Conscious Choice: Have Passport, Will Eco-Travel

March 1999

Have Passport, Will Eco-Travel

by Ana Arias Terry

As far as your sleepy right eye can see, the unpopulated beach sparkles with un-littered perfection. The flexing muscles of the ocean cause crashing waves to roar loudly in your sandy ear. Your eye closes back again and you inhale a luxurious breath that brings a caricature-like smile to your face. Your outstretched body feels the warmth of the sand beneath, and you wonder what the day has in store. You’re so grateful to be here.

Soon the others who also paid to be part of this volunteering vacation will be stirring. Who would have thought that even with no scientific background, you are helping biologists gather accurate data on the nesting ecology of Malaysian green turtles. And despite long hours of physical and mental challenges under very foreign circumstances, deep happiness engulfs you in knowing that you’re helping a little patch of earth. Welcome to one attainable example of Ecotourism 101.

Label-Mania
Researchers, scholars, governments, private tour operators, environmental organizations, trade associations, and individuals have come up with boatloads of ecotravel labels and varying definitions. They remind me of the guy on the street corner waiting to flash open his trench coat and show you the grand selection of timepieces he tries to tempt you with. But instead of whispering brand names, he’d say, "Psst...lady...ecotourism? Green? Alternative? Sustainable? Low-impact? Maybe environmental? Ecological? Economic? Nature? Ethnic? Cultural? Appropriate? Responsible? Adventure travel? What will it be?"

Purists take offense when the label doesn’t quite fit their own assessment of the highly contended terminology, and plenty of slick folks have misused and abused the term for quick profits. The controversy is enough to turn off even the most ecologically minded travelers. Having said that, some of the concern is understandable. After all, when we talk about tourism, we’re talking an industry that’s huge — bigger than the agricultural, electronics, steel, or car industries. It represented more than $3.5 trillion of world output in 1993, and The World Travel and Tourism Council experts say that figure will double by 2005. At stake are world resources.

The Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as "responsible travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and sustains the well-being of local people."

Mary Epler Wood, president of The Ecotourism Society, says a truly ecologically minded traveler is one who is responsible, well educated and prepared, and sensitive to the values of others. "I think most travelers are still unaware that their travel choices can make a big difference in the lives of local people worldwide. Tourism dollars can have great meaning in the lives of local people. They are counting on us, and we don’t realize it yet!"

Hector Ceballos-Lascurian is credited with coining the term "ecotourist" and offers what appears to be an industry-accepted definition. He defines ecotourism as "the segment of tourism that involves traveling to relatively undisturbed or uncontaminated natural areas with the specific objective of admiring, studying, and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants and animals, as well as any existing cultural features (both past and present) found in these areas.

"Ecotourism implies a scientific, esthetic, or philosophical approach, although the ecotourist is, of course, not required to be a professional scientist, artist, or philosopher. The main point here is that the person who practices ecotourism has the opportunity of immersing himself or herself in Nature in a way that most people cannot enjoy in their routine, urban existences. This person will eventually acquire an awareness and knowledge of the natural environment, together with its cultural aspects, that will convert him or her into somebody keenly involved in conservation issues."

Writer John Shores strongly advocates that the environmentally sound tourism industry must establish an "Ecotourism Level" scale system to promote higher standards of ecotourism and "greening of the travel system."

Scholar David Western makes other enlightened points. "To some extent the co-option of the ecotourism label by virtually any group remotely connected with nature or culture travel is dictating the answer," he says. "Much as we may not want to define ecotourism narrowly, in reality the principles applied by the mass market can do more good for conservation — and alleviate harm — than a small elitist market.

"Ecotourism, accepted this way, is shifting from definition of small scale nature tourism to a set of principles applicable to any nature-related tourism. This is an evolution I think will help conservation. Surely what matters is not scale or motive, but impact. An accidental virus transmitted by a solitary well-intentioned nature lover could threaten the mountain gorilla. A few seeds carried by mud on a hiker’s boot could introduce an invasive weed into a fragile ecosystem. By contrast, tens of thousands of environmentally indifferent visitors packaging into the aquadome at Tsavo’s Mzima Springs have done little discernable damage and a great deal to save it."

Ecotourism is an alternative to mass or conventional tourism, which is often consumptive and based on artificial attractions. Although both types of tourists may happen to be at the same nature spot, the perspective, environmental interest, and actions may sit worlds apart.

