtaposed with astonishing images of defilement, Home takes us on a journey through human history and our ever-changing relationship with our planet. Sit back and get comfortable. This is a full-length documentary.”
~Ashley Hiemenz, product development at Gunyah

We would love to hear about other inspiring video clips about our earth. Share your links and thoughts below in the comment section.

The island is a true haven for biological and ecological diversity and much of the credit for the maintenance of its conservation areas is attributed to the relentless work of the Defence Committee of Ilha Grande (CODIG). This non-profit organisation began in the year 2000 and has since been fighting for the preservation of Ilha Grande’s ecological integrity and fending off the interests of those seeking capital gains from the use of Ilha Grande’s restricted areas for real estate and private-sector expansion.

The picturesque coast of Ilha Grande, Brazil, draws visitors from all over the world. Through CODIG (Defence Committee of Ilha Grande), travellers can help protect the island from invasive sun coral species and lax development legislation that threaten it. Photo courtesy of Nélio Ricardo

Eradicating Sun Coral

One project near and dear to the people of Ilha Grande is the eradication of an invasive species of sun coral (Tubastraea spp.) introduced in the late 1980s by oil and gas platforms. It has since overrun 900 kilometres of the rocky shoreline. The CODIG, with the support of other organisations, has partnered with the Projeto Coral-Sol with the goal to eliminate this non-native species in the next 20 years.

Sun coral is currently found along the coastlines of six counties with a combined population of 6.3 million people. The fear is that the rapid reproductive properties of the coral could see it spreading into deeper waters and on to the Brazilian coral reefs. Given the fragile nature of these reefs, the impact could be devastatingly irreversible – not only for the endemic reefs, but also for thousands of Brazilians that rely on the unique ecosystem for income and food.

To combat this expansion, and since coral is a popular house decoration, the Projeto Coral-Sol has started encouraging the sale of sun coral as a souvenir in the bay area around Ilha Grande. Throughout the region, popularising the harvest of sun coral is also seen as a means of competing against trade in native and endemic species. With that in mind, education and training efforts are now instructing local people how to substitute nonnative sun coral for the protected native species.

Sun coral is not native to Ilha Grande, Brazil. Because of its rapid reproductive capabilities, this species could spread into endemic reefs and tip the balance against these fragile and unique ecosystems. Photo courtesy of Franklin Samir Dattein/wikimedia

The project is targeting traditional coastal communities from Ilha Grande, including Caiçaras, whose major vocation is the extraction of marine resources. As a consequence of declining fish stocks, these local communities place great value on new and sustainable income-generating opportunities that also help to preserve the environment. Presently, over 40 families are receiving instruction in how to collect and prepare sun coral for sale. It is expected that one family will initially be able to earn an additional income of at least 240.00 Brazilian Reals (approximately US$150) per month.

The combined positive outcomes of eradicating an invasive species, developing new livelihood opportunities for local people and reducing the sale of endemic coral make this a noteworthy project, one that is shaping up to be the first self-sustaining initiative for the removal of exotic marine organisms in Brazil.

Protecting a Green Treasure

Another CODIG undertaking that is working its way through the Brazilian courts is a major effort to forestall the slackening of environmental protection regulations not only on Ilha Grande, but in 93 other islands and along a generous portion of the Emerald Coast. The fight is against a new Decree 41.921 that would allow for the commercial development of land throughout these now highly protected reserves.

An arial shot of Ilha Grande, Brazil, emphasises the deep greens and blues of its natural landscape. CODIG (Defence Committee of Ilha Grande) is actively working toward the preservation of this piece of ecological and national heritage in Brazil. Photo courtesy of Nélio Ricardo

After syndication of a petition against the development, CODIG now has more than 8,500 signatures to present to the courts as proof that citizens will not sit idly by while national heritage is bulldozed. One can only hope that the preservation of this pristine island can win out against the interests of those seeking to ‘develop’ it.

Ilha Grande is fortunate to have the CODIG on its side and its best interest at heart. If you are travelling to see the beauty of Ilha Grande, be sure to contact your whl.travel local connection and CODIG member Nélio Ricardo of Ilhagrande Adventure Travel and Tourism. He knows all the best local accommodations, trekking adventures, boat tours and ways to contribute to the sustainability of Brazil’s favourite island!

