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Breaking the "Fun" & Hybernation Equation We are approaching the end of the tourist season in the Mediterranean, craddle of civilisations and mass tourism. This summer like the 25 previous summers, masses of civilised people briefly escaped from mundane lifestyles to a parallel semi-civilised universe, recharged their "batteries" and are ready to go back to hibernation mode until next year. Some have lived their fantasies, engaged in excesses, others have pampered their egos in unsustainable luxury, some are cursing because their holiday, for which they had so many expectations, went horribly wrong. All, like lemmings will go back for a repeat, next year, to a slightly more degraded resort. And the question remains, if any lemmings will ever open their eyes. Until they do, ecotourism in the Med will still be viewed as an optional add-on to the mass tourism bliss/blitz , "a new trendy niche you can not ignore", a wonderful invention to "prolong our tourist season", "a way to receive state and EU subsidies", "a way to placate the peasants for the lost CAP", " a way to attract those rich weirdos with the binoculars and zoom cameras". (A) NEW MEMBER ECOLODGES IN
NEPAL AND COSTA RICA Nepal is a land of diverse topography, climate, ethnicity and biodiversity. Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve was established in 1976 and a Ramsar Site since 1987, and covers an area of 175 sq.km It is a major residing, staging and wintering site for waterfowl and waders in the subcontinent. The Aqua Birds Unlimited Camp consists of ten safari tents, common bath, restaurant, bar and fishing ponds. Safari tents are large, comfortably furnished with twin beds and a changing room. The camp can accommodate up to 20 people at a time on sharing basis. A large thatched-roof dining hall decorated with the lowland civilisation is situated facing the Kushaha wetland where large numbers of birds come to forage, roosts and nest. The "Ramsar Restaurant" named after the famous wetland convention features Nepalese and continental cuisine served with warm Nepalese hospitality. Continued at http://ecoclub.com/aquabirds Located approximately 150 km (90 miles) from San José and just 12 km (7 miles) from the Nicaraguan border, La Laguna del Lagarto Lodge is surrounded by 500 hectares (1,250 acres) of pristine, virgin tropical rainforest. At your leisure, you can roam through this tropical paradise alone or with a local guide, on more than ten miles of well maintained foot trails. Red and green poison dart frogs are plentiful, as are all three species of monkey. Laguna de Lagarto has received 3 Leaves of Cerfificate Of Sustainable Tourism (CST) awarded by the Ministry of Tourism Costa Rica (ICT)and 3 stars awarded by New Key to Costa Rica. It has 100 hectares of privately owned Rainforest under Government Protection plus additional 60 hectares of Reforestation under Goverment protection (CPB). It also supports the Great Green Macaw Project. The lodge is secluded and cozy, it has only 20 double rooms, all of which include hot water and ceiling fans. Continued at: http://ecoclub.com/laguna-del-lagarto ECOTOURISM EXPERTISE
GROWING AT ECOCLUB.com Changes, Changes. We are experimenting with opening the website to all - (it was hot anyway in August). Seriously, now, we thought there was no point to force people to sign up as members in order to access the material, or to provoke malicious hackers in search of the data Eldorado. Membership is free anyway. Joining is now voluntary and only for those that really care about ecotourism and want to put something into the club. Also, to encourage bookings at our Member Ecolodges, each and every one of which deserves your fullest support, we will offer a gift to anyone that books through ECOCLUB and then stays at a Member Ecolodge. Details at http://ecoclub.com/gift.html Then, we have launched a new Database for Universities offering Ecotourism related degrees worldwide, please have a look and tell us if you know of (or are in) any other university. http://ecoclub.com/students The on-line Bibliography has been redesigned and more books added http://ecoclub.com/library The Community has also been reorganised into fewer forums, as too many forums were creating confusion http://ecoclub.com/community and unnecessary geographical segregation. It is one world anyway. By the way, if you wish you can post your profile at the Community, and you can contact other Members via their profile. The Chat centre has been simplified and this time we chose a Java solution as it is faster and more reliable than cgi chat scripts:http://ecoclub.com/chat Christmas Birdathon in Nepal! Birdathon Programme: Day II - 25 Dec. 2001: 6.00 am Wake up call followed by
breakfast 6.30 am Inauguration of the Christmas Bird Count by the Chief Guest
All day birding with pack lunch and beverages inside the KTWR, Pink Tower, and
agricultural land Day III - 26 Dec. 2001: 6.00 am Wake up call followed by breakfast 6.30 am Morning birding or departure. ECOTOURS
SPECIAL BY
ECOTOURISM SOCIETY PAKISTAN HARVEST
CELEBRATION IN TURKEY AUGUST, 15 - SEPTEMBER 30, 2001 The views that appear in this section do not necessarily represent those of ECOCLUB S.A. We reserve the right to edit for brevity and clarity. Send your ecotourism news report or article for the next issue to news@ecoclub.com TIES ECOTOURISM TRIP
AUCTION CLOSES TODAY, SEPTEMBER 4th PAKISTAN TO MISS I.Y.
