Experience the uniqueness of Guancia dry forests

With all the forests getting thinner and thinner all around the globe, you better explore the forests now before they disappear. The zillions of unique planktons swimming in the waters of the Vieques island, dry and arid climate of the area, and the Guancia dry forest offers the tourists plenty of things to indulge themselves into.

Located on the South West coast of Puerto Rico, the Guancia biosphere reserve includes both coastal areas as well as mangrove habitats. This forest acts as a source of livelihood of the people living in eight nearby municipalities. The forest attracts plenty of tourists to the area and also provides a lot of materials to the people. Recently, Erik Olsen visited the region after being influenced by an article he read.


The writer was particularly interested in paddling the Bio bay reserve. At night he swam in the local waters. I will have to agree that he has some guts to swim around at night. I wouldn’t do that. The best part about this area is the landscape that is formed by the salt spray and winds that never die. The 9500 acres of forest doesn’t really look like one.

Yet another interesting fact about Guancia is: it is home to 140 different species of birds as well as plenty of flora and fauna. However, most of these birds shuttle between Puerto Rico and Guancia. So, if you are a bird watcher, you can visit Guancia whenever you want. Pelicans are probably the dominant birds found in this region.


The bio bay reserve is bioluminescent and the best of it’s kind. The environment is created from the luminescent planktons that glow at night. It is a natural wonder and very magical indeed. The visitors normally consider this to be an experience of their lifetime.

Besides birdwatching, paddling and glowing planktons, the island offers activities like biking, diving, Horse back riding as well hiking. So if you are still looking for a place to visit for your next vacation, come on down to Vieques island.

Are you actually an Eco-Tourist?

Well, are you always ready to take the first road out? Do you love outdoor adventure and thrills: Rock –climbing, Trekking Expeditions, White Water Rafting, Skiing, Nature Trails, Wildlife Safaris and more. Do you believe that there’s an exciting new world waiting to be explored? If, yes, than, you definitely are an ardent traveler and nature lover. But, wait; does that make you an eco-tourist? Read this and find out for yourself!


"Just joining tour operators, who promise eco-tourism does not make one an eco-tourist. This is a concept which has to be believed and felt from within."

says Aloke Bajpai, CEO, The Explorers, a Mumbai based Adventure tour outlet.

Going on nature trails and exploring natures’ unexplored and virgin beauty is not enough, practicing eco-friendliness is equally important. Many travellers litter garbage, plastic bags and bottles on the way without giving it a second thought. Keeping the surroundings clean and pure is an important part of eco-tourism.

Besides, paying up a huge some of money to a travel outlet which takes care of all your needs and also plans your trip, it sometimes bars you from a lot of amazing experience. According to the Kiwi travel writer, Heather Hapeta, ‘Eco-tourism is an activity that has minimum impact while providing maximum benefits to the locals.’ He opines that independent travellers are most likely the closest to being real eco-travellers. By staying in cheaper, locally-owned accommodation, eating at small food outlets and using local transport, they leave much of their travel money in the country. Not only this. By doing so, they also get to visit places that are not on the tourist trail and can get to know people and absorb the local flavours. So, are you ready for an actual eco-tour?

Three Cheers to the Great Alaskan Beer Train

This train that offers homebrewed Ale on Rails Passes through miles and miles of beautiful scenery. The word Beer itself is enough to get everyones ears up. Along with the BrewHouse beers are served a variety of appetizers and finger foods

This annual event combines the beauty of fall along the Turnagain Arm with the warmth and good times of Oktoberfest and the Great Alaska Brewhouse . The beautiful views of the Turnagain Arm and Cook Inlet provide a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. Alaska Railroad, which dates back to 1903 is one of the safest to travel on . This year you have missed out since the train left on 7th October. Check back in late summer 2007 to book your seats on next year’s train

Mystery of Giant Sink Holes in China Unraveled

Often referred as “tiankeng,” or “sky holes” near the southern Chinese city of Guilin they are 2,000-foot-deep wonders. The main factor to them is an underground river. It is the waterof the river that dissolves limestone to make caves, the roofs of which can give way to form sinkholes.

However the limestone at Guilin is fractured the sink hole are liable to form along vertical cracks forming steep walls. Rubble due to the cave in is dissolved by the waters of the river and over the eons cavern opens to the sky and a tiankeng is born Arthur Palmer, a cave expert at the State University of New York at Oneonta is quoted to have said

“You are impressed by how abrupt they are. These do tend to be the biggest in the world.”

Geologist William White, an emeritus professor at Pennsylvania State University is quoted to have said

“You could fit a couple of Empire State Buildings in and they’d disappear,”.

It would definitely be worth it to visit such extrordinary natural wonders especially now when China is becoming tourism friendly.

Via: discovery

Lodges With Alternative Energy Sources#3: Gaviota, Belize

Location: Tobacco Caye, Belize

Rates: $49 to $59 double occupancy, including meals Activities: Snorkeling (rentals; $7.50 per day), scuba diving, fishing, sightseeing tours ($37.50 for up to four people)

Gaviota Coral Reef Resort is located on the tiny island of Tobacco Caye at the opening of a huge barrier reef. Not a place for fancy entertainment and foods but definitely the place for peace and quiet, an ideal vacation for divers and snorkelers. The eco-resort is completely powered by wind and solar energy.

Via: Discovery

All Uk Beaches go eco-friendly

Beach lovers often get annoyed with trash scattered around beaches and polluted bacterial water too make them avoid swimming and enjoying their stay over there. In order to solve this problem, EU conducts frequent European water cleanliness tests. And this time England’s all beaches has passed the sample tests and meet with the European mandatory. The results show that every beach in the country is suitable for swimming and other beach activities.

Ian Pearson Environment minister Ian Pearson said:

The money that has been invested by water companies and others since the 1990s to improve water quality is now showing real results, bringing benefits to the environment, public health and tourism.

The drive has shown positive results and it’s a healthy sign for UK tourism industry and for tourists too who can enjoy crystal clear water on the beaches to the max.

