Eco-travel in Africa makes a difference May 13, 2008
Posted by Ralph Pina in : Community, Sustainability, Tourism, ecotourism , 1 comment so far
The title of this post is also ecoAfrica’s slogan, and one of the questions it immediately raises is: what sort of a difference? Another would be: what is “eco-travel”? These questions - and their answers - go to the heart of what ecotourism really is.
Let’s take the second question first: what is eco-travel? Without entering into a debate about eco-travel - or ecotourism - definitions, it is worth pointing out that ecotourism represents a travel ethic rather than a market segment or type of tourism. It is purposeful travel, where the salient purpose, besides experiencing Nature, is the preservation of Nature.
Two generally accepted definitions of ecotourism are:
Ecologically sustainable tourism with a primary focus on experiencing natural areas that fosters environmental and cultural understanding, appreciation and conservation.
Ecotourism Association of Australia
Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.
The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)
Elephant options in Africa May 2, 2008
Posted by Ralph Pina in : Animals, Conservation, Safari, Tourism, ecotourism , 1 comment so far
No doubt you have heard by now that South Africa has decided that culling will once again be an optional intervention in the management of elephant populations, albeit an intervention of last resort, to address what is known as “the elephant problem”. Elephant conservation has been enormously successful in southern Africa (58% of the population), to the extent that some conservationists now argue that there are “too many” elephants. Personally, I think that the problem could be restated as “too little elephant habitat”. (more…)
Corridors, Climate Change and Democracy April 16, 2008
Posted by Clarissa Hughes in : Climate Change, Conservation , add a comment
Corridors are the sexiest thing in conservation. It has been realised for some time now that Africa will be one of the continents hardest hit by the effects of climate change. When Africa’s protected areas were initially proclaimed, no-one foresaw the increases in human population that we’ve experienced, and now these areas are islands in a sea of humanity.
Mother of All Crocodiles April 2, 2008
Posted by Clarissa Hughes in : Animals, Community, Conservation, ecotourism , add a comment
Madikwe, short for Madikwena, meaning Mother of All Crocodiles is a shining example of ecotourism success in Africa. This 76,000 hectare reserve was created in 1994 and was the subject of the largest game reintroduction exercise on the planet. Operation Phoenix saw the translocation of 8000 animals over a period of 8 years. The fully fenced reserve offers an almost unique location to view both desert adapted species, and the more regular bushveld animals. Gemsbok, brown hyena and eland occur; as do buffalo, elephant and spotted hyena.
Is it only about “the Big 5″? February 17, 2008
Posted by Ralph Pina in : Conservation, Tourism, ecotourism , 1 comment so far
Every once in a while I trawl through the research output of academia, specifically in the fields of ecotourism, sustainable tourism and ecotourism certification. The other day I came across the following article in the Journal of Ecotourism (vol 6, no. 1, 2007) entitled “Wildlife viewing preferences of visitors to protected areas in South Africa: Implications for the role of ecotourism in conservation“.
The article’s conclusions are particularly interesting, given the prevailing wisdom in the tourism industry that tourists to Africa are only interested in seeing the “Big 5″ - leopard, lion, elephant, rhino and buffalo. Just recently we have been debating this issue in ecoAfrica, so the research is timeous and topical for us. I for one have always been loathe to accept that only the Big 5 holds any attraction to travellers to our continent. (more…)
Powerdown in South Africa January 22, 2008
Posted by Ralph Pina in : Climate Change, Conservation, Sustainability , 4comments
This post is only tangentially related to travel, but it has a lot to do with sustainability, so I thought I would vent here on this blog anyway. As I sit here writing this, South Africa has entered a period of rolling blackouts. The cause is uncontested: the government failed to allow the national power utility, Eskom, to create generation capacity way back in the ’90s. After an unprecedented period of economic growth the chickens have come home to roost and the reserve margin is down to 8% so that the grid has no resilience when capacity is temporarily reduced by an outage or when demand spikes. Meanwhile the demand trendline shows unabated growth. The crisis is expected to last for another seven years, by when additional generating capacity should come online.
But what interests me are the reactions to the crisis from my fellow citizens, which only serve to show how difficult it is to change behaviour and how invested in our energy-intensive consumer-age paradigm we are. (more…)
Carbon offsets: should you buy absolution? December 19, 2007
Posted by Ralph Pina in : Climate Change, ecotourism , 2comments
Some critics liken carbon offsetting - paying for emission reductions elsewhere instead of reducing one’s own carbon emissions - to “buying pardons from the Catholic church in 16th century Europe” [1]. Absolution. Guilt-free flying.
And yes, there are various, related ethical issues that you must resolve for yourself. If you’re not sure what I am writing about, take a look at CheatNeutral for amusing satirical commentary on the practice of offsetting your “sins”. However, if you are thinking that I am simply about to dismiss carbon offsetting as an immoral or impractical practice, please read on.
The thing about African wilderness trails November 10, 2007
Posted by Ralph Pina in : Safari, ecotourism , 5comments
Walking on a wilderness trail is the only way to feel the pulse of the African “bush”. That is what I believe anyway. I have experienced my fair share of the African safari concept: vehicle-based photographic safaris, 
game drives and stays in high-end and exotic game lodges, and even canoe safaris down the wild Lower Zambezi. But none of this compares to following a game trail on foot: listening for a warning call, watching the reactions of the tracker, sniffing the breeze, or simply existing in your immediate sphere. Nothing compares - except perhaps for the canoe safari. (more…)
Why community-based tourism is so important October 23, 2007
Posted by Clarissa Hughes in : Community, ecotourism , add a comment
The concept of the Peace Parks is gaining recognition for the vision that it is. I have written about it many times before as a model that shows the way forward for people and the planet. The embracing symbolism of transfrontier conservation areas cannot be overstated because it will only be by a process of inclusion and integration that humans will continue to exist as a species. If we fail to acknowledge and sanction the right-to-life of all of creation we will be left with a denuded and over-used earth unable to support humans.
We have a choice and the time for making that choice is now. We cannot afford to put it off.
One idea that is gaining ground in Africa is that of community-based tourism. (more…)
Bazaruto, dugongs and peak oil September 14, 2007
Posted by Ralph Pina in : Conservation, ecotourism , add a comment
The Bazaruto archipelago, off the coast of Mozambique, is a tropical island paradise and a national park. Proclaimed in 1971 to protect, amongst other species, what is now the last viable dugong population in Africa, it is under threat from the desperate exploration for and extraction of oil and gas, as world demand for hydro-carbons starts to exceed a plateauing supply. The short-term profits to be made, at the expense of the long-term survival of our ecosystems, are enormous. (more…)
