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Join a Mountain Bike
Project in Laos Ecolodge Members The Boat Landing Guesthouse, Laos: We (The Boat Landing Guesthouse) are requesting loans / funds for a
launching a small mountain bike operation in our area. Since the year 2000, UNESCO, in cooperation with the National Tourism
Authority of Laos, have been working with the people of Luang Namtha to train
guides and develop a community-based ecotourism model. We are seeking funds from
donors/lenders/investors to purchase the first set of ten mountain
bikes, spare parts and to pay for training in mountain bike repair and mountain
bike touring. The total estimated start-up capital is between (US) $8,000 -
$10,000. It is proposed that the funds be in the form of 7 per cent interest
loans to be paid back by us to the lender over a five-year period.
Ecolodge Members Araca Camp / Andetur , Brazil: Our company is in the process of
purchasing and opening another ecolodge in the Amazon on the Urubu river
about 180 KM to the NE of Manaus. The lodge is accessible by road with a short
half-hour ride to the lodge itself. The new
lodge is an interesting concept as 40% of the lodge would be owned and
operated by Andetur club members working with the local Brazilian community of Lindoia.
1,200 acres of private dedicated preserve with millions of acres on the
river north of us with virtually little or no settlement. Upriver on the Urubu
are some very interesting areas long interesting to dedicated and sought after
by avid 'birdwatchers' and, although I haven't fully explored the area
(yet) I understand there are canyons, rapids (whitewater), and excellent
areas for canoe and kayaking trips. At my age, I doubt that I'll ever see all of this
but it will be fun
trying. We have a special offer for students, Andetur club members, Ecoclub members,
teachers, etc. to participate in sort of a 'volunteer' program to help develop
this property, and maybe some also help at the Araca camp. Prospective volunteers must 'purchase' at least one share of the lodge for
US$ 250.00. This share will entitle the member to 20% discount forever on any of
our ecotour programs; 10% discount on active fishing programs. 20% of the share
money will go to support the PRAY
mission that is an
unique orphanage for abandoned children in the Amazon region.
Ecolodge Member Sonrise Beach Retreat, Jamaica: We are planning a
Garden Chapel with a small waterfall trickling by or thru it. We know this will
take time to develop but this Chapel will be open to the local Rasta’s (almost
no Churches or Missionaries are reaching or even relating to the Rasta
Community), for meeting, prayer, meditation, yoga, music, dance and crafts. At the same time we plan to build a small bamboo & thatch hut and deck
next to the pond for massage, sunbathing and mud therapy! Then eventually a studio for making music! The creativity has expanded also
by this way of living and I want to record more of my new music to share and
inspire others. Kindly pray His will be done and provision come for all these
labors of love.
Expert Member Mr. Saulius Jocbalis, Tourism Manager at Nemunas Delta Regional Park, Lithuania In the end of September we'll take part in the Estonian Tourism
Fair. If any ECOCLUB Members are interested we can distribute some of their leaflets, etc.
to colleagues from Baltic states, Russia, Finland, Sweden. Please, let me
know till the end of August.
Expert Member Mr.
Carlos Libosada,
Author of Ecotourism
Guide to the Philippines Mt. Apo is a big question now. An organisation called Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) comprised of government people, local executives, NGOs, indigenous peoples, and other stakeholders has been set up by the government and mandated to come up with (supposed to be) appropriate management plans for the protected area. Unfortunately, last I heard (I have yet to officially confirm this) is that the PAMB is implementing a 5-year ban on trekking to Mt. Apo. That means that the mountain is as good as closed to (even) ecotourism. But I would encourage you to make some queries in case I am dead wrong. Anyways, in case (I hope) I got the wrong information, here are some of the answers: What is the most ideal ecotourism package in the area? Trekking is supposed to be the most ideal as you can see a lot of combination of mossy forests, sulphur-laden landscapes, closed canopy forests, some boulders, a lot of waterfalls, immense biodiversity. And of course, it is the highest peak in the Philippines. You can either trek to the peak and see the natural features along the way or you can opt to say, three-days river trekking and camping by waterfalls. Another thing you can do is visit the Philippine Eagle Camp located near Davao City and see the second largest eagle in the world. And one of the most endangered raptors. I guess there are less than 200 of them in the wild (300 ten years ago) What can a traveler expect? You can expect a combination of tropical humidity in the low lands to freezing temperature in the upper portions. You would also have to bring your own camping equipment. Are there any more planned ecotourism project in the area? The Department of Tourism has a lot of plans (they have a web site - tourism.gov.ph and wowphilippines.com.ph). I just don't know what the consequence of the ban would bring. It is also included in the Medium Term Development Plan of NEDA (Nat'l. Econ. Dev. Authority), the planning office of the government. I guess the project title is Mt. Apo Ecotourism Development Plan (I don't think they have implemented the program yet).
New Expert Member, Dr. Daniel
Greenberg, Executive Director, Living
Routes, USA: Ecovillages are truly living laboratories for a sustainable future and are now creating new models of education that can train leaders capable of addressing and transforming today's environmental and social challenges. There are growing opportunities for students and faculty to create "learning communities" within these "living communities" and apply critical reflection and academic studies to their immersion experiences within ecovillages. These programs work because they are based upon mutually beneficial relationships for students, ecovillages, and for affiliated colleges and universities. Students benefit by being able to study and learn within ecovillages as part of their academic career; Ecovillages benefit from the tuition, labor, and research that dedicated students and universities provide; and Colleges and universities benefit by being able to expand their home-campus curricula with high-quality, off-campus programs while avoiding associated administrative, financial, and logistical burdens. I have been developing such programs through an organisation I direct called Living Routes and I would like to offer a few insights we have gained about developing relationships with academic institutions:
If it takes a village to raise a child, then perhaps it takes an ecovillage to educate an adult. If we work together, I believe that ecovillages will play a key role in transforming our current educational system and in training a new generation of leaders. Let's do it!
New Expert Member Chris Ryan, Director, Scientific Marine Pty & Gingara Cultural Ecotours, Townsville, Australia: on the Great Barrier Reef: There are many threats to the Great Barrier Reef. As a finely balanced collection of eco-systems, the Reef can be particularly sensitive even to the slightest changes. Coral Bleaching has been of increasing concern recently, particularly since the severe event witnessed in 1998. Higher than average water temperature and rainfall levels resulted in a mass bleaching events throughout the entire South Pacific region, raising concerns among many about global warming. A new bleaching episode occurred in February 2002, first detected at Magnetic Island, Queensland. This bleaching episode was (and still is) more severe than the 1998 episode on the fragile inshore reefs. Mass outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish were first detected in 1962 in the northern regions of the Great Barrier Reef when millions of the starfish almost totally destroyed the hard coral community around Green Island. Since then, numerous other outbreaks have been observed, each causing considerable damage. Debate continues over whether these outbreaks are a natural phenomena or are enhanced by human activities. Population growth and coastal development have increased significantly in recent years, resulting in the destruction of many mangrove and wetland habitats. As these pressures grow, there will undoubtedly be more impacts on the Great Barrier Reef, with potentially dire consequences for fragile reef communities. Long-term monitoring of coral reefs and fishes is the best way to accurately determine what effects, if any, that human populations may be causing. The continued funding of such long-term projects is essential in my view.
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