Ties Ecocurrents Quarterly Emagazine - 2006 Q3

Uniting Conservation, Communities, and Sustainable Travel

E c oCu rre n ts

Third Quarter 2006 Price: $2.00 USD

Editor: Katie Maschman

INSIDE

Copy Editor: Dave Mesrey

THIS ISSUE:

SPECIAL FEATURE: GREEN BUILDING & NATIVE LANDSCAPING

Letter from the editor

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he allure of land and its connections to culture plays a large role in the principles of sustainable tourism development and in the inspiration of traveler affinities. Connection to place means connection to people. Architecture (both building and landscape) has the unique capacity to establish experiential links between a culture and the land in which its inhabitants dwell. In recognition of these connections, I’m pleased to bring you this edition of EcoCurrents. Featuring green-building, native landscaping, and innovative technology, we hope to highlight the philosophy of and recent developments within these themes. If this publication inspires you to learn more about or to implement green-building and native landscaping projects, please take advantage of the practical resources in the Business to Business section of TIES Web site (www.ecotourism.org). I encourage you to share your thoughts with fellow TIES members. For potential insertion in future issues of EcoCurrents, write us at [email protected]. —Katie Maschman TIES Membership Director

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

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CHINA’S FIRST PLANNED ECOLODGE 1 TAKES A METAPHYSICAL APPROACH

By Frances Figart

THE CASE FOR NATIVE LANDSCAPING

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EVERDAY ECOTOURISM

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AGROECOTOURISM: ECOAGRICULTURE AND PERMACULTURE

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GUATEMALA UTILIZES ANCIENT KNOWLEDGE

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FUTURE ECOCURRENTS TOPICS

China’s First Planned Ecolodge Takes a Metaphysical Approach

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an you imagine working with a small indigenous community in China to create an ecolodge that celebrates bamboo and takes into account the chi and feng shui of the native landscape? While it might be hard for most of us to envision, planning such an ecotourism destination and tshen working with others to make it a reality is seemingly all in a day’s work for Hitesh Mehta.

Mehta, a world-renowned landscape architect and environmental planner — and one of the world’s leading authorities on ecotourism planning and ecolodge design — has worked 11 with many indigenous communities during his tenure at EDSA, a planning and landscape architecture firm based in Florida, USA.

Log on to TIES new and improved Web site at: www.ecotourism.org

He’s worked on projects in Madagascar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, India, Kenya, Mexico, Dominica, Uganda, Rwanda, DR Congo, Turks and Caicos, (Continued on page 3)

Uniting Conservation, Communities, and Sustainable Travel

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Uniting Conservation, Communities, and Sustainable Travel China’s EcoLodge Con’t (Continued from page 1) Galapagos, Gabon, Fiji, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines. But his current work on the Crosswaters Ecolodge in the Nankun Mountain Reserve in Guangdong, South China, gives him a special kind of energy. “This project represents the first planned ecotourism destination in China,” Mehta says. He’s worked hard with the locals and with Longmen Mt. Nankun Zhongheng Ecotourism Development Co. to protect and enhance the existing forest biodiversity. “That not only involves the local people,” he says, “but also helps them benefit from the development.” This injects much needed capital into the local economy and also yields a profit. “That not only respects the spirit of the place,” Mehta says, “but enriches it through thoughtful, sensitive, sustainable planning and design.” Site Analysis Nankun Mountain Nature Reserve, 80 miles northeast of Guangzhou, South China, was established in 1984 to protect the subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest. The nature reserve lies within the boundaries of the Nankun Shan Forest Park, which covers an area of 260 square kilometers. There are more than 1,300 plants in the park, with more than 30 square kilometers of bamboo. There are also more than 75 nationally protected bird species in the reserve, including the Mountain Scopes Owl, GreyHeaded Woodpecker and Orange-Bellied Leafbird. There are more than 175 species of butterflies; four of them are considered nearthreatened. More than 5,000 people live in the reserve, and their main source of income is the harvesting of bamboo for use in scaffolding in Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

Aesthetic design of Crosswaters Ecolodge spaces and relationships to gardens and [their] philosophical connections with the bamboo,” Mehta says. From a topological map provided by the client, the team used Geographic Information Systems to better understand the watershed, vegetation, hydrology, and land use, and to analyze various aspects of slope, elevation, and terrain. These analyses helped them identify the optimum locations for the various buildings. For instance, careful study of the riparian corridors determined that the confluence of two rivers held the most potential for development of the ecolodge. “We also brought in a local renowned feng shui master with 20 years’ experience to help us analyze the chi of the site,” Mehta says. “South China is the center of feng shui beliefs and thought processes, and we felt that the local cultural and spiritual values needed to be respected. It’s crucial that the chi of the site is not disturbed during development.”