Africa in danger of loosing Tourist influx due to Climatic Changes as per UN report

The haven of safaris is in danger from global warning. The coastal zones are most likely to be affected by climate change with reduced fish productivity, coral bleaching, salt water intrusion, loss of beach facilities and tourism revenues. This is as per a new report on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation in Africa , released by the data from UN bodies and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

Rainfall has fallen by up to 2.4% per decade in tropical rainforests regions of Africa since the mid-1970s.The rate of decline has been fastest in West Africa and north Congo. Sea levels could rise by 15 to 95 cm by 2100, according to some estimates.

It is also estimated that 30% of Africa’s coastal infrastructure could be inundated including coastal settlements in the Gulf of Guinea, Senegal, the Gambia and Egypt if Africa does not improve in climate and weather monitoring capabilities and policies. It needs 200 automatic weather stations, a genuine effort to rescue historical data and improved weather reporting capability. By 2085, between 25 per cent and over 40 per cent of species’ habitats could be lost altogether. Experts estimate that cereal crop yields will decline by up to five per cent by the 2080s.

Achim Steiner, United Nations Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), said:

Climate change is underway and the international community must respond by offering well targeted assistance to those countries in the front-line which are facing increasing impacts such as extreme droughts and floods and threats to infrastructure from phenomena like rising sea levels.

All these alarming estimates are of no use if they remain as such. The need of the hour is to create concrete realities, firstly to establish better weather stations and make arrangements for greenhouse gas emissions to be cut.

Get set to visit Greenland

Intially an US Airforce base the airport at Kangerlussuaq of Greenland gives one a feeling of metal shelters. The airmen’s settlement still remains now home for employee’s at the airport and in tourism.This is the only airpot in Greenland capable of accommodating the Boeing 757s. The longest road in this country is only 12km long. Flights between cities are the answer after which come Dog-sleds and skidoos.


Greenland’s winter tourism is dependent on its snow and ice. Unfortunately Greenland ice sheet has been much effected by global warming. Temperatures have risen from 0C (32F) instead of the more usual -30C (-22F). If it were to melt global sea levels would rise by seven metres (23ft).

This land has a bleak and windswept beauty. Lake water is so clean that lake Ferguson supplies drinking water direct to the entire town. One can take a vehicle tour(Total roller coaster) to Long lake, Russell glacier and Point 660. If you are lucky you will get a glimpse of the wild life.

Huangguoshu Falls, China: The biggest waterfall in Asia

Location: Two-hour drive from Guiyang province

The massive waterfall is formed by 18 waterfalls of various sizes. The wide Baishui River thunders over a main waterfall, 74m high and 81m wide, into the huge Pool, then down a series of smaller cascades.


The most fascinating is the 12 meters high water-screen cave that arches into the cliffside and is curtained by a sheet of water also is present an inner waterfall. A path has been cut into the cliff behind the fall which gives you a beautiful view through the cascading water. This semi man made cave takes you behind the falls where you can get a feel of the force of the water as it slips through your fingers.

AquaCity Resort: An ultimate destination for eco-friendly vacations

Use of green energy and opt environment friendly techniques have become need of the hours in order to save the rapidly polluting planet.

Citing this necessity Slovakia’s AquaCity Resort is on the way to become the world’s first complete eco-friendly resort. The resort is built over the geo-thermal spring.

The geothermal water is converted to electricity to power the resort, currently in part, which is planned to convert 100% self powered and emission free by 2008. 14 swimming pools are filled with natural geothermal water and water also heat two hotels, a conference centre, restaurant, bars, and gym and generate electricity. The swimming pools are stainless-steel lined, reducing the amount of chemical required to keep them sanitized.

The resort has not only paid enough heed to the safety of environment but has also come forward with plenty of services at reasonable rates. Accommodation in single room starts from £65 and double rooms starting from £85 per night. If you are least concerned about environment and tend to do something for the betterment of environment then AquaCity is a perfect place for you to spend your holidays without harming the earth or the atmosphere.

Zanzibar: Worlds first zero carbon Luxury Resort

London architects are designing this marvel eco destination, which hopes to have zero negative environmental impact. Its 35 self-sufficient villas, are to be energized by solar and wind power.

� The infinity pool in front of each villa will use water that has been naturally filtered by reeds in an adjoining pool � Natural air conditioning will cool the villas. The shape of the villa walls will draw sea breeze into the bedroom, after being cooled by passing over the swimming pool. Cold water pipes will run through the inside of the bed to cool it further. � Villa’s water supply is to be from rainwater and desalinated seawater. � Hot water will be from pipes which run beneath the solar panels on the roof, and so are naturally warmed. � The resort will be built from local earth, renewable timber and reclaimed stone. � Construction itself will be from local earth, renewable timber and reclaimed stone. � Bicycles are likely to be the mode of transport for the 100 staff. � Waste will be put into a biomass generator to produce energy. � Energy from gym machines will be used in the electric supply. Richard Hywel Evans, the British architect behind the resort said:

Carbon neutral is very difficult to achieve. What goes into the hotel must be available locally and plentifully, and what comes out the end must not damage the environment.

Nevertheless, green concerns have not made this Per Aquum resort any less luxurious. It is an effort that supports the local environment as well as the people living there. When built it will be a fine example of an eco tourist destination.

In Photos: Santa Elena Reserve, Monteverde, Costa Rica

So Lush, So Green, So refreshing, Lichen growing all over the rainforest trees.

Santa Elena Reserve, Monteverde, Costa Rica

Today in Costa Rica Ecotourism is one of the prime industries in its economy. The country has only about 0.1% of the world’s landmass, it contains 5% of the world’s biodiversity. Over 25% of Costa Rica is composed of protected forests and reserves. Location: 6 Km (3.6 Mi) SE of Santa Elena, Monteverde Hours: 7 AM to 4 PM daily Entrance fee: $10 for adults; $6 for students Guided tours: $15 for 3 hrs, In Monteverde Costa Rica rain forest are found more than 100 species of mammals including 5 species of cats, over 400 species of birds including 30 kinds of hummingbirds, tens of thousands of insect species (over 5000 species of moths) and 2,500 species of plants (420 kinds of orchids).