Ecotourism is about principles. It’s about social responsibility. It’s about a deep commitment to nature, preservation, and conservation. It’s about ethics and respect for biodiversity, all species, and cultures in protected and non-protected areas. It’s sustainable development and thoughtful, thorough planning with input from indigenous populations. It’s about minimizing negative environmental impacts and maximizing the positive ones.

Implications of Impact: Negative & Positive
Both hope and blame have been heaped upon ecotourism; it has been touted as having the potential to be a savior of depressed economic conditions or a "Trojan Horse." But some researchers protest that ecotourism can’t do either thing on its own. For ecotourism to be harmless, it must be specifically planned and managed to lower environmental harm, boost local economic results, and involve local communities from day one. Requirements to protect the environment must be managed properly in order to offer protection to the resources themselves.

What about the risk that very conscientious ecotravelers could be destroying the very thing they long to protect? It is simply unrealistic to expect that no negative environmental impact will result from ecotourism. The premise behind this tourism is nature, and even the most gentle, aware, and responsible traveler will cause some impact.

If an area’s popular status causes ecosystem degradation and the appearance of untold crowds,"There is a danger of overrunning ecologically fragile destinations," says Epler Wood.

When ecotourists crowd into fragile areas, they cause ecosystem overload, manifested in effects like soil erosion and the disruption of mating habits. Likewise, aesthetic carrying capacity overloads when animals flee, wooded areas are deforested, and litter appears in place of plants.

Often governments, park managers, and conservationists try to "solve" this problem by attracting fewer ecotourists who can pay more. In turn this can create elitist situations. Other countries sometimes simply decide that hordes of tourists are worth the worsening of their environment.

Even walking on trail systems can lead to loss of plant species. Collected animals, fossils, and plants can have serious ecosystem implications. Trash is too common a byproduct. Deficient sewage facilities sometimes contribute to water pollution, and harvesting firewood for tourists contributes to deforestation.

There’s also the unfortunate practice by some tour operators of "relabelling" their packages even when they’re not ecologically sound.

Ecotourism can have other negative impacts as well. So called "leakages" of local incomes can escape the host country because of any number of reasons, including expensive imported purchases made to accommodate tourists and profit repatriation by foreign investors. The World Bank estimates that 55 percent of gross tourism revenues made in developing nations escape back to the developed ones.

Although some scholars point out that not many examples exist wherein ecological protection and community development have been successful, not all is dim and gray when it comes to ecotourism. Green patches exist, and we must look for ways to develop more that will yield positive impacts.

Wood has some suggestions for individual ecotourists: "Work to learn more about destinations that may not be the most well-known and popular in the world. Avoid the herd instinct! Instead of going to the White Mountains National Park, go to the White Mountains National Forest, which has many fewer visitors. Checkout the communities nearby who are working very hard to attract visitors, as their timber industries have completely disappeared and their economies are in deep trouble."

There is hope in the tourism industry, as well. Some countries have embraced the idea that eco-protection and-tourism can go hand in hand and even strengthen one another. They keep the hope alive that ecotourists can sensibly and ethically visit a sensitive area, interact meaningfully with the indigenous community, and make useful financial contributions at both local and national levels.

Financial and community-based success stories do exist in projects in Nepal, Costa Rica, and Kenya. Great amounts of tourist spending at some of these destinations — along with a portion of direct park fees and travel arrangements — are making it to the local community coffers.

In some cases, fees from parks and other usage charges pay for adequate, sustainable wildlife preserves and some entities use ecotourist dollars to establish and maintain conservation projects.

Some other positive results of ecotourism ride on the flip side of some negative ones. Ecotourism promotes awareness and education about conservation and environmental issues. It creates jobs, particularly in rural locations. Members of local communities may also benefit from being the ideal guardians, interpreters, guides, and managers of areas under protection because of their intimate knowledge and understanding of the ecosystem. The tribesmen in Namibia offer a stellar case in point: they became game wardens rather than poachers once ecotourism took hold. (One can argue that some of the tribesmen were hunters, rather than poachers, and that they were simply pursuing their indigenous lifestyle. But the scarcity of the animals they hunted was already destroying their lifestyle.)

In fact, ecotourism can offer the necessary financial justification to conserve areas that otherwise may not get protection. Damaging resource use can be changed in the socioeconomic environment of communities who are active participants in their local ecotourism activities. For instance, efforts to stop deforestation of nearby watersheds and to protect agriculture are becoming important to Rwanda, as they sustain tourism around mountain gorillas in the country’s Parc de Volcans.