“South China is the center of feng shui beliefs and thought processes, and we felt that the local cultural and spiritual values needed to be respected. It is crucial that the chi of the site is not disturbed during development.” ~Hitesh Mehta

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In determining their design strategy, Mehta and the planning team carried out an in-depth environmental, social, and metaphysical analysis. They made three visits during the winter, spring, and summer, studying the ways of living of the local minority Chinese people — the Keija. “We particularly studied their internal

Community Involvement Mehta and his team asked Longmen to organize a kickoff meeting with the Keijas, where they learned local views on development in the surrounding areas to ensure that the site was used to develop a truly authentic ecolodge.

The design team interacted with local bamboo artisans and craftspeople, and gave several presentations on ecotourism and ecolodges to the local authorities. Eager to be involved in the planning process, the local people proudly invited the team into their homes to share their thoughts and concerns. Due to this community participation in the ecotourism plan, the team was even able to convince the developer not to demolish the local village, but instead to celebrate it and turn it into a rural tourism attraction. (Continued on page 6)

Uniting Conservation, Communities, and Sustainable Travel The Case for Native Landscaping By Michael Bocking

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ontemporary tourist facility development often results in the loss of indigenous vegetation — and in its replacement by horticultural species selected for their exotic appeal. The result is a landscape that values the man-made over the natural — and one that belongs to nowhere in particular. A golf putting green in North America looks very much like a putting green in Europe or Australia. When we lose our connection to the natural landscape, we lose the sense of uniqueness of the place we’ve come to visit. More and more travelers want to experience authentic natural areas. For those visitors, natural landscapes provide a welcome contrast to the urban environments in which most live. They’re an important part of what visitors expect to find at an ecotourism destination. Visitors don’t expect to see intensively managed landscapes that rely on fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation. Instead, they hope to find a natural environment where humans leave a small footprint — and where nature is respected and protected. Since our surroundings create our sense of place, the landscape viewed from the window is as important as the view along a wilderness trail. While it’s preferable that ecotourism development minimizes the impact on natural areas, it’s sometimes necessary to restore areas that have been disturbed prior to or during construction. Re-vegetation with native plants maintains visual integrity with the surrounding landscape and creates habitat for indigenous wildlife. Restoration projects can also serve as outdoor classrooms, providing an opportunity to educate visitors about local flora and fauna. Plant identification tags, brochures, and outdoor displays allow for self-guided interpretation, while local naturalists can provide more in-depth knowledge and responses to visitors’ questions. Areas that undergo a naturalization can demonstrate the ecological connections between climate, flora and fauna, and the ways in which landscapes change over time. Natural landscapes are also cultural landscapes. Visitors seeking to understand the relationship between local people and the local environment enjoy discovering how native plants have been traditionally used for food, shelter, medicines, arts and crafts, and ceremonial purposes. Tourists might be surprised to learn, for example, that the western red cedar, which was carved to make totem poles, was also used to make clothing, ropes, and baskets. Opportunities to demonstrate how plants in the area have been harvested and used by indigenous people

can enhance our understanding and our appreciation of both native flora and native culture. The conservation of natural areas and the use of indigenous plants in landscaping recognize this connection. Natural systems are self-sustaining. Native plants have adapted over time to local conditions, and they’re typically more resilient to disease, fire, and drought than non-native species. Re-vegetated areas provide valuable wildlife habitat and moderate surface temperatures; they also retain moisture, slow the rate of water runoff, and reduce the potential for soil erosion. And because naturalized landscapes don’t need fertilizers, herbicides, or intensive mowing and pruning, they require less fossil fuel to maintain than cultivated landscapes — and are therefore more sustainable. Landscaping in remote ecotourism destinations faces special challenges. In general, the more Natural landscapes are the model remote the site, the greater for landscape restoration. the visitors’ expectations of a natural setting. Where it’s necessary to restore a disturbed area, detailed ecological knowledge is needed to prescribe the appropriate plants for a particular site. In remote areas, non-native species could become invasive, resulting in widespread ecological damage. Another issue is the availability of plants for re-vegetation. Salvaging and transplanting native plants from areas scheduled for development might be possible. If native plants aren’t available through nurseries, it might be necessary to develop a propagation program to provide the plants needed over time. When we understand local ecosystems and the conditions necessary for optimum growth, we can restore disturbed areas and create landscapes that will support more ecological diversity. Restoration could include smallscale native replantings around buildings, wetland enhancements, (Continued on page 9)