A cloud forest is a highland forest characterized by nearly 100% humidity throughout the year. The cloud forest here receives an incredible four meters of rain every year- that is almost twelve feet.


The spectacular Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is a green paradise of tall trees festooned with orchids, bromeliads, ferns, vines, and mosses. Its mystical magic exudes from a walk in the clouds with a green backdrop. Its all about the lush jungle and all the life hiding in it. Made possible because it’s a cloud forest keeping everything moist with it’s daily mist. Visiting the same reserve with a naturalist guide is a more informative experience.

Environmental concerns over ridden for granting approval to resort and golf courses

Amid worries raised by environmentalists, the developers have received approval to build new golf course and resort on the British Virgin Islands. The project to be build on 650-acre (260-hectare), which would costs around US$80 million (euro61 million) and will cover most of Beef Island and includes an 18-hole golf course. The government and developers seems convinced about proposed plan as the Chief Minister Orlando Smith said in a statement:

Yes, we must protect our environment — but we must also think about creating jobs, growing our economy and securing our tourism industry for the future.

The smith assured that government would take strong measure before initiating the work. He also said 10 percent of the planned hotel rooms and rental villas were cut in the final agreement. Countering the claims of the government, biologists said that the massive construction on the island, would pave way for degradation of marine lives.

It is noteworthy that British Virgin Islands comprise of around 60 semi-tropical Caribbean islands and most of the islands are volcanic in origin and have a hilly, rugged terrain. Only 15 of the islands are inhabited and rests of the island are still far away from the jaws of civilization.

Wild Wing fest helps preserve Pascagoula River watershed through Ecotours

The ecotours will highlight more than 170,000 acres of public natural lands in the Pascagoula River corridor in George and Jackson counties. The tours will include sunset cruises, overnight canoe and kayak trips, walking tours, birding tours and seminars.

Location: Moss Point, Pascagoula, Gautier, Ocean Springs, Lucedale and George and Jackson counties Duration: April 13-22 Official Site

Leah Bray, an environmental scientist with Eco-Logic Restoration Services said:

We also want to bring ecotourists from the Gulf Coast and surrounding areas that will support our local economy and show respect and appreciation for our wildlife, culture and community.

What’s new this year? Ecotours, an adventure race and an identification challenge centered on birds. Many of the birding tours as well as the field trips are likely to take you into De Soto National Forest, the Ward Bayou Wildlife Management Area, the Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge, the Gulf Islands National Seashore, the Grand Bay Coastal Preserve and the National Estuarine.

Source: BBc

Rules made stringent for elephant safari operators in South Africa

An elephant’s social life, in many ways, revolves around breeding and raising of the calves. Humans selfishly take away these very calves from the live wild herds to train and tame them for safari use. Hopefully these new rules will be a thorn in the side of South Africa’s dishonorable elephant-back tourism industry and put a dent in there notorious activities.

The draft rules, released for comment last week, proposed stopping the capture from the wild of anything other than genuine orphan elephant calves.


Southern Africa director of International Fund for Animal Welfare, Jason Bell-Leask said:

It is callous and greedy in its demands for young elephants, forcibly removing animals from their wild herds and subjecting them to training that is wrong, cruel and exploitative. Ifaw has long been calling for better legislation to manage the elephant safari industry, and it seems that government is finally going to get tough on this awful blight on South Africa’s tourism landscape.

Humans have always wrongly intruded on elephant lives. African ivory hunters, by killing only tusked elephants, have given a much larger chance of mating to elephants with small tusks or no tusks at all. Tusklessness, once a very rare genetic abnormality, has become a widespread hereditary trait.

In fact some believe that the wild instincts of male elephants can not be truly tamed. Therefore, they might turn dangerous even towards humans. Well I think that elephants are the gentlest of creatures and it is cruel to segregate young calves from mothers.

Taking a swim in naturally cleansing swimming pools

Self-cleaning “ecological” pools use microorganisms and aquatic plants to filter the water and prevent algal growth, and are designed to attract wildlife, such as dragonflies and butterflies. They do not taste and smell of chlorine but are like natural pools.

Pioneered in Austria, chemical-free pools have become increasingly popular in France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. Small hotels looking to save energy and attract wildlife to their gardens, such as Hotel Marini in South Tirol, Italy and Orion B&B in the south of France also have these pools .

So next time you want to cool off with a swim seek out these environmentally friendly pools and treat yourself to visual treat of butterflies and insects.

Source: Guardian

Making the right choice for Eco-tourism

The word eco has been used so cheaply by tourism marketing strategies that probably you and I are unlikely to believe it anymore. In many projects ecotourism today is akin to green washing.

During the United Nations’ International Year of Ecotourism in 2002, Patricia Barnett of Tourism Concern said:

the ecotourism label could be used by anyone at anytime for anything from a small-scale locally-run rainforest lodge where the money goes to support a local community, to a large, luxury, foreign-owned resort which has little community involvement and uses masses of natural resources.

Well if you want to spend your money on genuine Eco-tourism then do check these out:

� Green Globe; Provides certification of green travel

� Green Tourism Business Scheme;(GTBS) is leading the way in certifying domestic green accommodations in the UK. Its website provides a map search facility for over 1,000 places to stay, from small B&Bs to luxury five-star hotels and visitor centers in England and Scotland.

� European eco-labels known as the Voluntary Initiative for Sustainability in Tourism; which is trying to provide a common framework for all certification schemes to work to.

� Australia’s Ecotourism Certification program; It has built up a comprehensive list of certified accommodations and attractions in Australia.

� In central America there is the Certificate in Sustainable Tourism, which has certified 55 hotels in Costa Rica - a country that Tourism Concern says ‘has made pioneering strides to promote sustainability’.

� Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA); It assesses travel businesses on fair trade principles, such as whether they provide decent wages and working conditions for their staff, and has certified over 20 South African businesses, including a downtown backpackers’ hostel and a luxury lodge in the African bush.

So next time you book your holiday you can make sure its genuinely green.

Source Guardian

Islay Birding gets top accolades

Do you want to go bird watching in Scotland? Then it would be a good idea to go with Islay Birding, which has been named as Britain’s first ever five-star wildlife attraction. Not only that it functions in sustainable harmony with nature and birds.