OF MOUNTAINS 2002 Globalisation in
green: The Global Ecovillage Network. NEW VIETNAM BIOSPHERE
RESERVE? HOW TO OFFSET YOUR
EMISSIONS TOURISM IN PROTECTED
AREAS IN GREECE - SYMPOSIUM SPECIAL ISSUE OF
ANATOLIA NEW ECOTOURISM
NETWORK BORN IN UKRAINE A NIUE SUCCESS STORY CONGO: The Zimbabwe army will help fell trees in 85 million acres of Congo. SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa blows up two stranded whales in August. "Humane" according to experts (?), but not a pleasant sight. / The Kruger National Park is reported to be on track to triple its profits this year / KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife, approves the return of an African elephant who has been performing in a German circus for 18 years. Asia & Pacific MALAYSIA: Malaysian and Swiss governments have no apparent wish to search the jungle for Bruno Manser, a Swiss rainforest activist who has been missing for a year in Borneo. Manser, who had been barred from entering Malaysia was last seen hiking into Sarawak to continue his activities on behalf of the 9,000 strong indigenous Penan - his campaign had been denounced as "the height of arrogance" by Malaysia's prime minister. AUSTRALIA: Moves to begin oil exploration 30 miles east of the Great Barrier Reef were condemned as "grotesque" by environmentalists yesterday. The Australian government has called for an environmental impact assessment of seismic oil exploration by the US company TGS-NOPEC Geophysical. If the search gains approval, laws automatically permit extraction of any oil found. / Human Rights Watch called on Australia to take prompt action to secure the safety of 438 rescued asylum seekers. The mostly Afghan passengers, picked up from a sinking Indonesian ferry, are currently aboard a Norwegian freighter in Australian waters. Their fate has become a political football. "This is a question of basic decency," said Rachael Reilly, Refugee Policy Director at Human Rights Watch. / The Australian Tourist Commission has announced that new forecasts released by the Tourism Forecasting Council indicate slower growth (4.5%) in international visitors to Australia this year. TUVALU: Ten thousand people, Tuvalu's entire population, are packing their bags as their homes among nine low-level atolls are being swallowed by the rising sea. INDIA: Two Russian nationals were among six people arrested by Indian forest guards in the remote Himalayan state of Sikkim on charges of illegally collecting live insects. The two Russians had collected a total of around 2,000 butterflies, moths and beetles, many on the endangered list. / A Kerala researcher has come up with linguistic and etymological evidence to contend that rice cultivation began, for the first time in the world, in the Nanchinadu region of Kanniyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. The farmers in the sleepy villages of Nanchinadu, are perhaps the only people in the world who celebrated, till recent times, the birthday of rice (Oneworld.org) / Eight elephants were found dead in Nameri wildlife sanctuary, about 200 km northeast of Guwahati. The absence of any injury marks on the elephants suggested they had died of an illness. / RICETEC LOSES, RICE WINS: RiceTec Inc. a Texas-based US corporation has lost the Basmati Battle. RiceTec had made 20 far-reaching claims related to Basmati in Patent No. 5663484. RiceTec has been forced to give up the title of its patent, it has been forced to give up 15 of its 20 claims, including those with the most far-reaching implications related to biopiracy. (Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology, New Delhi) JAPAN: Japanese ships have returned from an expedition in the northwest Pacific with a quarry of 158 whales, 70 more than last year's hunt. They've also added Bryde's and sperm whales to the usual catch of Minke, the government said. ST LUCIA St. Lucia's tourism industry is facing tough time by the temporary closure of three hotels, inadequate airlift from the major markets and the effects of deteriorating conditions in the global economy. While the number of cruise passengers for the first quarter has risen by 27 per cent, official figures put the drop in long-stay visitor arrivals up until the end of July at 18 per cent. / The 2002 Caribbean Sustainable Tourism Conference will be held March 11-15 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in St. Lucia. The theme of next year's conference is "Keeping the Right Balance- Empowering Communities". MEXICO: Environmentalists celebrate "a watershed moment" following victory in a 3-year battle to save a sea turtle nesting beach from light pollution ensuing from lights at a Sol Melia development. BAHAMAS: Sharks are not pets and seas are not zoos. 100,000 scuba divers a year are thrilled by the sight of sharks being hand fed. But opponents of the growing "interactive marine experience" industry say the gruesome Bahamas shark attack on a Wall Street banker, whose left leg was ripped and later amputated, is evidence that shark-feeding tourist dives should be banned. Meanwhile the family of the shark victim has allegedly approached celebrity lawyer Johnnie Cochran with a view to suing the resort where the incident occurred. In an ironic twist, Reuters reports that the best-selling author whose novel Jaws made a whole generation afraid of sharks is now urging conservation of the sharks. RUSSIA: Artificial lakes containing 50 years of radioactive waste could leak into the rivers of the Ural