Eco Holidays

posted by Catherine on Apr 24

Should we visit somewhere degraded but in desperate need of tourist dollars - or leave it to recover?

I was talking with a friend about the need to show (financial) support for locations that are in danger of being destroyed by construction or farming, etc - and that the best way to show that an area is worth money as it is, would be to take a vacation there and spend money on local services.

But then I thought, if the location is very fragile or in an area that is highly volitile - would it be better to stay away and let it recover before demanding tours and accomodation to be found (or built)?

Add to this as well, the fact that if you choose not to visit one of your favourite destinations or to see an endangered animal - it might have been your last chance before it is lost forever.

What I Want:

I myself am torn between visiting certain locations around the world as I am worried that my trip there and intrusion in the area could actually be supporting the very things that are destroying it.  But if I don’t go, I will have missed my chance to see something truly wonderful. 

Whether it is to experience the march of thousands of penguins in the frozen landscapes of Antartica, to marvel at the giant tortoises and marine iguanas in the Galapagos or the chance to see thousands of bats at dusk flying from a cave in Borneo - the very act of my ‘eco’ trip could put stresses on the wildlife or habitat itself by changing their behaviour. 

It could also help sustain or even create a market for hoards of others to follow afterwards or even affect the culture of the people who have lived there for centuries.

However, my needs I suppose are only for my own pleasure, unlike the people and the wildlife involved.  Just because ‘I want’ to do something, should I do it - even if the trip is ‘eco friendly’ and ‘responsible’?

The Alternatives?

If I decide not to go myself - how else could I help?  Well, finding a charity or NGO which was working in the area would be a great start, then donating money or time to them will be of endless help.

Don’t forget you don’t need to offer them directly for that specific location or creature, as all their time and funds are intricately linked.  So offering your spare time to them in your local town will ultimately help them spend money to work in the area you are rooting for abroad!  I mean if they are able to spend less money in 1 country, they can spend more in another.

And by creating other demands at home you can affect change.  Examples include the more obvious ones like choosing not to buy certain products, or products made in certain countries, or by subscribing to eco magazines.  Investing in certain energy suppliers or financial companies is another powerful way of showing businesses where you want to spend money and where you don’t.

Even creating a demand for cuddly toys might change future plans for charities and larger companies.  How?  Well, if more and more people start buying toys and products linked to rainforests for example, then it will be picked up as a national trend and things will eventually happen.

Take for example, the current demand for eco friendly cars.  They wouldn’t be making them if nobody was buying them would they?  If people were not so interested in the environment these days - the cars just wouldn’t sell - and as result, they wouldn’t make any more. 

Imagine if in the 60’s before we knew what ‘climate change’ was, they started making hybrid cars that cost more than ‘normal’ cars - would you buy one?  Do you think there would have been a successful business in the 40’s selling carbon credits?  What if someone today set up a charity to help save seagulls or raccoons - would you donate money to them?

Everything you do today, has a huge effect for tomorrow - so don’t rush into anything to quickly.

posted by Catherine on Dec 18

Qualified vets are always needed to help the local people of Iquitos, Amazonian Peru.

It’s not just the wildlife in the amazon that needs our care and attention - the dogs and cats that keep the community happy need a bit of help along the way too.

Pets form an important part of a community, and they get ill the same as we do but not everyone can afford the vets bills!

So, What Can You Do?
Well, you can visit the website of Amazon Cares for a start, and take a look at the great work that volunteers carry out there on the banks of the mighty Amazon.

Take time to read about the projects they run and their dedication to the people they help. Have a peak at their constantly updated images and blog posts of vets and vet nurses already out there helping out in their clinic.you should seriously consider a short (or long) program with Amazon Cares!

Think you can spare a few weeks of your life to make a huge difference to some poorly pets across the globe - and add a great bonus to your future veterinary resume!

Working closely in a surgery like this will teach you a huge amount about yourself - and you will learn a huge amount from the resident team even if you are newly qualified. So, if you have recently finished your training and wanted to travel a bit before settling into a permanent veterinary position back home - have a look at their site.

What Do They Do?
They work tirelessly to promote great animal health and the reduction of breeding animals in the community. They also work closely with the communities as well as their pets, including:

• Free mobile veterinary clinics to more remote areas
• Humane education and domestic violence programmes
• Assisted animal therapy for disabled children
• Free wildlife veterinary care and ‘animal orphange’
• Continued veterinary support to national veterinary collages and surgeries

They really have it all covered!

The Results:
My friend recently returned from a trip working with the team in Iquitos and not only did she help neuter and treat thousands of animals in the short time she was there - she made some great friends.

She also got to live in a riverside home on stilts (!) took some amazing photo’s of the surroundings, the Amazon and her team working in the surgery.

She also got the opportunity to travel to Cusco afterwards as well as a quick visit to the lost city of Machu Picchu as well.

I’m not suprised she was so glad that she went!

posted by Catherine on May 7

Would You Believe That The Orangutan Could Be Virtually Extinct In 15 Years?

Some experts would have us believe this if the current trends in rain forest destruction and mono-cultures continued to be profitable in Borneo.

Are people more important than animals?

What’s The Deal?
There are only some many places on earth that Orangutans live, and they are being destroyed at a very fast rate.

Over 50% of the wild population has been lost in the past decade, and it is likely that this figure will continue to decline unless we stop it.

By volunteering, you could help to make sure that the destruction was slowed or at least channelled into the least damaging areas of the forests - rather than key retreats or wildlife ‘corridors’.  Of course any destruction of their habitat is a bad thing - but once the key areas are lost, or the links between those areas, then the species cannot survive.

It’s not just home to the Orangutan either.  There are pygmy elephants and the Sumatran tiger competing for a living in the same jungles, not to mention a whole host of birds, insects and smaller mammals.  All rely on this land and these habitats.