The Ecotourist Kit: Duties & Privileges
Ethical principles and guidelines do seem to be permeating the tourism industry albeit inconsistently. Tour operators, environmental and trade associations, and governments have been composing numerous principles, codes, and policies to help guide the management of natural and cultural resources. Like the buzzwords and their various definitions of ecotourism, these documents attempt to offer a framework of a conservation ethic. How well this translates into effective action varies significantly.

The all-familiar "take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints (or if you are scuba diving, leave nothing but bubbles)" may no longer be enough. A more active approach seems a more appropriate redress to population and development pressure

So, educate yourself before you travel. Learn as much as you can about the history, the culture, the language, and the natural ecosystem. Boost your nature awareness, increase the economic benefits for the local communities, and cultivate your own sensitivity to culture. Just as you have the privilege to travel to a host location at home or abroad, you have the responsibility to minimize your negative environmental impacts.

But is there such a thing as a truly environmentally friendly destination, and how do you know? According to Wood, ecofriendly destinations do indeed exist. "The best way for the consumer to be sure is to ask questions directly to the owners and operators of local hotels and resorts about how environmentally conscious they are, and how they are working to benefit local people." But don’t stop there. "Also, you should locate the names of local land managers and ask them to explain the best way to visit a destination without harming it."

So if your next adventure will involve a tour operator, ask questions until you’re satisfied that they genuinely embody sound eco-principles that are backed by actions. For a thorough listing of questions, read Dianne Brause’s "Ecotourism Guidelines: How to Choose the Organizations and Businesses You Support" published in Transitions Abroad magazine.

Now for a privilege. Volunteer-paid vacations offer you a unique opportunity to partake in research projects either assisting scientists with their land or ocean field work, or pitching in on projects that help needy people. You can be part of a group that studies river dolphins in Peru, takes an active role in wolf tracking in Minnesota, or conducts artifact surveys of ancient farms in Italy. If none of these turn your ecobulb on, hundreds of variations exist in numerous disciplines sponsored by various organizations.

Earthwatch Institute is one such reputable international nonprofit which offers laypeople the chance to work on scientific field research with highly qualified researchers and scientists. This year about 4,000 volunteers will join 720 research teams. Earthwatch volunteers can choose from among seven research areas. The costs range between $700 and $3,500, and the average cost this year is about $1,600 for one to three weeks.

I asked Public Affairs Director Mary Blue Magruder what assurance they had that Earthwatch scientists tried to minimize their own impact and that of the volunteers at so many sites. "Scientists care deeply about the region where they live and/or do their field research. That’s our best assurance that the project directors will work to see that the volunteers are truly helping, and having a low impact on where they work." Nevertheless, she adds, "It is always a dilemma."

"At first, volunteer science vacations appear to have been designed for the gullible: for a hefty sum, you will be able to spend your vacation working your fingers to the bone for someone else," writes Stephanie Ocko, author of Environmental Vacations: Volunteer Projects to Save the Planet. "You will also get to bunk with strangers, possibly cook your own food, and use a latrine. The temperature might be 105 degrees all day every day, and the guy in charge is no cruise director. Forget your designer swimsuit; you’ll need industrial-strength shorts."

Yet for many volunteers, the experiences have been fascinating, audacious, tiring, and life changing. These vacations represent an exhilarating gift from you to the host state or country. "Even the most hard-boiled volunteer can’t miss the sense of being engaged in a noble purpose and the realization that we have the power not only to destroy our environment but also to repair it," says Ocko.

Where do I sign up?

Reflection in the Mirror
Volunteering vacations do offer a tremendous possibility to chip in toward something greater than just you. But you don’t have to be a power travel warrior to be an ecotourist. Your modest weekend vacation to a nearby destination can be just as ecologically sound as a three-week exotic adventure in Bali.

You’ve got the key to the "city" of Earth. Appreciate it. On the other side of that door, a vulnerable sphere teeming with vitality and diversity counts on your unrelenting ardor and consistent commitment.

All aboard!

Resources
A sampling of organizations that can whet your appetite as ecotraveler or scientist/ researcher helper:

Earthwatch Institute, 800-776-0188

Center for American Archaeology, 618-653-4316

Center for Global Education, Augsburg College, 612-330-1159

Journeys, 800-255-8735

The Ecotourism Society

"Ecotourism Guidelines: How to Choose the Organizations and Businesses You Support."

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