Mountains within a few years, according to the Vice-governor of Russia's Chelyabinsk region who said that contaminated water might burst the lakes' dam in three to four years, sending waste flowing into the Arctic Ocean (Associated Press). GREECE: The President of the "Kateleio Association for the Study and Protection of Marine Life" in Kephalonia Island, that recently became too popular thanks to Holywood's "Captain Coreli's Madoline", was arrested by the local police after being accused by locals for the hainous crime of hosting (for free) in tents in her farm without permission, 15 volunteers from EU countries who are working for a central government-backed program to protect sea turtles… As in neighbouring Zakynthos Island, conservationists are up against local tourist developers who are competing for the same beaches with the sea turtles. In Zakynthos, after a bitter battle in the 1990s, developers lost and a National Marine Park was proclaimed, also for the protection of the sea turtle. ITALY: Italy's top police official admitted that police used excessive force during the Group of Eight summit in Genoa, when three days of violence left a protester dead and the city in tatters. BELGIUM: 15 Chinese doctors were arrested in Belgium at
the weekend for trying SPAIN: The Good news: Animal activists open gates and cages and 13,000 mink escape from fur farm in Spain. The Bad news: Unfortunately, they are an American variety, not native to Spain, and will probably attack partridges and rabbits and compete for food with other predators such as ferrets. Many are eventually recaptured. BELIZE: The U.S. government, with a significant assist from The Nature Conservancy, has signed a landmark debt for nature swap to reduce by about one-half the debt which Belize owes to the United States. In exchange, the government of Belize has agreed to protect 23,000 acres of vulnerable forest land in Belize's Maya Mountain Marine Corridor, an area that includes 16 miles of pristine Caribbean coastline. CENTRAL AMERICAN REALITY TOURISM? Tens of thousands of Americans are venturing abroad as "reality tourists." For $1,665, including room, board and airfare from the U.S., you can spend a week in Guatemala to "learn about the history of repression and political violence," courtesy of the Center for Global Education in Minneapolis, Minn. (Time.com) ECUADOR: Galapagos 1: After receiving the news via telephone that mutilated sea lions had been
discovered at the tourist site La Loberia in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, a team
from the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) travelled to the site to collect
technical and scientific information about the sea lions affected. In total 15
sea lions were reported dead in the area. Galapagos 2: Ecuadorian naval personnel gave Sea Shepherd Conservation Society founder Captain Paul Watson a written order to leave Ecuador aboard his ship the Ocean Warrior. Conservationists point to the powerful links between the fisheries industry and the military. Last November, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society signed a joint agreement with the Galapagos National Park to defend the Galapagos Marine Reserve from poaching. Sea Shepherd has been outspoken in its criticism of the close ties of the Ecuadorian Navy and Merchant Marine to Ecuador's powerful commercial fishing sector. Sea Shepherd personnel have been openly critical of the Ecuadorian practice of releasing vessels apprehended fishing illegally in the Marine Reserve without charge or fine. The Galapagos Marine Reserve, which covers a larger area surrounding the island group, is scheduled to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the World Heritage Committee's upcoming meeting later this year. (ENS) MEXICO: Mexico's new environmental minister, Victor Lichtinger, likes to enforce environmental laws. He has closed or suspended 19 hotel and condo developments, including a 1,400-room complex that would have been built alongside a federally protected sea turtle sanctuary in Cancun. Lichtinger said his moves were meant to be a "signal to entrepreneurs and society that there is law in Mexico, and that the law will be respected, independent of the importance of investment in Mexico." (New York Times) BRASIL: Brazilian farmers and environmentalists are gearing up for battle again ahead of a key congressional vote that could ease the limits on how much forest can be cut down in the Amazon jungle. A special congressional commission is voting on Sept. 4 on a bill environmentalists fear could pave the way for accelerated destruction of the world's largest tropical forest. The dispute centers on a bill by a lawmaker from the agricultural lobby in Congress, which calls for the introduction of a "zoning" study of the Amazon to determine how much forest can be cut down in the future. / Roche, a swiss pharmaceutical backs down and agrees to cut by 40% the price of AIDS related drugs, after the Brazilian government threatens to give the go ahead for the production of copies of this drugs in Brazil. 40%! ,was that like half of their profit margin? COSTA RICA: A conservationist patrol ship today seized a trawler and seven support boats illegally fishing within Costa Rica's Cocos Island National Park.(ENS) PARAGUAY:Enviros say more than 10,000 endangered crocodiles in Paraguay are dying because a major river that irrigated their swamplands is now being diverted to provide water for agriculture in Argentina. The crocodiles, known as Yacares, are starving to death or being encased in mud as the swamps dry up. Their numbers had been climbing before the Pilcomayo River was diverted in 1996.