GEN Issues include documents that provide supporting relevant information and recommendations for actions; references and resources to tackle current important matters:
Share your thoughts with all of us by this form, by email info@globalecotourismnetwork.org or with all the community of ecotourism around the world in the GEN Facebook Group.
By Dominika Zaręba and Aivar Ruukel | March 2023
Vast marshes and bogs, wet meadows, unregulated rivers and dense forests together form a mosaic – the „capital of Estonia’s wilderness” and the „land of bogs” (soomaa in Estonian). It is home to wolves, brown bears, lynx and rare bird species including: capercaillie, lesser spotted eagle, golden eagle and black stork. Established in 1993, the Soomaa National Park is also a Natura 2000 protected area, a wetland of international importance listed by the Ramsar Convention, in addition to being a member of the EUROPARC network.
The park’s 390-square-kilometer area is only partially open to visitors for environmental education and nature tourism. Snowshoe tours through marshes, canoe trips in the Pärnu River basin, animal observation, mushroom hunting and forest fruit picking as well as cooking workshops are the main ways to experience the park. Soomaa’s biggest highlight is its “fifth season,” associated with the flooding of the area by rivers in early spring, when the water level rises significantly. During these seasonal natural floods, boats are the main means of transportation for locals. Ecotourists take advantage of these unusual conditions to paddle through the wetlands in a canoe. Telling the history of the place, showing the relationship between man and nature in the wetlands, and sharing knowledge about the rich flora and fauna of this fascinating ecosystem – are all important elements of any trip to Soomaa.
Ecotourism and heritage interpretation create green jobs for residents living near the park. A special attraction of the park is a multi-day workshop on building traditional haabjas – logboats – used by Finno-Ugric and Siberian tribes. They are made from a single aspen trunk. Soomaa is one of the last places in Europe where the tradition of dugout boatbuilding, handed down for centuries from generation to generation, has been preserved. In 2021, this ancient practice was inscribed on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Read the full article in English here
By Brian Garrod, Swansea University, Wales, UK and David Fennell, Brock University, Canada | June 2022
This guide is for anyone who owns or runs an ecotourism establishment. It could be an ecolodge, a conservation area or wildlife reserve, a wilderness hiking tour, nature-watching trips, or any other activity positioned under the banner of ecotourism. It’s intended as a practical guide to help you make your website more accessible to everyone, including people who have disabilities.
By Ariane Janér | March 2022
The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration aims to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and in every ocean. It can help to end poverty, combat climate change and prevent a mass extinction. Ecosystem Restoration is clearly linked to the aims and practices of ecotourism, but we do need to pay more attention to how to manage the travel-to-the destination footprint. We know that many of you are actively involved.
Read the full article in English here
By Christina Beckmann and Glenn Jampol | February 2022
Two longtime members of the ATTA community have come together to prepare a quick primer on the challenges of climate change and the imperative for taking a proactive stance, along with practical suggestions from their own experience for tackling the opportunity.
Written by Christina Beckmann, Vice President of Global Strategy at Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) and Co-Founder of Tomorrows Air, and Glenn Jampol, Co-Founder and Co-Owner at Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Farm & Inn, Chair at Global Ecotourism Network (GEN) this guide offers a summary of key concepts such as what is meant by Scope 1, 2, 3 emissions and ‘net zero’ along with clear discussion of a range of climate action strategies and links to examples from leading companies such as Intrepid and The Travel Corporation who are already well down the path with lessons to share.
Read this guide if you’re a small or medium sized travel business looking for basic guidance on where to start your climate journey.
Download the full article in English CLIMATE ACTION: A Plain Talk Guide for Small Travel Businesses or Spanish ACCIÓN CLIMÁTICA – Una guía sencilla para pequeñas empresas de viajes
By Dominika Zaręba | Braşov – Kraków, 2020-2021
We spoke with Andrei Blumer, President of the Association Ecotourism in Romania (AER) and one of the leaders and innovators of ecotourism development in Romania and Europe. Andrei, please tell us briefly about the beginnings of your organization.
Read the full article in English here