If you would like to become directly involved with the CODIG, the annual membership fee is 120 BRL (about US$76). Nélio can fill you in on all the details about how this helps protect Ilha Grande.

Just because you are going on a family vacation doesn’t mean that learning should take a break too. Ecotourism is full of what educators call teachable moments or, more definitively, unplanned opportunities to explain a concept that has unintentionally captured a child’s interest.

Photo courtesy of Greenloons via The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)

Whether it is touring the rainforests of the Amazon, observing blue footed boobies throughout the Galapagos Islands or understanding the water issues that surround the Okavango Delta in Botswana, ecotourism is a vacation experience that provides boundless opportunities to teach younger generations about the fragility of ecosystems and the significance of heritage.

Who among us has not witnessed the common occurrence while visiting the local zoo, going hiking through the wilderness or even watching a local artistic exhibit of younger children looking with absolute wonder and amazement at the spectacle of music, art, flora or fauna? There is delight followed by an onslaught of illuminating questions about people and the natural world.

These teachable moments mark milestones for a child’s personal growth and development. And the value system that is at the core of ecotourism can be a positive influence on all age groups, not just the very young.

Specifically, children can benefit from an ecotourism vacation because the experience offers an opportunity for:

• Instruction about indigenous wildlife – Ecotours are not only small group tours that allow for up-close-and-personal views of nature, but ones that are generally led by a naturalist that have been trained to understand plants, birds, insects and animals of the region and their relationships to ecosystems, thereby bringing education alive.

• Increased awareness about environmental degradation – An important component of ecotourism is to inform tourists about ways to minimize waste, soil erosion, air and water pollution so as not to disturb the environment – lessons that no doubt will stay with children.

Photo courtesy of Greenloons via The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)

• Involvement with conservation efforts – Whether it’s helping to record sea turtle activity in Greece or understand the destructive role of invasive plant species in the wilderness, ecotourism allows for deep knowledge of the fragility of the natural world.

• Focus on the depletion of natural resources – Whether it’s learning about how an eco-lodge harnesses solar or wind power for its operations or how countries are implementing renewable bio-energy to power engines, ecotourism teaches how the impact of tourism is affecting sustainable land development, public transportation choices and how other countries are using low-carbon technologies today.

• Exposure to cultural experiences – From tasting new foods to learning phrases in a foreign language, ecotourism interprets cultural traditions and experiences that provide long-lasting impressions about the world.

• Inspiration for a life’s passion – While snorkeling through a coral reef or observing animals in their natural habitat in Africa, ecotourism sparks the imagination to dream about a career or even find a solution to an environmental problem

Ecotourism even offers opportunities to incorporate your family vacation with your child’s science, social studies, foreign language, even art and music lesson plans. One of the most helpful and free resources available now is on the Rainforest Alliance site, which offers a kindergarten–8th grade curriculum guide.

One example lesson plan for a kindergarten student is entitled Biodiversity, which challenges children to think about the diversity of local flora and fauna in local forests versus tropical forests as they classify insect and tree species, while the 8th-grade lesson plan entitled Guatemala’s Changing Forest has children learning about the Maya Biosphere Reserve by analyzing maps and determining recent changes in forest cover.

Dedication to the cause of the environment and its preservation can have a long-lasting impact on the way our younger generations feel more connected to ecosystems as well as view social involvement and economic success. Not only will children establish a deeper, longer-lasting connection with the region they are visiting during an ecotour, they will learn more about how they can make a more positive impact on the world.

How is biodiversity measured? Conservation International, an organisation that “empowers societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature, our global biodiversity, for the well-being of humanity” has established a way to identify the world’s biodiversity hotspots, or areas that have especially high numbers of endemic (native) species, based largely on two factors: the number of plant species endemic to the area (must be greater than 1,500 species) and the acute need to protect the area from habitat loss beyond an already measured 70 percent of the original.

In these fragile areas, the acute priority placed on conservation means that visitors and travellers must handle with care. Unchecked tourism is part of the rampant human encroachment on nature that threatens the planets’ bio-diverse ecosystems and its health. When practiced responsibly, however, tourism can be a driving force behind conservation efforts.

