Ecotourism: Everything you need to know before making post-quarantine plans.

With the end to quarantine seeming closer and closer and the weather nicer, a lot of people are beginning to plan their future outdoor trips and activities and there is bound to be a huge influx of people to parks and lakes. Before planning your post-quarantine trip, be sure to look into Ecotourism and where it can be implemented in your area.

The desire to visit exotic and beautiful places has caused damage to environments across the world due to high amounts of tourism traffic. Ecotourism attempts to allow people to visit interesting places non-invasively and maintain the fragile natural balance of the area. ecotourism aims to educate visitors on the environment and wildlife they are observing, while also making money to benefit local people and fund conservation work. It also often raises awareness of local environmental issues and promotes behavior to assist in positive environmental impact. This is often done on a much smaller scale to commercial tourism.

The Galapagos Islands are an excellent example of ecotourism that has been implemented effectively. Since the islands are separated from the mainland, they often have very fragile ecosystems and distinctive wildlife communities; the Galapagos is particularly famous because they were visited by Charles Darwin on the beagle voyage, where he made the observations that led to his theory of evolution. Most of the Galapagos islands are now national parks, meaning that people who visit usually have to go as part of an ecotourism venture the follows strict rules. tourists are only allowed to visit certain areas and small numbers and are transported on boats are owned by locals, while a portion of the money made on these visits is used to protect and conserve the island. People can experience environmentally friendly tourism by choosing to go on tours with small locally owned trip providers that supply an educational aspect on the local environment. People can also look into the damage that may be caused by certain types of trips - for example, some whale and dolphin watching tour providers use noisy, highly polluting boats and will attempt to get very close to the animals, which causes them distress and increases the chance of harm. Eco-friendly tours use small, quiet boats and stay a respectable distance away from any animals.

Ecotourism is focused on uniting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel. There are several guidelines in place for those who partake in ecotourism. Namely, ecotourism focuses on pristine, unspoiled natural environments, minimize impact on the environment, and builds environmental and cultural awareness and respect. They also provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts, direct financial benefits for conservation, and financial benefits and empowerment for local people. Just as important as understanding the fundamentals is understanding what ecotourism is not. For instance, some who are unfamiliar might consider a walk through the rain forest to be in ecotourism activity, but this isn’t the case unless perhaps the particular rainforest Trail benefits the environment and/or the local community.

---

Want to know how you can participate in Ecotourism?

Visit a National park

• The fees you pay to enter the parks goes into funding the conservation of the park.

• Every American who pays federal income taxes contributes to the national park budget.

• National parks help protect the ecosystems and biodiversity of the area.

• Find a national park near you: https://www.nps.gov/findapark/index.htm

Take an Eco-tour

• While some eco-tours can be expensive in more exotic locations, there are also affordable small business or family-owned tours.

• A quick internet search can find rivers or nature tours near you. http://www.flightnetwork.com/blog/42-absolute-best-eco-adventures-United-states-year

• If you’re not sure if a business is eco friendly, give them a call and ask! Tell them you are interested in taking an environmentally friendly tour and you would like to know how their business and your money will benefit the surrounding ecosystem.

Visit a conservation Zoo, aquarium or botanical garden

• Conservation zoo and aquariums do a lot of work in the wild conserving habitats and studying health threats and other conservation threats. Zoos also have breeding programs that occasionally result in animals being released to the wild.

• Horticulture and cultivation skills allow for plants to grow that might be lost in the wild, which means that species diversity can be conserved in the gardens.

• Most zoos and gardens are very proud of their conservation work, so a quick internet search to there website will most likely provide information on it.

• Find a zoo or aquarium near you: https://www.aza.org/find-a-zoo-or-aquarium

• Find a botanical garden in your state: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_botanical_gardens_and_arboretums_in_the_United_States