Malawi energy September 8, 2008
Posted by Ralph Pina in : Climate Change, Community, Energy, Sustainability , 1 comment so far
“Development” is the predominant industry in Lilongwe. A veritable alphabet soup of NGO and aid agency acronyms adorn the doors of the many Japanese 4×4’s that congest the streets of the city - USAID, FAO, UNDP, TLC, SARRNET, ASNAPP, ICRISAT, IITA, FANRPAN, CIAT, NASFAM, etc. The hotels and guest houses mainly service the mobile populations of development professionals, conference-goers and workshop attendees. For a fascinating week I was privileged to be one of the latter, a member of a South African university IT team involved in a project in support of the development of tropical agriculture.
Deforested slopes under cultivation
Malawian island idyll September 5, 2008
Posted by Ralph Pina in : Safari, Tourism, ecotourism , 1 comment so far
Mumbo Island is one of the great places in Africa. Imagine a tropical
island surrounded by warm, clear water and freshwater, tropical fish. The island is but a jumble of granite crowned by dry woodland including baobabs, pod mahogany and rock figs, and barely a kilometre in diameter.
I preceded a week’s work in Lilongwe with a weekend on Mumbo, a place I have always wanted to visit since meeting Kayak Africa’s owners some twelve years ago. Kayak Africa runs island getaways and kayaking and diving activities on Mumbo and Domwe Islands in the Lake Malawi National Park.
More… including Google Earth kayak and walking track
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…)
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.
Book a Safari September 18, 2007
Posted by AJK in : News , add a comment
At ecoAfrica Travel our goal is to find products that makes a difference; a difference in nature, ethics, conservation, empowerment, communities, education and footprints. In essence we want you as a traveller to walk away from Africa with the feeling that your visit made a difference to the lives of the people and the preservation of its natural environment, and that you have learned something about Africa, its people and its wildernesses.
Countries we will show you:
Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
If you like activities:
Adventure, Cultural, Walking Safaris
Or protected areas:
National Parks, Private Reserves, World Heritage
Or certain habitats:
Beach, Bush, Desert, Forest, Island, Mountain, River, Saltpan, Wetlands
Or maybe you are looking for a type of safari:
Luxury, Family, Value-for-Money
About June 1, 2007
Posted by AJK in : News , 2comments
About ecoAfrica
ecoAfrica started online life, on the cusp of the internet revolution, in 1995 as African Alternatives. It has always been dedicated to the promotion of eco-travel in Africa (ecotourism). The team behind ecoAfrica has evolved into ecoAfrica Travel. This blog aims to, amongst other things, reflect the views of the fine people who make up that team. Read about ecoAfrica’s values.
About ecoAfrica’s team
Bertus likes the hammock and he’s been trying to convince everyone here that he needs a place to put it up, but so far no luck. But lest you think that he’s just another Lounge Lizard, he does have a sensitive side and Tai Chi is how he connects with it. Clarissa likes to go out in the wild for long walks, but she loves her comfort; so much so that her bedroll takes up all her allotted space on her trips. Ralph also loves walking (he even parks in the furthest parking space at the mall, so that he can walk more), sea-and-river kayaking. If he and Clarissa were any greener, we would have to water them every morning.
Elsabe doesn’t like Ralph and Clarissa’s slow pace, so she prefers running. If it wasn’t for her driving partner Julia, who loves sleeping more, they would probably jog to work every morning (30km). Julia doesn’t only love the pillow, but also Ericas (foot-long-native-tubular flowers in various colours - a guy’s description) which she nurtures at home and at night she chases and smacks a white ball across a hockey field (it probably has someone’s face on it).
We are very fond of Salomi, even though she dresses like an Eskimo. And once she emerges from her hood, she is a like a bubbling stream. Edna recently came from a trip in Namibia and she can’t stop talking about it. For her it was a very spiritual and educational experience.
Lizanne is our resident Environmental Ethics expert with more degrees than Bertus has grey hair. And she is not just brainy, we use her to make us look good in Elle Magazine as the rest of us are photographically challenged.
Lezel, our in house rock-chick, lives for bookings. She gets this stern “I-can’t-smile-until-my-client-is-happy” look on her face when she is working. Luckily for us this gets sometimes replaced with the “webmaster-fix-my-pc” smile on her face.
Our latest addition is Annemarie who sees herself as a bit of a Gypsy; and she looks the part too. When she is not telling me my fortune, she loves to travel all over the world.
If you would like to speak to any of the wonderful people here, you will need to speak our language and that is travel or to be more precise, eco-travel. Now before your eyes roll over in your sockets and you start calling us treehuggers (officially there is only one in the office), eco-travel doesn’t mean we are going to bore you with speeches or make you wear funny clothes. Eco-travel just means that while we are doing all the fun things everybody else is doing, we also make sure that we respect the environment around us - and make a difference.
We arrange for individuals and small groups to go and experience nature in its unspoilt state, by making appointments with the wildlife here in Africa. If you would you like to meet them, look at one of these options below and we will hook you up.
Countries we will show you:
Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
If you like activities:
Adventure, Cultural, Walking Safaris
Or maybe you are looking for a type of safari:
Luxury, Family, Value-for-Money