We encourage travellers to explore these biological treasure troves, but to do so responsibly. Some of the best ways to do this are on guided tours with local tourism professionals committed to conservation principles and making as little impact as possible. These guided tours also deliver high levels of learning, adventure and fun!

We are pleased to offer our five favourite ways to experience biodiversity hotspots around the globe.

A mirror image of the healthy corals of the Solomon Islands. Keep them healthy with a scuba dive tour that cares. Photo courtesy of Tina Aydon

Scuba Diving the Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands enjoy healthy reefs that represent a small part of the Coral Triangle biodiversity hotspot in the southwest Pacific. Divers visiting the town of Gizo on Ghizo Island, which is famous for its submarine seascapes, discover a variety of healthy, warm-water reefs teeming with fish that have not been loved to death. At Njari Island, off Gizo, as many as 279 fish species have been counted on a single dive. With Dive Gizo, the whl.travel local connection in the Solomon Islands, daily dive tours are limited to eight passengers at each site to ensure there is no great impact on the marine life. The dives, including some wrecks, suit both novices and masters, and promise great photo ops.

As part of a biodiversity conservation initiative in the area, a partnership between WWF-SI (World Wildlife Fund for Nature Solomon Islands) and Dive Gizo was launched in 2003 to protect eight reef sites around Gizo from careless anchorage; the easy solution was to deploy marine buoys. Dive Gizo is also a member of the Gizo Marine Conservation Area (GMCA) Management Committee, which has established nine marine protected areas covering an area of approximately 43 square kilometres. As well, the Dive Gizo diving staff belongs to the marine biological team that collects baseline and ongoing coral monitoring data for the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network.

The Amazon Tree Climb in Manaus Brazil will get your own limbs working and your adrenaline pumping all way up to the canopy layer. Photo credit Government of the state of Amazon, Brazil

Amazon Tree Climbing in Manaus, Brazil

As the largest tropical rainforest system in the world, the Amazon is a place of unparalleled biodiversity. In fact, more than one third of all species in the world live in the Amazon Rainforest. Where is one of the best places to get a sense of this almost preternatural environment? The city of Manaus, in the north region of Brazil serves a magical gateway into a unique world.

Given the surroundings, Manaus is headquarters to a number of rainforest tour activities, from kayaking and river cruises to canopy tours. Now, even Amazon tree-climbing is an option! Outfitted with climbing gear, visitors can hoist themselves up through the branches and up to the jungle canopy the way researchers do to collect data. Even better, with Selenetur Travel, the whl.travel local connection in Manaus, concern for the rainforest is top priority. Tours groups can be no larger than six so no harm befalls the trees, and bilingual instructors inform about the ecosystem and the surrounding wildlife. This blissful encounter with nature leaves climbers with a renewed impulse to conserve it!

Carlos Augusto, one of the trip coordinators, says, “Our trees are previously inspected and the climb sites are carefully chosen. We opt for primary forest areas, which gives us a better chance of observing the wildlife in its natural habitat. Our wish is to share the magic and beauty of the Amazon forest with our guests, so that they may understand and respect this fragile ecosystem.”

In Luang Namtha's Nam Ha National Protected Area in Laos, award-winning conservation-minded ecotourism projects are underway. See it through the mists of the area's refreshing waterfalls. Photo courtesy of Stanislas Fradelizi

Waterfall Trekking in Luang Namtha, Laos

Luang Namtha Province lies in the northwest of Laos, sharing borders with both China and Myanmar. Around 85 percent of its 9,325 square kilometres is mountainous and approximately 50 percent is covered by forests, making for landscape with high levels of biodiversity. Home to more than 20 ethnic minority groups, 37 large animal species, 297 bird species and 60 fish species, Luang Namtha has been recognised as having enormous potential for ecotourism.

The 2,230-square-kilometre Nam Ha National Protected Area (NPA) is a primary tourism attraction in Luang Namtha. Lying at the intersection of the Indochina and Himalayan bioregions, the bio-diverse area is a protected area of international significance. The importance of the Nam Ha NPA is in relation to tourism in Luang Namtha – primarily as a result of a major ecotourism project undertaken by UNESCO and the Lao National Tourism Authority called the UNESCO-NTA Lao Nam Ha Ecotourism Project.