(BBC). USA: After more than four decades of service, a tired fleet of 400 New York City subway cars known as the Redbirds is being retired and shipped to Delaware to build an artificial reef in the Atlantic Ocean. EPA believes asbestos would not be present in high enough concentrations to harm aquatic life or people. (AP) / Twelve years after the Exxon Valdez super-tanker struck a reef in Alaska's Prince William Sound and created arguably the worst oil spill in history, Exxon made its last scheduled payment (USD 70 million) to settle government claims for environmental damages, as part of a landmark $1.025 billion civil and criminal settlement reached in 1991. (Reuters) / A ski resort in the U.S. is using goats instead of herbicides to get rid of weeds on its slopes. After the goats eat their fill, the Vail resort in Colorado is seeding the areas with native plants to fight off alien weeds. Lani Lamming, the goats owner, rents them out for $1 per day per goat plus shipping. Any offers? (Msnbc.com) / There were nearly twice as many beach closings and advisories last year than there were in 1999, compelling evidence that the nation's beaches have a major water pollution problem. / The United States and Mexico are considering building an airport on their mutual border just south of San Diego. If it proceeds, U.S. airlines would move into terminals on the U.S. side of the border while the hangars, runways and fuel storage facilities would be in Mexico. Let's hope people will not risk their lives by crossing the runway into USA. / In a big win for the White House, the U.S. House passed a broad energy bill last night after rejecting attempts earlier in the day to block drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska and boost fuel efficiency significantly. The 223-206 vote in favor of drilling surprised even Republicans, who attributed the victory to labor unions that touted the promise of more than 700,000 drilling-related jobs to win the support of more than three dozen Democrats. Academics are complaining that Ecotourism has not / can not be clearly defined. Have a go! Ecotourism enables me to share one facet of
the world with those beings (human and not) that call it home - in whatever
state it may be in. Wonder at the beauty and meaning of it all, forget about
myself and other human delusions and then leave, knowing that many others will
be able to do the same. Ecotourism to me is to be able to visit a
location amidst what remains of our planet's ecosystems without any commercial,
technological or development-related interferences except (and this is a pretty
big except, I admit....but life isn't perfect) what it has taken to preserve the
location and what it has taken to get people to it. Such locations need to be
protected from overcrowding which may mean setting strictly enforced limits as
to how many people can be there at one time and how long they may stay. Ecotourism to me signifies sustainability. It
ensures that negative impacts Ecotourism is not the answer for our concerns
and fears, and not a total answer for preservation of our culture, natural
systems and wildlife but Ecotourism is the first step in asking questions,
increasing our awareness to our surrounding and the world we live in. Ecotourism
is about learning, going into things deeper and with more respect. Send YOUR definition / view of ecotourism to news@ecoclub.com
Ecotourism certification, like all forms of certification, involves a clash of interest for all certifying authorities. How can certifiers receive free stays and money from the certified and not be tempted to cut corners? Who certifies and who oversees the certifiers? For us, the best certifiers are savvy travellers, genuine ecotourists. They vote with their feet. If you are organising or are aware of an
ecotourism related Trade Show, Conference, Workshop or other Event
please send us the details to news@ecoclub.com
to promote it for free. September 3-5, Parks and Leisure Australia
National Conference/ AUSTRALIA !A wild mustard plant that grows only in the
Austrian Alps naturally accumulates large amounts of metals in its tissues. This
tiny plant may be the key to cleaning up large areas contaminated by heavy
metals from industrial production.The plant's genes involved in metal
accumulation have been identified and cloned by David Salt, professor of plant
molecular physiology at Purdue University. !Researchers have hit upon an incredibly simple way to purify drinking water - shaking it and leaving it in the sun. The technique, which doesn't cost a penny, is being tested in three areas of India. (The Times) - If working, these Researchers deserve the Nobel for Simplicity. !United States Patent 6,200,806: a claim to
the human embryonic stem cell, and !Astronomers announced the discovery of a second planet orbiting the star 47 Ursae Majoris. It is the first solar system outside our own where multiple planets travel round the same star in circular orbits. @The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names
and Numbers (ICANN) the feasibility of allowing individuals and companies to
register domain names anonymously in the future. Get details on these and many
more Vacancies at http://ecoclub.com/jobs
THE AUGUST ECO-QUIZ WAS:
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