Started five years ago by Jeremy Hastings and his wife Anita in 2002, it offers tailor-made bird watching trips in the Inner Hebrides.


Mr Hastings is quoted to have said:

It is the most fantastic place in Britain for birds and nature and wilderness. There are old fashioned estates here and the farms still use traditional farming methods, so the habitat is ideal. And, because we are 16 miles out into the Atlantic, Islay is also on a major migration route.


The five-star rating comes from Visit Scotland’s new Wildlife Experience Quality Assurance Scheme and Islay Birding is the first attraction ever to receive top marks. Other attractions to receive recognition from VisitScotland include dolphin watching boat tours in Moray Firth, midnight badger trips and mink whale tours, all of which received four-star ratings.

Source: Opodo

Our ancestors chose caves ideally...

The Sevenways Cave is shown, located in the Peak District National Park

I have always fantasized about a cave being my home but for the ancients the cave was more than a home. They were the sites of their ritual activities as well as sites for burials. They did not take there dwelling place for granted, they searched far and wide for the perfect locale.

They preferred caves with larger entrances, deep passages, ones perched higher up, facing east or west and with flat areas out front.

The recently released three-year-long survey of approximately 230 caves in the Yorkshire Dales and 190 caves in the northern England Peak District determined that people there from 4,000 to 2,000 B.C. selected caves based on at least five criteria.

Thor’s Cave, located in the Peak District National Park

Sometimes caves were even like roadside motels, where both human and animal travelers would stop in for a night or two of rest before hitting the road again. These cave studies from the archaeological point of view can become a source of vast knowledge in the future.

Source: Discovery

Alaska's most recommended whale watching tour fined for aggravating humpback whales

When eco tours become eco hazards, the very purpose of ecotourism is defeated. As tour boats cut rules to get better views of wildlife they endanger not only the endangered species but also the passengers they carry. Such a tour boat operator has been brought to book.


Juneau, Alaska whale-watching tour boat operator has been fined $7,000 in connection with a collision between a humpback whale and tour boat that injured a woman.


The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration charged the captain of the tour vessel AWESOME ORCA and Orca Enterprises, Inc., the vessel’s owner, with a $9,000 Notice of Violation and Assessment for an alleged violation of the Endangered Species Act.

As the Juneau-based tour boat AWESOME ORCA was conducting a wildlife viewing cruise in Stephens Passage near North Pass in Southeast Alaska. During the tour, NOAA alleged that the captain maneuvered the vessel into the path of three oncoming whales, placing the vessel closer than 100 yards from the endangered humpback whales. Subsequently, one whale collided with the vessel causing one of the passengers to fall and suffer a head injury.


Such measures are truly required for the safety of both endangered species as well as humans. Source: Alaska Report

Our ancestors chose caves ideally...

The Sevenways Cave is shown, located in the Peak District National Park

I have always fantasized about a cave being my home but for the ancients the cave was more than a home. They were the sites of their ritual activities as well as sites for burials. They did not take there dwelling place for granted, they searched far and wide for the perfect locale.

They preferred caves with larger entrances, deep passages, ones perched higher up, facing east or west and with flat areas out front.

The recently released three-year-long survey of approximately 230 caves in the Yorkshire Dales and 190 caves in the northern England Peak District determined that people there from 4,000 to 2,000 B.C. selected caves based on at least five criteria.

Thor’s Cave, located in the Peak District National Park

Sometimes caves were even like roadside motels, where both human and animal travelers would stop in for a night or two of rest before hitting the road again. These cave studies from the archaeological point of view can become a source of vast knowledge in the future.

Source: Discovery

To save Olive Ridley turtles

The olive ridley sea turtle has an olive colored heart shaped shell, the Lepidochelys olivacea is one of the smallest species of sea turtle. It nests at several sites in the western Indian Ocean, Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The single most important breeding area for olive ridleys in the Indian Ocean along the Bay of Bengal is Orissa.

Though Hindu mythology worships sea turtles as an incarnation of one the gods. Most, fishing communities along the coast do not consume turtle eggs or meat. However, these endangered species remain threatened by various other factors like trawling, offshore drilling for oil and gas, and the proposed construction of an industrial port near the nesting sites.

This nesting beach in Rushikulya is one of the most important breeding areas for the Olive Ridley sea turtle in the Indian Ocean

Over 100,000 dead Olive Ridleys have been washed ashore on the beaches of Orissa in the last decade alone. The turtles are caught in the trawler’s nets being dragged far behind the boats. Unable to surface, the turtles suffocate to death and drown. Olive ridley turtles feed on invertebrates and may play important roles in both open ocean and coastal ecosystems.

Dead Olive Ridley turtles litter at a beach

S Murali Mohan Rao, [Youth Hostels Association of India (YHAI) State vice-president] took part in the annual moonlight hiking from Tenneti Park to Rushikonda as part of the awareness programme on conservation of Olive Ridley turtles. More such programmes and enforcement of the ban on trawling are required to conserve these endangered turtles.

Are your cruise ship travels killing the oceans?

You might not be aware that billions of gallons of cruise ship waste adversely affect coastal waters. To prevent the same, the Alaskan state program plans to put in place inspection rangers on cruise vessels to check the ships’ waste disposal methods and prevent pollution.

The number of travelers on board cruise ships has increased and so have the number of ships. In Alaska the number of passengers has grown to more than 12 million in 2006 from about 500,000 in 1970, according to the cruise lines group. From 2000 to the end of this year, 88 new ships will have been introduced. The vessels have grown larger as well.


A California state senator, Joe Simitian, said:

Imagine how you would feel about 1,000 families tossing garbage onto your front lawn for a week.

How do cruise ships affect the oceans?

� On average, a cruise ship generates 140,000 to 210,000 gallons of sewage and a million gallons of wastewater from sinks, showers and laundries each week. The United States Commission on Ocean Policy reported in 2004.