Who Can I Go With?
There are several companies offering volunteer trips to these areas, and all have slightly different aims.

Frontier: from £350, departs all year.
Offer a 9 day or 2 week conservation and adventure package in Indonesia, focusing on the Orangutans habitat and the wealth of other wildlife that needs your help.  It also contributes to local communities and is very open about where your money is spent for each project.

The Great OrangUtan Project: $1575 for 2 weeks with baby Orangutans.
This trip is leaving right now as 2 babies are due to be born in the next few weeks!  However, they do offer a ‘no touch’ policy for the young and their parents…..

They offer plenty of other trips to Borneo so you have a choice with regards to what your experience can offer the project.

Responsible Travel: from £730 for 6 weeks in June & August.
On this trip you also get an insight into the Indonesian culture and learn the language with this longer than average trip to help out.  You will get involved with all aspects of the Orangutan rescue and habitat maintenance programs.

Discovery Initiatives: at £2195 for 9 days with Orangutan experts.
This company offer you the chance to go behind the scenes at the Orangutan centre as well as spending time in the forest with the experts in the field.

Funding goes to offer you a years membership to the foundation as well as a contribution to Rain-Forest Concern.

How Else Can You Help?
Well, here is your chance to make your voice heard on the subject - by volunteering with an effective charity in the region and helping them to make a difference with your time and your money.

And why not make your trip into a longer vacation, by offering to teach in the area, or one close by.  Rather than fly all the way there for just that one eco adventure, why not see what else is out the on offer!

However, your money can also help by not spending it at all!

If we know that un-certified Palm Oil and Soy are one of the main reasons that the jungles of Borneo are worth more cut down than standing, lets make a stand. 

If you are buying toiletries, margarine, biscuits and detergents with palm oil in them, regardless of their point of origin - then it doesn’t matter how much time we volunteer; it won’t break the destructive cycle or our consumer behaviour.

Imagine the irony of travelling to Borneo to save Orangutans, but blatantly using the very ingredients that are destroying their habitat to wash and style your hair each morning!

posted by Catherine on Mar 27

This longer-term volunteer project could be the opportunity of a lifetime!!

There are many short-term opportunities out there for volunteering and fit with most peoples work schedule - but some of the longer-term options will very likely change your life!

Take the following volunteer placement as an example: 12 weeks working in a Safari Lodge in Africa for about the same amount of money (rent, bills and food) that you would be spending back home!

As with all volunteer packages it doesn’t include international flights or other travel arrangements, but everything else while you are there is included.

What Do I Do There?
Well, you will be helping to run the lodge, so it will include general maintenance, working with the guests, helping the local community and enjoying the wildlife of course!  There will be many an opportunity to get close to the wildlife here.

The company involved will plan to speak with you at length before you go so that you are matched up with the best location for your abilities, skills and to a certain extent your preferences.

Naturally, they will not want to waste their time and money and your time and skills by putting you in a location that is beyond your ability or in a country you didn’t want to visit!

And you certainly won’t perform at your best if you really aren’t happy sleeping in a tent and using an outdoor shower! All options are considered carefully to make the best of your time and to get the most out of your trip.

What Else?
The package comes with training in the UK before you leave and 24 hour support the whole time you are away. You even get a small salary to spend whilst you are abroad.  All food and lodgings are included as is on-site training.

All the camps featured are eco-friendly and strive to be responsible locations - for example using local resources and natural energy. These eco-credentials are a integral part of the camp and your experiences and training will allow you to pass on your knowledge and enthusiasm to all the guests that visit during your stay!

Education is a very important part of this trip.

You may also be required to work alongside nature and wildlife teams in removing snares and rehabilitating injured and orphaned animals - which would of course be amazing! 

Many sites also have strong links with local communities, so if this is an area you are interested in or have the skills to teach in your skill set, then this could become the main focus of your trip here.

Getting There & Away:
Depending on the time and season of your eco adventure, they can also offer international travel options, or allow you to make your stop at your safari lodge as part of a larger or worldwide trip.

Why not travel the length of Africa by overland tour bus to get to your lodge and then head down to The Cape afterwards? Or stop-over in Africa as part of your round-the-world journey from India or Australia on your way back home?

The Details:
Holiday Details: Responsible Travel act as the agent
Countries: Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi.
Costs: from £2400 (12 weeks) - depending on location and park fees

I am seriously considering this one myself!  What an experience, and what a story to tell……

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posted by Catherine on Mar 11

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The One Life Live show is on in London this weekend, and will be a great place for you to find inspiration and advice for your eco holidays.

Although the actual show is about making that change to get a better work/life balance - there is plenty there to offer the eco traveller!

Many travel and volunteering companies will be there to offer you travel plans, charity treks, responsible tourism advice and to basically make sure that if you want to travel you will get the chance.

The Show:
There are 8 zones for the show offering all sorts of companies up for a chat with you - and if you come well prepared you can get all your eco answers in one sitting.

There are also many free seminars on offer throughout the few days covering topics about volunteering, life changing adventures and advice on planning that grown up gap travel - even some on how to make money while you travel and getting qualified to teach abroad too.

What’s It Like?
Well, I have been several times myself, and it is a great (but tiring) day out as there is so much crammed in!  There were so many companies there that I hadn’t heard of - or some I knew that were offering something different!  There was a whole overland adventure vehicle for you to explore, yurts and canoes - plus the chance to sign up to adventure travel magazines at a massive reduction.

Of course there are also people running the stands that have already done what you are planning, and many who have even lived in the countries you want to go and visit - so make sure you talk to as many people as you can - and make sure you live the only life you have.

This one right now!!

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