Putting the `ECO' in Tourism - ecotourism-related services and package tours offered by travel industry and environmental organizations

E: The Environmental Magazine, Jan, 2001 by John Ivanko

OUTFITTER/AGENT:

Concordia Eco-Tents

The sun-bleached and wind-swept slope on which Concordia Eco-Tents rests contrasts with the lush green landscape of the surrounding Virgin Islands National Park on the island of St. John. It's difficult to imagine that Maho Bay Eco-Tents, Concordia's sister resort, nestles among the forested terrain just a short drive away.

Concordia Eco-Tents is an ongoing experiment in the practical use of sustainable design. On St. John, where water is a precious commodity, owner and developer Stanley Selengut was inspired to create truly low-impact accommodations--a resort that brings people literally closer to nature. Guests collect their own solar-heated water in a cistern. Solar panels and wind generate much of the electricity that powers energy-efficient lighting and a small refrigerator. Floors and boardwalks are made with a recycled composite wood and each eco-tent includes a composting toilet with low-water flush.

"Living within the Earth's resources is something that we have to do to survive as a race," says Selengut. "There are a growing number of people interested in these problems, and we're probably one of the most popular resorts in the Caribbean because of it." Vistas of undeveloped coastline and sparkling turquoise water, accompanied by a constant breeze, certainly don't hurt either. CONTACT: Concordia Eco-Tents, 20-27 Estate Concordia, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands 00830, (800)392-9004, www.maho.org

OUTFITTER/AGENT:

Earthwatch Institute

Great, fluttering butterflies, dragonflies the size of softballs, and huge spiders resting on shimmering strands of web, melt into the lush forest understory of the Gunung Leuser National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia. This steamy, tropical rainforest is also home to endangered orangutans, known locally as the "humans of the forest," and the subject of the Earthwatch expedition called Orangutan Health.

Joining an Earthwatch expedition is an opportunity to both explore the world and assist the scientific community. Volunteers for the Sumatran project follow orangutans, making behavioral observations from close distances, in the hopes of learning how these lumbering primates use specific plants to heal themselves. Situated at the edge of the park along the Bohorok River, the base camp is what you might expect from such a jungle adventure: a simple, clean bungalow with a bed and mosquito net, cold-water showers, Asian toilets and freshly made Indonesian dishes of rice, fish, chicken, vegetables and amazing tropical fruit.

The diverse projects and global presence of Earthwatch attracts volunteers from all over the world. The trips, which usually last several weeks, are organized by research focus, and the fee, which covers the meals and accommodations of volunteers, also directly supports the research of leading scientists in the field. On the Sumatra expedition, besides tough hiking terrain, high humidity and manic mosquitoes, the nearly two-million-acre park also harbors 130 mammal species (including gibbons, leopards and Sumatran rhinos) and 325 species of birds. So there's plenty to do when not observing orangutans. CONTACT: Earthwatch Expeditions, 680 Mount Street, Watertown, MA 02272, (800) 776-0188, www.earthwatch.org.