� Sewage carries germs that can contaminate shellfish beds and harm other life, while phosphates, nitrates and other wastewater compounds can trigger huge growths of algae that cloud the water, reduce oxygen, smother corals and kill fish. � Cruise ships’ fuel often contains sulfur dioxide, and ships sometimes incinerate garbage, releasing dioxins and fine particles that can trigger respiratory ailments.


The Alaskan ocean ranger program, applies to ships with more than 250 passengers. The initiative requires that the rangers be marine engineers licensed by the Coast Guard who are also trained in wastewater treatment systems and environmental and public health rules. The program will cost each passenger $4, funds that will also pay satellite transponders to track the ships’ movements in and out of state waters.

Cruise lines are also experimenting with technology to reduce the amount of noxious chemicals and ash that smokestacks release. Ships could also plug into shore power stations to reduce air emissions while in port, which is already happening in Alaska, Washington and California. The point is that more awareness and newer technology needs to be put into place to protect the oceans, already effected by global warming.

Source: The New York Times

Will Galapagos islands no longer be open to tourists?

The name Galapagos itself is a calling card that beckons you and thousands of tourists to its spectacular landscape and endemic species. After all, who would not want to visit such unique islands with no natural predators?

Galapagos, bartolome island

However, it is the fragile ecosystem of the Galapagos,which is under threat from a booming tourism industry, a growing local population and the introduction of invasive species.

A group of marine iguanas on the Galapagos Islands

These volcanic islands, 1,000km (625 miles) west of Ecuador’s coast, inspired naturalist Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. However, now the government has been forced to halt tourism to the Galapagos.

Blue footed boobies The islands unique species include centenarian giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas and even vampire finches. Nazca booby (masked booby) Sula granti

These are under pressure from non-natives species such as black rats, dogs, goats and cats which have been steadily introduced since British pirates visited the islands in the 18th century. Illegal fishing is also dramatically reducing the sea life around the islands especially of sharks and sea cucumbers. Giant tortoises

Thousands of people visit the Galapagos each year and the permanent population has increased in line with tourism. More than 30,000 people are believed to live on the islands but about half do so illegally.


Prohibiting people from visiting the island will only result in illegal tourism, a better idea would be to have only very specific numbers of tourists visit. After all tourism and fishing is the mainstay of the islands economy. Tourism revenue could be channeled into conservation, it would be a good means to sustain these islands as well.

Source: Telegraph

Birding by boats

Have you ever been bird watching from a boat? If not, then do try it, it could be quite a novel experience. Using a boat gives you a chance to move quietly, access becomes easier and you get a chance to view some unique species. Canoing and Kayaking are one of the least invasive and most enjoyable ways to bird watch from the water.

Bird watching on the river and mangroves by boat, Image credit

Melanie Driscoll of the National Audubon Society in Baton Rouge, Louisiana said:

Kayaking or canoeing is one of the few ways to reach habitats that otherwise are inaccessible. It’s a good way to count birds by ear. You can even get to birds migrating through. Warblers and other birds that nest over water are more approachable.

A trip to Cachuma Lake in Santa Barbara County, California, Image credit: Whalt

Another advantage would be to use The Hobie Cat Co., Kayaks, which offers a line of kayaks propelled by foot, much like a bicycle so that your hands are free for more important things, such as shooting a camera, logging a bird sighting or working a fishing rod.

Tips: 1) Always waterproof expensive gear 2) Do try to blend in with the environment, Subdued colors are best when mingling with wildlife. Kayaks or outboard-powered boats painted sand or green are good choices.

Roseate Spoonbills, Image credit

3) The best times for bird viewing are early morning or late evening, when the low sun casts a soft, buttery light. Birds are more active then, too. 4) Keep your distance and slowly follow the drift.

Great Egrets, nest-building , Image credit

Useful Accessories: ’sidekick’ can be attached to the back of a kayak for additional stability, with this you can you can stand up, walk around the boat, reach for the rear hatches and even swing your legs over the side. You could also attach a fabric cover that screens the lower half of the kayaker’s body, converting the boat, in effect, into a floating photo blind.

Purple Gallinule, Image credit: Lee

What does the birder glimpse? Well among others, you are likely to view Roseate spoonbills, Bald eagles, Great egrets, green and blue herons, purple gallinule. So do plan a trip for colorful bird watching from a boat.

Source: CNN

Environmental awareness grows, the color of new face of travel changes

The World Travel & Tourism Council announced the winners of the seventh Tourism for Tomorrow Awards Lisbon last night. The Tourism for Tomorrow Awards recognise and promote the world’s leading examples of best practice in responsible tourism development across four categories.


Image Credit

The winners are:- Destination Award - Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia.

It maintains a delicate balance between supporting tourists and lessening their impact on the environment. Conservation Award - Aspen Skiing Company, United States.

It made a significant contribution to the conservation and preservation of nature or cultural heritage. Investor in People Award - Nihiwatu Resort, Indonesia.

The owners set up the Sumba Foundation to channel tourist-generated donations into community development projects that would directly benefit the local population - helping to improve living conditions and dramatically reduce malaria rates.

Global Tourism Business Award - Lindblad Expeditions.

It has long advocated sustainable tourism and takes about 16,000 travelers each year on conservation voyages to destinations from the Galapagos and Antarctica to Mexico and Alaska.

The Tourism for Tomorrow Awards have grown in stature since their commencement in 1989, with the number of entries increasing every year. 74 entries were received from 36 countries in 2003. The figure has nearly doubled to 130 applicants from some 40 countries this year. This shows that as the concern about the impact of aviation on the environment is growing, the commitment of travel companies to sustainable tourism is getting firm

Rising tourism posing threat to Antarctica's eco-system

Antarctica, the white continent is at the top of the dream holiday hit list of travelers. There is a huge rise in visitors with numbers reported to increase further in the future. The number has risen by 14 percent to more than 37,000 over the last season.

To discuss about the problems and find possible solutions to protect eco-system of Antarctica, a two week international consultative meeting on Antarctic Treaty took place in New Daily. It warned that proper regulation of tourism was vital to protect the fragile eco-system of Antarctica. The meeting was attended by nearly 300 delegates including scientists from 37 nations and organizations.