Designed to create an economically viable national model for locally managed community-based culture and nature tourism, the project has demonstrated that properly planned ecotourism can be used as a tool for heritage conservation and rural development, involve local communities in tourism management and operations, and raise substantial public sector revenue. In 2001, the UNESCO-NTA Lao Nam Ha Ecotourism Project won a United Nations Development Programme Award in 2001 in addition to a British Airways’ Tourism for Tomorrow commendation.

One refreshing way to explore the Nam Ha NPA rainforest is a one-day waterfall trek that leaves from the small town of Vieng Phouka, located two hours by car south of Luang Namtha town.

On an early morning in the first week of April, a solitary canoe makes its way along what is normally a forest road in Soomaa National Park, Estonia. Photo courtesy of Aivar Ruukel.

Canoeing the Fifth Season Floods in Estonia

Soomaa National Park, which surrounds the Estonian ‘summer capital’ of Pärnu is a naturally quirky place, principally because it protects some of the world’s rarest ecosystems – peat bogs and wetlands (the word soomaa means ‘land of bogs’). Estonia is a wet country with almost 25 percent of the territory consisting of different kinds of wetlands, arguably the most important of which are the ancient and disappearing peat bogs. Their ecological importance has been distinguished as, among other accolades, a CORINE biotope area and one of Europe’s most valuable wilderness areas certified by PAN Parks, and turned it into an European ecotourism hotspot.

Another quirk about the Soomaa region is its ‘fifth-season’ spring floods. Each year, usually in April, spring melt-off raises water levels by about five metres, submerging everything – forest floors, meadows, fields, roads and even village houses – for two to three weeks during which a boat is just about the only way to get around. This is not a catastrophe but a much-anticipated season and a popular time for canoe trips into the national park. Some tours navigate the swamped forests – even right up to the doors of houses – using haabjas, or traditional hand-carved dugout canoes made from huge aspen logs.

From the relaxing rhythm of a canoe, Fifth Season observers can take a good look at some of the wetlands flora and fauna. Although not officially designated as a ‘biodiversity hotspot’ by Conservation International, the Kuresoo bog is ranked particularly high in species diversity. Soomaa is also a natural home for eagles, black storks and other rare birds, as well for carnivores such as wolf, lynx and brown bear.

Sri Lanka's Sinharaja Forest Reserve boasts the highest concentration of endemic species in a country fabled for its endemism. Photo courtesy of Ethan Gelber

Hiking Through Primary Rainforests in Sri Lanka

The gorgeous rainforests of Sri Lanka are on the list of the planet’s top 10 biodiversity hotspots most at risk of destruction. Sadly, at the top of the list of Sri Lankan rainforests most at risk is Sinharaja (meaning ‘lion king’) Forest Reserve, the largest Gondwanan rainforest in South Asia. It is relatively small – barely more than 110 square kilometres – but if taken with contiguous forest reserves, it represents the largest single block (about 475 square kilometres) of wet-zone primary forest in the country. Naturally, it is the green heart of Sri Lanka’s unique and enormously important biodiversity, boasting the highest concentration of endemic species in a country fabled for its endemism.

Preserved from loggers by virtue of its difficult terrain and finally put beyond their axes in only 1977, Sinharaja is now also one of Sri Lanka’s eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Today, the greatest threat to Sinharaja is the unchecked devastation of the ecosystem it shares with surrounding woodlands, some officially counted in a semi-protected forest buffer zone. Bewilderingly, in the 15 years from 1990 to 2005, despite legal protections, 900 square kilometres, or approximately 35%, of the 1990 total forest coverage within 20 kilometres of the park was destroyed. Along with them went who-knows-what in the way of biodiversity.

The best way to appreciate what’s left and continue to call attention to its irreplaceable bounty is simply to visit. Paths within the protected area can only be covered on foot and in the company of a guide. While tours can be arranged in advance, qualified and knowledgeable guides are available for hire (for an affordable fixed price) at the Kudawa and Deniyaya entry points.

Sri Lanka is peppered liberally with other brilliant ecotourism indulgences across a wide variety of ecosystems. For example, why not try a boat ride on the mangrove-fringed Madu River, home to at least 60 species of bird?

