"The economic crisis has been the perfect time to improve the economic results of big businesses on the backs of salaries and working conditions of workers. This cannot be sustainable tourism"

Nuria Chacón has a Degree in Environmental Sciences and a Master in Ecosystem Restoration from the University of Alcalá. She is the co-founder of STIPA Estudios Ambientales SL, an environmental consultancy and ecotour operator. Nuria specializes in management and conservation of wildlife and protected areas, with a strong and growing interest in the social impact assessment of conservation projects and Ecotourism as a way to develop and conservation of natural-rural areas. She is an active Member of ECOCLUB.com - International Ecotourism Club and of other organisations such as The International Ecotourism Society and the European Ecotourism Network (ECOLNET). At the local level she participates in the Land Stewardship Network of Castilla-La Mancha and Madrid and Ecotourism Castilla-La Mancha Association.

ECOCLUB.com: What first attracted you to this career and what are your main goals?

Nuria Chacón: I studied a Degree in Environmental Science and later a Master Degree in Ecology Restoration, so my professional career was focused on natural heritage, wildlife and protected areas issues. I founded a consultancy firm in 2008 and we decided to locate at Cuenca city, far away from Madrid because my colleague and I thought that rural areas had the right to develop technical works with young people. Since I live in Cuenca I believe that this region is a treasure hidden in Spain and a potential nature and ecotourism destination as well. Its potential resources and our experiences as ecotourists in Nicaragua where we visited organic coffee farms and several natural places was our beginning into the field of ecotourism.