Various measures were proposed to protect the eco-system of Antarctica. First, it was said that the authorization to tour operators to land the ships that carry more than 500 passengers should be discouraged. It was also said that a check should be kept on tourist vessels at landing sites, there should not be more than one vessel at a time.

Environmentalists say that global warming is leading to loss of ice shelves on the continent’s coast and scientists are of the view that a boom in tourism is putting pressure on the region. Whatever be the reason, the fact is that Antarctica’s fragile eco-system is under threat.

Antarctica has opened up to tourism and it would be difficult to close the door, but operators can take a responsible stand, more than lip-service, and help restore the region’s beauty.

Eilean Shona: A Luxurious eco break in Argyll

Eilean Shona, near Archaracle, Argyll, is a tiny gem of an island, privately-owned by Vanessa Branson, fabulously set at the entrance to Loch Moidart on the spectacular West Coast of Scotland between the Islands of Mull and Skye.


Only 2 miles long by 1.5 miles wide, completely unspoilt, with no cars or bikes, it is a natural haven for wildlife, plants, and many rare trees brought from distant parts of the world . Total relaxation in a green environment is the order of the day.


The five-minute ferry ride to Eilean Shona seems to take you back about 100 years. It has no cars, no shops, and no television; instead, you walk through moss-covered woods, chase waves on the bone-white beach and spot otters and red squirrels.


The sturdy grey stone house was built in the late 18th century; this is where JM Barrie wrote Peter Pan. The house oozes style with its artwork, bought and commissioned by the owners. Inside, the design is eclectic but cosy - one bed’s made from driftwood.

Zip-wires in Costa Rica rainforests: Eco tourism or Eco endangerment

Is Costa Rica in essence an Eco destination? The use of Zip wires in rainforest’s is just for fun and not really to view wild life. All the noise of metal slithering down the wire disturbs the animals. In such a scenario, walking trails in the forest remain a much better option.


Monteverde, is now the most popular place in the country to experience a cloud-forest habitat, one of only 12 true primary rain forests in the world, with areas of forest that have never been cut down.

It is also the location of the Children’s Eternal Forest, a 22,000-hectare reserve saved from loggers in the late 1980s when thousands of schoolchildren across the world were moved to save their pocket money and raise funds to buy it collectively.


Today it bars tourists, except along a solitary trail. No wonder it remains green.


Another popular destination is the active Arenal volcano that forms the centre of attention wherever you are in the town or surrounding countryside. Behind the perfect cone-shaped volcano spitting molten ash down its sides is a huge man-made lake - the largest in the country - which is said to offer some of the best windsurfing in Central America, and good fishing, too.

Arenal volcano and man made lake

Just by the hydroelectric dam that formed the lake is a network of hanging bridges that allow tourists to walk through the rainforest canopy. In addition, dotted around this geothermal land are a number of hot spring

These attractions combined draw half the tourists to Costa Rica. More and more farmers are switching to tourism as they take loans to build eco lodges. Even they realize that getting truckloads of tourists is not the answer, unlike big concerns that fund tourism of the zip wire kind.

Broadly, “ecotourism” has come to include not only the preservation of wildlife habitats visited by tourists, but also their human cohabitants. Nevertheless, should tourists be allowed to access some of the most extreme and sensitive wildlife habitats on the planet?

Would it not be better if such places were restricted to all but a few scientists and indigenous communities in order to better protect them?



The need is to stop promoting mass tourism and get fewer tourists who pay more. New rules in line with the same need to be put into place.

Tiamo Resorts: Model for low impact Caribbean tourism

This Eco resort promises luxury along with the best in sustainable tourism. If you come here, you can hope to lounge on cozy wicker couches set beneath ceiling fans, sipping icy cocktails with the sugary white-sand beach just 50 yards away.


Location: SECLUDED BEACH; the resort is tucked inside South Bight, one of the tidal ‘creeks’ that slice through the 2,300-square-mile island of Andros in the Bahamas.

North of Andros Island, Image credit: Megacaptain

Surrounded by both inland and oceanic blue holes with the world’s third-longest reef system just to the east and endless bonefish flats and mangrove forests stretching away to the west, north and south, the site for the resort is perfect! King the Resident Iguana at Tiamo,Image credit: Stuart Robertson

For various nature trips the resort offers ‘nature concierges,’ all of whom are biologists. Mangrove maze makes up much of Andros inside which at a place called millers creek the eco tour goes.

Bises, herons and a belted kingfisher can be seen above the wetland while sea turtles and tarpon are in the waters.

Belted Kingfisher, Image credit

Andros’ famed bonefish dug for prey in the flat’s sandy bottom, their silver tails up and wagging. Andros has been most popular with Fly fishermen from around the world who come here to match their skills against the wily bonefish.

Fly fishing in the Bahamas(not tghat i recommend fishing of any sort), Image credit: bovinacowboy

Another destination worth a visit is the Crack, part of a 93-mile fracture that connects the world’s longest string of blue holes, those bewitching sapphire blue eyes that stare up from both land and sea all around Andros and serve as watery entrances to its subterranean wonderland of caves. They are the calling eyes for spirited deep cave divers.

Fish Around a Blue Hole, Ikmage credit: Alex MacPherson

Sustainable construction of the resort: The resort buildings do not hinder these endowments of nature rather compliment them.

The Dock at Tiamo, Image credit: Stuart Robertson

Construction was planned to minimize environmental impact and maximize cooling airflow. The building sites were cleared by hand and not heavy machinery using machetes and chain saws instead of bulldozers.

The Beach at Tiamo, Image credit: Stuart Robertson

Clearing by hand meant that they removed exactly the amount of trees and plants necessary to build the bungalows and the lodge, which were all cleverly sited so they are invisible from the water. All building materials was brought in by small boat, keeping the pristine snorkeling sites pure. nature resort is 100 percent solar powered.

View from the Bungalow at Tiamo, Image credit: Stuart Robertson

Apart from snorkeling, diving, bone fishing( though I would not recommend that) sailing and kayaking can offer adventure in this beautiful place.