In 1984, a team from the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA) discovered the remains of a 3,400-year-old Bronze-Age boat, the oldest wreck yet unearthed. In 2006, the 360 Derece (Degree) Research Group, in collaboration with the INA, produced an exact replica of the original ancient boat, which was then sailed to the Chicken Bay dive site close to Kaş and deliberately sunk.

The wreck, which has begun the slow but steady process of being reclaimed by the ocean, is now home to a wide variety of marine life and provides an incomparable experience for divers – there is simply no other location like this in the world! The cool silence of the ocean depths coupled with the ancient lines and curves of this sturdy craft give the impression of stepping back in time.

A tour of the site is an excellent way to spend several hours, before resurfacing into the bright, warm sunshine and heading back to shore to recharge your batteries with an evening meal as the sun slips below the waves.

Ang Thong National Marine Park was established in 1980 and, since then, has been a haven for wildlife protection efforts and research. As only a small fraction of the area of the park is on land, the majority of its wildlife includes sea-dwelling creatures such as butterflyfish, angelfish, parrotfish, stingray and sharks.

It is also home to important and diverse habitats including mangrove forests and coral reefs. All of these assets contribute to a fantastic visual beauty, but an environment that should not be interfered with directly.

Tours to the area often offer a combination of snorkelling, kayaking and sightseeing.  There is a small visitor centre located on one of the islands, and budget accommodation is also available here.

No place on earth can compare with the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador. Their place in history is secure by virtue of the revolutionary thoughts that were cultivated during a trip there by Charles Darwin as a naturalist on the HMS Beagle. He famously formulated the theory of evolution by natural selection while visiting the archipelago, his thought processes said to have been sparked by the incredible diversity of life surrounding him. The picturesque beauty of the islands’ rare flora and fauna continue to bring inspiration to travellers that follow in his footsteps and to the lucky residents, both human and nonhuman, that call this paradise home.

A fisherman in Puerto Ayora, in the Galapagos Archipelago, sorts his catch of the day, while some local pelicans patiently wait to see if there are any leftovers. Photo courtesy of Jorge Vinueza

The Galapagos Islands are unusual for many reasons, including that, in reality, there are no ‘indigenous’ people. The current human occupants are a conglomeration of nationalities that have come together and begun the process of creating – or evolving – a group identity.

As mainland Ecuador is nearly 1000 kilometres away, the tourism industry stakeholders – whether accommodation or tour operators – therefore place an emphasis, almost by necessity, on all things local. One example is the Hostel Casa Blanca, an establishment privately run by Jacqueline Vasquez and her two daughters, who also operate a small art gallery that features the work of local artists. In all undertakings the family strives to minimise its impact on the environment by reducing waste and using unwanted materials to make creative arts and crafts.

As a rule, tours of the islands must be accompanied by licensed guides. This is partly to prevent harm to the fragile ecosystem and partly to ensure that visitors get the absolute most out of their time. The highly regarded Gordon Rocks tour, for example, includes a chance to glimpse hammerhead sharks and provides an up-close and personal experience with Galapagos’ marine life. The islands are the perfect place to learn to scuba dive, with many unforgettable treasures lurking beneath the Pacific’s waves.

The most recent Ecuadorians to join the whl.travel network, Yacu Amu Experiences is eager to spread the word about these constantly evolving islands. “We are very excited to be partnering with whl.travel to connect small hotels and tour operators in the Galapagos Islands with independent travellers. This new project supports our strong belief that small, owner-operated tourism businesses are the basis of a sustainable economy in the islands. Tourism provides residents with a viable alternative to extractive activities such as large-scale commercial fishing that negatively impact the unique ecosystems of Galapagos.”

www.galapagos-tours.travel is the first whl.travel destination in Ecuador.

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EN ESPAÑOL / IN SPANISH:

No hay lugar en el planeta que pueda compararse con las Islas Galápagos. Su lugar en la historia se estableció en virtud de los revolucionarios pensamientos cultivados por Charles Darwin durante su visita a las islas como naturalista a bordo del HMS Beagle. El formuló su famosa teoría de la evolución basada en la selección natural luego de visitar el archipiélago, el proceso de su pensamiento dijo fue motivado por la increíble diversidad de vida que le rodeaba. La belleza pintoresca de la rara flora y fauna de las islas continúan hoy en día inspirando a los viajeros a seguir sus pasos, así como también a los afortunados residentes, que llaman su hogar a este paraíso.

