See the World, Save the Planet Ecotourism on the rise Erica GossEucalyptus Magazine, July 2010Imagine spending the night in the ancestral home of a family in Sikkim, or harvesting fresh tomatoes in Crete, or diving off a remote island in Thailand—all while helping the environment. These are just a few of the options available to those who choose ecotravel over traditional vacations. Ecotravel is quickly gaining ground in the tourism business and offers rewarding alternatives for those who want to experience something more meaningful than lying on a beach sipping mai tais.The full article:  http://www.eucalyptusmagazine.com/Eucalyptus-Magazine/Issue-12-2010/See-the-World-Save-the-Planet/

Greetings,Crete's Culinary Sanctuaries submitted a few entries to the"Innovation for Biodiversity Photo Contest." Here's one submission, please consider voting for CCS! Many thanks.  Supporting the people working is this field is crucial if we expect to enjoy it. http://myoocreate.com/challenges/innovation-for-biodiversity-photo-contest/entries/218 All the best, Nikki

Crete's Culinary Sanctuaries Eco-Agritourism Network, Spring Newsletter, Celebrating Biodiversity, Organic Agriculture: http://www.cookingincrete.com/CCS-Newsletter-Spring-2010.html

The International Year of Biodiversity is built on celebrating and communicating the examples of communities, governments and organizations that have been able to achieve the 2010 Biodiversity Target at different levels. Their stories will themselves become messages and models for future policy and action. They will be presented in a way that highlights their economic contribution to the lives of communities. The particularly important role of Indigenous and Local Communities will also be highlighted. Other examples of “2010 Success Stories” will be the work of the scientific community; the latest developments in biodiversity science. http://www.cbd.int/2010/stories/

CCS Presents The Magnificent West:  Wild Nature, Organic Food Production, Cooking Demos and Hands-On Cooking ClassesAvailable Dates:  September 27- October 2, 2010Join us for an exciting seminar in Western Crete focusing on food from the ground up.  Our base is in a small village in the foothills of the magnificent White Mountains.  We’ll spend a week exploring the region and enjoying the superb fresh and local cuisine.  Before we head to the kitchen to cook with great local chefs, we’ll meet people that produce traditional and organic ingredients in the region, which is the foundation for culinary delights to come.We’ll travel to organic farms to discover how high-quality olive oil and wine is produced and taste the results.  Along the way, we’ll stop at traditional bakeries and artisan food shops. Throughout the week, we’ll meet people involved in cultural-natural heritage preservation projects, enjoy the fresh air during walks in the countryside...

Crete's Culinary Sanctuaries was noted for best practices by the Association of Greek Tourist Enterprises (SETE) in their presentation on marketing gastronomy tourism. I haven't found info about plans to protect cultural-culinary heritage and support the people that actually provide these experiences (or would like to if they earned a good living) -- our farmers, fishers, chefs, rural lodgers, et al. I will keep looking.http://www.sete.gr/default.php?pname=NewsA...s&show=164&la=1

A great article about a Washington DC chef that does much more than cooking.At Martha's Table, cooking for a causeBy Candy Sagon, Special to The Washington PostWednesday, February 17, 2010; E01You think the Energizer Bunny has unflagging energy? He's a lazy snail compared with Demetrios Recachinas. In fact, next to the hyperkinetic food program manager at Martha's Table, just about everyone else seems to be moving in slo-mo.Recachinas is a former restaurant chef who, two years ago, went from cooking lobster at one of the city's top eateries to chopping donated vegetables at the downtown charity that helps feed and educate hungry people.The full story: The Washington Post

One of Canada’s leading anthropologists and public speakers is scheduled to take part in a conference titled “TEDXWhistler: Tourism’s Place in a Sustainable World” during the height of the 2010 Winter Olympics.Wade Davis is author, anthropologist, ethnobotanist and “one of the most articulate and influential advocates for the world’s indigenous cultures,” organizers said in a statement. He is scheduled to take part in the conference that takes place Feb. 18 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Whistler Canada Olympic House at the Whistler Public Library.The conference will be webcast to a worldwide audience at www.tedxwhistler.com, and will feature sustainability experts engaging in dialogue with the live and online audience through Twitter.

National Public Radio report on ecotourism in Egypt. This is the catch 22 of striving for a balance in tourism. This is the same story everywhere; Crete is no exception. What's troubling is that local communities strive to build great alternatives to mass tourism and then have to fight to keep mass tourism from bulldozing over their projects...and their cultural and natural heritage. We need to work hard to keep that from happening.Part 1: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p...122222340&ps=rsPart 2: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p...oryId=122252258Happy New Year!Nikki

Article by Ben Block on December 29, 2009Worldwatch looks back at this year in environmental news, picking the most notable stories posted to Eye on Earth over the past 12 months.http://www.worldwatch.org/node/6356