Preparing to go Sailing at Tiamo, Image credit: Stuart Robertson

Getting there: After a flight to Nassau, you take a 20-minute plane trip to Congotown, South Andros, where the Tiamo’s driver meets you. Then follows a ten-minute drive to Driggs Hill, from where you board a boat to the resort.

Tiamo resort A perfect spot for lazy indulgence in the lap of nature! Image credit: Stuart Robertson

Mammoth dung, prehistoric goo may trigger global warming, thanks to thawing permafrost

ce thawing at the poles has been a big concern for scientists especially for the last decade - considering it a serious symptom of global warming, leaving the coastal regions at the risk of sinking under the seas and the polar animals’ going extinct.

But, the earth is actually ‘doubly suffering’ from global warming threats with the thawing of permafrost - thanks to the dramatic climate change activities.

It is the re-exposure of the mammoth dung and prehistoric goo to the air that may accelerate global warming faster than even assumed! — these being ‘organic matter’.

It was for millennia, these layers of animal waste and other organic matter have been left behind by the prehistoric creatures that romped the Arctic tundra, but were sealed inside the frozen permafrost.

But, with the changing climate, the most-happening thawing of the permafrost is leaving the prehistoric organic goo and dung exposed to air with its dormant-microbes springing back to action! - eventually adding to the already-dreading ‘carbon dioxide emissions’ and even methane gas — the even more damaging ingredient.

Thus, it seems, besides the already defined accelerators of global warming — the thought of whose devastative actions already send a chill down the spine — there are many more factors that are actually adding on to the planet’s aliment and may eventually push it to the point of no return.

Acropolis Statues to be transferred to a new museum

For the very first time the stunning antiques, the Acropolis statues will be shifted from their original site to the specially built new musuem about 400 meters away from the original place.

During the first week of October, the Culture Minister Michalis Liapis quoted,

"Everything is ready for this historic removal. God willing and weather permitting the removal will start on Sunday, Oct. 14. A trial run will be held next week."

The start would be a 2 1/2-ton marble block from the Parthenon frieze which is a 2,500-year-old sculpted strip depicting a religious procession that ran around the ancient temple just below roof level.

This will be the first to make the 400 meter journey to the new place.



To this the senior conservator Dimitris Maraziotis told The Associated Press,

"This is one of the biggest and the least fragmented of all the blocks in the frieze"

Supervising engineer Costas Zambas said,

"The transfer will take at least a month and a half, although bad weather could prolong the operation. It will cost $3.55 million."



There will be a team of 35 workers and it will be done using three cranes each upto 17 feet high.

The shift would be done from the Acropolis hill into the intentionally built new museum that would have the glory of having such ancient works of art.

Zambas, a veteran of the long-running Acropolis restoration project who was involved in removing the remaining sculptures from the Erechtheion and Parthenon temples for display in the old museum said,

"Every single part of the operation will be difficult and requires great care"

The sculptures will be hoisted into styrofoam-filled boxes made of plywood and metal by wearing padded harnesses. According to Zambas upto four crates will make the trip each day.

Looking at the massive structures, their weight and their priceless nature the total operation for each is planned at 2 1/2 hours each.

Around 4500 such works have to be shifted in the whole process.

The uniquely designed building by the U.S.based architect Bernard Tschumi in collaboration with Greece’s Michalis Photiadis will be capped by a glass hall that will allow visitors a direct view of the ancient temple.

Although the new museum is expected to open in sections next year, the complete artifacts will probably take somewhere by 2009 to get completely settled in.

So until then let’s wait and watch the stunningly glorious works through the looking glass.

Discovery of a vast and dense web attracts scientists to spiders once more

The discovery of a vast and thickening web with million of spiders found in the North Texas, Lake Tawakoni State park has sparked a debate amongst scientists and visitors. The web which spread across miles has a lot of trees covered and is so thick that at some places it has blocked the sunlight also. Astonishing is the fact that where spiders are believed to be solitary creatures don’t usually make community webs. The intricate web as per the reports emits a faint odor, most probably coming from the dead insects stuck to the web.

A spider expert at Texas A & M University, Allen Dean describes this web as a ‘rather spooky, kind of like Halloween.’ What amazes experts like Dean is that ’social’ spiders or rather their species are not found outside of the tropics. The experts are speculating the web as a community web of cobweb spiders. However, cobwebs take more than a year to build such webs and this one has come up in just a few months. Some are also reasoning it as just a ballooning of the spiders which five years ago covered about 25 hectares of field in British Columbia in the same way. Mike Quinn, the state biologist who runs a Web site about Texas invertebrates said that there can be a relation between the web and the record-breaking rains that flooded Texas this season.

Tourists shoot elephants and help save them

The role of tourism in wildlife conservation is well known. Armed with cameras, tourists are now shooting Sri Lanka’s elephants and bringing them back from the verge of extinction.

The elephant orphanage at Pinnawela in Sri Lanka is breeding elephants in captivity in a sprawling 25-acre coconut plantation. Before the orphanage was started in 1975, Sri Lanka’s elephant population had dwindled to near extinction due to habitat loss, and ruthless hunting. Thanks to the efforts of the Sri Lankan government and tourists the elephant population has risen from merely seven elephants in 1975 to 65 elephants today, including several bred in captivity.

The elephant orphanage at Pinnawela is situated close to the main highway that links Colombo and the hill capital of Kandy, which makes it an ideal stop over destination for thousands of tourists. It’s perhaps the only place where visitors can see at close quarters a large number of elephants wandering freely. The money tourists spend at the elephant orphanage is helping the revival of the elephant population in Sri Lanka.

It’s a sustainable tourism project that not only provides a meaningful experience to the tourists, but also promotes resource conservation.

Libya takes a step forward to guard architectural treasures with new eco-project

An archaeologically rich, Mediterranean area in Libya might just be the next hot ecotourism destination. Saif Al Islam Gadafi, the son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has recently unveiled a £1.5bn ($3bn) sustainable development plan which is yet another step taken towards international rehabilitation.

Libya has launched the world’s first, large-scale, conservation-and-sustainable-development project in Cyrene in the Green Mountain region of the Mediterranean. This massive ecological and cultural project will be headed by Saif Al Islam Gadafi.