Only found in one place on Earth, the marine iguana is found throughout the Galapagos Archipelago. Though Darwin described them as the "most disgusting, clumsy lizards," they make up for their looks with their most fascinating ecological niche. Photo courtesy of Galapagos Safari Camp

Las Islas Galápagos son especiales por muchas razones, incluyendo el hecho de que, en realidad, no existe gente indígena nativa de las islas. Los habitantes actuales son un conglomerado de nacionalidades que se han unido y empezaron el proceso de crear – o desarrollar – una identidad grupal. Debido a que el Ecuador continental se encuentra a unos 1000 km de distancia de las islas, los actores principales de la industria turística- ya sean alojamiento o tour operadores – hacen énfasis, casi por necesidad, en todo lo local. Un ejemplo es el Hostal Casa Blanca, un establecimiento privado manejado por Jaqueline Vásquez y sus dos hijas, quienes también operan una pequeña galería de arte que presenta obras de artistas locales. Todas las empresas familiares buscan minimizar su impacto en el medio ambiente reduciendo el desperdicio y reciclando materiales para crear artesanías.

Como una regla general, los tours en las Islas Galápagos deben ir acompañados por un guía naturalista del Parque Nacional Galápagos. Esto es en parte para evitar daños en el frágil ecosistema y en parte para asegurarse de que los visitantes disfrutarán al máximo su estadía en las islas. El altamente considerado viaje a Rocas Gordon, por ejemplo, incluye la oportunidad de dar una mirada a los tiburones martillo y brinda un acercamiento y una experiencia personal con la vida marina de las Galápagos. Las islas son el lugar perfecto para aprender a bucear, con un sin número de tesoros inolvidables que se encuentran bajo las olas del Pacifico.

El más reciente miembro Ecuatoriano de la red whl. travel, Yacu Amu Experiences, está deseoso de difundir estas islas en constante evolución. “Estamos muy emocionados de asociarnos con whl.travel para poder dar a conocer pequeños hoteles y tour operadores en las islas Galápagos a los viajeros independientes. Este nuevo proyecto apoya nuestra fuerte creencia de que negocios pequeños operados por sus dueños, son la base de una economía sostenible en las islas. El turismo ofrece a los residentes una alternativa viable frente a las actividades de extracción como la pesca comercial a gran escala que impacta negativamente en este ecosistema único de las Galápagos.”

www.galapagos-tours.travel es el primer destino ecuatoriano en unirse a la red de whl.travel.

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EM PORTUGUÊS / IN PORTUGUESE:

Não há lugar no mundo que se compara as Ilhas Galápagos no Equador. Sua história foi marcada por pensamentos revolucionários que foram cultivados durante a viagem de Charles Darwin como naturalista no navio HMS Beagle. Ele formulou a famosa teoria da evolução e seleção natural ao visitar o arquipélago. Seus processos de pensamentos deveriam ter sido provocados pela incrível diversidade de vida que o rodeava. A beleza pitoresca da flora das ilhas e da fauna rara continua trazendo inspiração para os viajantes que seguem seus caminhos e para os moradores, tanto humanos quanto não humanos, a chamada casa do paraíso.

These penguins, resident on Bartolome, are the only penguins native to the northern hemisphere. They are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List and their entire population is inside the Galapagos Islands National Park and Marine Reserve. Photo courtesy of Galapagos Safari Camp

As Ilhas Galápagos são diferentes por várias razões, na realidade não existem pessoas indígenas. Os atuais ocupantes humanos representam um conglomerado de nacionalidades que se juntaram e começaram o processo de criação, evolução e uma identidade de grupo. O Equador Continental tem quase 1.000 quilômetros de distância, por isso as partes interessadas na indústria de turismo como os operadores se instalaram em alojamentos turísticos para dar destaque aos acontecimentos locais. Um exemplo é a Pousada Casa Blanca, um estabelecimento privado por Jacqueline Vasquez e suas duas filhas, que também operam uma pequena galeria de arte onde se expõe trabalhos dos artistas locais. Em todas as empresas desta família são desenvolvidos meios para minimizar o impacto ambiental através da redução de resíduos e utilização de materiais indesejados para fazer artes e ofícios.