The economy will depend on sustainable fishing, organic agriculture and microbanking services. Hotels, restaurants and museums will be made for visitors. The plan also includes an institution of higher learning dedicated to sustainable development.

The Libyan government has founded the Green Mountain Conservation and Development Authority, including engineers, archaeologists and experts on the environment and sustainable development. The project is being seen as an attempt to diversify Libya’s economy, which is currently dependent on oil for 95% of its export earnings and 25% cent of its GDP.

The regional plan is being developed by the firm of renowned British architect Norman Foster whose global projects include Beijing Airport, the Millau Viaduct in France and the restoration of the Reichstag in Berlin. The project will be the largest project of its kind and is anticipated to bring well-heeled eco-tourists.

How accurate are world maps?

Don’t be too sure that the atlas you are referring to gives you the right map of a particular area! Even the newest redrawn maps are finding it hard to cope up with developmental, infrastructural and environmental changes taking place around the world today. The more vivid the atlas is the greater problem it faces.

Ice floe drift to help study the role of polar regions in climate change

With a goal to study the role of Arctic and Antarctic Oceans in shaping the climate and ecosystems of the earth, Russian scientists in collaboration with German scientist plan to carry out a project in August. This project is one of the many projects of International Polar Year. It’ll be for the first time in the history of Russian research that drifting stations will be used. Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute in St Petersburg will together work on the project.

The scientists and researchers will go on an eight month voyage through the Arctic Ocean to examine the coupling of sea ice and atmosphere. Russian project partners will focus their investigations on sea ice, primarily performing measurements close to the ice. These measurements will be supplemented by Jurgen Graeser.

There will be 36 expedition participants that will board the Russian research vessel Akademik Fedorov in the Siberian harbor of Tiksi on August 29, 2007. They will advance the currently patchy data situation in the Arctic. A stable ice floe between 80 and 85 degrees northern latitude and between 170 degrees eastern and 170 degrees western longitude will be chosen as the base for the drifting station North Pole 35.

The ice floe will drift in the Arctic Ocean and across the North Pole during winter. During this drift the information about current climate change will be provided by the variety of measurements carried out at the station.

The upper ocean layer, sea ice, and snow cover will be investigated. Atmospheric measurements of meteorological parameters such as temperature, wind, humidity and air pressure, will be added through recordings of trace gases such as carbon dioxide and ozone.

Polar 5, the research aircraft of the Alfred Wegener Institute will fly out Jurgen Graeser and five Russian colleagues after approximately eight months, in April 2008.

Landing strip will be constructed on the ice. The project will help the scientists to understand the key regions for global climate change.

People willing to pay more for travel to help save the planet: Study

From the products we buy to our travel habits, almost everything we do affects our planet. But how easy is it to reduce our impact on the planet? Everyday, people commute from one place to another, whether for work, education, shopping or leisure. Humankind is a species which cherishes the freedom to travel where and when the individual chooses. But this travel is not without cost. Yes, I’m talking about the environmental cost.

I’m sure you’ll agree with me if I say that people in the past were not aware of this environmental cost but these days, travelers are becoming more aware of the damage their trips may do to the environment. Thinking of travelers is undergoing a significant change and they are willing to alter their actions to protect the environment.

The recent online polling of more than 24,500 consumers from 144 countries, conducted by the guidebook publisher Lonely Planet shows that the number of people willing to consider offsetting carbon emissions has increased.

The travelers are willing to opt for more radical options such as giving up flying for less damaging modes of transport, the introduction of an annual personal carbon allowance into which they must fit their travel and reducing the number of flights taken or increasing the cost of flying via a carbon tax.

Traveling by train is time consuming and more expensive as compared to air-travel and people are putting off by the high price of tickets. Following table shows the comparison between rail fares and airfares to Rome and Madrid from Britain’s major cities.


I agree that some people are putting off trains for reason being hight ticket prices but the majority of people still find trains as viable alternative for traveling. The increasing number of such people who are willing to alter their actions brings hope that our planet might be saved.

World's first hybrid train to be launched in Japan

After the runaway success with hybrid cars, Japan is bringing the world’s first environment-friendly hybrid train. The train named Kiha E200, developed by East Japan Railway Co. is the latest entrant in the battle against global warming and is scheduled to debut on the Koumi Line in central Japan on July 31, 2007.

It’s a two-train car that is powered by a diesel engine and electric batteries. Also, there is lithium iron battery installed on the train’s roof that has a capacity equal to the batteries of 3,000-4,000 regular mobile phones. The batteries of the train are charged when the train slows down.

The train has 46 seats and can hold 117 people including standees. Compared to conventional trains, the new technology will help reducing emissions of nitrogen oxide and particulate matter by up to 60 percent. The fuel consumption is cut by up to 20 percent.

In addition to the hybrid train, the Railway Technical Research Institute of Tokyo plans to develop a hybrid-type next-generation streetcar or light rail transit (LRT) by next year.

Libya's Green Mountain Project: Blend of environmental and cultural tourism

Libya is planning to build a green village to protect the Greek and Roman ruins in Cyrene from haphazard developments. Cyrene is one of the oldest and the richest Greek cities and lies in a lush valley in the Jebel Akhdar uplands. It is home to some of the most beautiful ancient structures like the Temple of Apollo, the temple of Demeter and the temple of Zeus. Most of these were damaged under the orders of Moammar Al Quadhafi in 1978.

The project, the Green Mountain Conservation , will be powered with wind and solar energy and the trash generated would be recycled and converted into biofuel. The architecture of the resorts, hotels, villas and residences would be in sync with the rugged landscape. The idea is to blend environmental and cultural tourism across the thousand miles of undeveloped coastlines.


The area is also the last breeding ground for some species of turtles and tuna in the Mediterranean, so care is taken to see that the ecosystem remains intact and is not subjected to dangers.

Foster and Associates, a British architectural firm would be designing the Green Mountain Conservation and Developmental zone while the UNESCO aid the restorations of the ruins.

Though, the idea is welcoming, the skeptics are unsure about the tourist inflow as the basic infrastructure like an airport is missing. Hopefully, the basic amenities will be taken care of soon.