Como regra geral, os passeios realizados nas ilhas são acompanhados por guias licenciados. Isso é necessário para evitar danos ao ecossistema e em partes garantir que os visitantes aproveitem muito o seu tempo. O conceituado passeio Gordon Rock, por exemplo, proporciona uma vislumbrante imagem de tubarões-martelo, é uma experiência incrível sobre a vida marinha de Galápagos. As ilhas são os locais ideais para aprender a mergulhar, tesouros inesquecíveis se ocultam, sob as ondas do Pacífico.

Os equatorianos mais recentes que adquiriram a rede whl.travel, como Yacu Amu Experiences, estão ansiosos para divulgar informações sobre estas ilhas que estão em constante evolução. “Estamos muito animados com a parceria da whl.travel para nos conectar aos pequenos hotéis e operadores turísticos nas Ilhas Galápagos, através de viajantes independentes. Este novo projeto apóia a nossa forte crença de que pequenas empresas de turismo, dirigida pelo proprietário, seja a base de uma economia sustentável no arquipélago. O turismo oferece aos moradores uma alternativa viável para atividades como a pesca comercial, que gera um impacto negativo ao ecossistema de Galápagos.

www.galapagos-tours.travel é o primeiro destino da whl.travel no Equador.

“The European Ecotourism Conference brings together great experts and speakers on different aspects of ecotourism, including certification, web-marketing, climate change, innovative product development and green travel,” commented Aivar Ruukel, representing the Estonian Ecotourism Association, one of the event organisers, along with The International Ecotourism Society and the Pärnu Convention Bureau, with support from the Estonian Tourist Board, Estonian University of Life Sciences and Estonian Ecotourism Cluster.

“While there will be great presentations to listen to,” continued Ruukel, “the conference will also give EVERY participant a voice to give voice to his/her hottest topic and discuss it with like-minded colleagues through Open Space and World Cafe workshops.”

Following two days of pre-conference ecotourism experiences, discussions over two days will cover multiple themes from the global perspective on ecotourism in Europe and green travel marketing to biodiversity conservation, community-based initiatives, certification programs and new communications innovations that help spread the word. Considerable time has been made available for open-forum discussions during which all participants are free to interact.

WHL Group Represented

The WHL Group will be represented, among others, by Luke H. Ford, CEO of Gunyah, who is also on the event’s advisory committee. Ford will speak on Tuesday 28 September at 2:30pm about the momentum growing behind the notion of local travel, as exemplified by WHL Group companies and the Local Travel Movement.

“We as a group have realised that a traveller’s experience (for the most part) isn’t just about the bed he or she is booking; it’s all about the things around the hotel – the meals, the transport, the conversations with the locals, the chance to experience everyday life as it should be in the destination, the local travel experience,” shared Ford. “We are bringing the responsible and local tourism concept to the mass market.”

A Wide Circle of Participation

Other presentations by WHL Group friends and partners include “How to Market to Green Traveller?” by Richard Hammond, the “Parks Tourism Model as a tool to protect Europe’s Wilderness” by a representative from the PAN Parks Foundation and “How to integrate Web 2.0 tools in promoting Ecotourism” by Ron Mader of Planeta.com, who has issued a call for photos of ecotourism and responsible travel in Europe.

“We would like to see photos of national parks, city parks, recycling, environmental education, good signage, local wildlife and quality guiding in Europe,” said Ron Mader. “Ecotourism Europe is a great ‘show and tell’ that connects visitors and locals.”

For anyone unable to attend, but interested in both the topic and what will be shared at the conference, there are several online platforms for discussions, images and reactions. These include LinkedIn, Flickr, YouTube and Facebook.

In addition, in anticipation of the conference, a free Ecotourism in Europe webinar has been planned for Thursday 23 September from 1-2pm GMT with Ruukel as lead speaker and other guests including Zoltan Kun (Executive Director of PAN Parks) and Ben Colclough (Co-founder of Tourdust.com).

“For me the success of conference can be only measured by the satisfaction of participants,” concluded Ruukel. “I hope that the methods that we chose and the way we have organised this event will help to achieve it.”