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Uniting Conservation, Communities, and Sustainable Travel Everday Ecotourism By Jessie Sackett

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t’s a common sight in hotel rooms these days: The little card informing you that you can conserve water and energy by reusing your towels and sheets, or asking you to turn off the lights when you leave your room. The fact that such programs have become the status quo in four-star hotels and motels alike is an important step for the environment, but the truth is it’s only a step. The built environment has a profound impact on both environmental and human health. In the United States alone, buildings account for more than one-third of all energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, and the Environmental Protection Agency ranks indoor air quality as one of the top five environmental health risks. Green-building — designing and constructing buildings that are not only profitable but also environmentally responsible and healthy places to live and work — is imperative if we want to protect the environment and our communities for the future. Energy efficiency and water conservation are important components of green-building, but transforming the built environment requires a “whole building” approach to sustainability. The LEED Green Building System, a voluntary, consensus-based standard for green-building design, construction, and operations, promotes the whole building approach by recognizing performance in five categories: sustainable site development, energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor environmental quality, and materials and resources. By offering independent, thirdKandalama Hotel, LEED Bronze party verification Sri Lanka that a building meets established performance benchmarks, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) helps building owners and operators ensure that their buildings will perform as expected. And because LEED certification is the nationally recognized standard for high-performance buildings, it’s also a valuable marketing tool for hotel

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Len Foote Hike Inn, LEED Gold Georgia, USA owners who want to demonstrate their commitment to environmental stewardship. The benefits of LEED certification are numerous, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions; significant energy and water savings; increased occupant health, comfort, and productivity; and drastic reductions in materials consumption and waste generation. For all these reasons, a growing number of hotels are “going green” with the LEED Rating System. The Hilton Vancouver Washington, for example, a 226-room hotel connected to Vancouver’s new convention center, is registered to earn LEED certification and expects to save $80,000 year on energy costs.1 The Inn & Conference Center at the University of Maryland, a Marriott property that was the first hotel in the country to earn LEED certification, has also realized significant savings and sees its certification as a competitive advantage. “Operating an eco-friendly hotel is not only good for the environment, but makes good business sense,” says hotel manager Bob Allen. “We’ve found that our guests also appreciate our efforts to protect the environment.”2 It’s not just large hotel chains that are pursuing LEED certification. The Len Foote Hike Inn at Amicalola Falls, a small rustic retreat located deep within Georgia’s Chattahoochee National Forest, was the second building in the state to earn LEED gold-level certification. And the Kandalama Hotel, a luxury hotel located within the (Continued on page 10)

Uniting Conservation, Communities, and Sustainable Travel China’s Ecolodge (Continued from page 3) “We helped the client build a truly international consultant team, including the top two bamboo designers in the world,” Mehta says. “The core consultant team represents six continents, and the rest of the expertise is local — both from academic and professional fields.” The architect of record is based in Guangzhou, while some of the most renowned academics in South China have provided input in ecology, ornithology, plant selection, horticulture, and tourism planning.

Bamboo Bamboo is called the “friend of the people” in China because of its diverse use in everything from food and cooking to furniture, paper, musical

instruments,

boats,

and

houses.

Crosswaters

Ecolodge

celebrates the spirit of

bamboo

in

its

landscape architecture, architecture,

and

interior design. The ecolodge

represents

the largest commercial project in the world that

uses

bamboo

and the first time bamboo has been used in Asia as a structural element in a large-scale place of habitation.

Crosswaters Ecolodge

Thanks to the feng shui master, the “chi” of the site is harnessed around a bamboo entry bridge. All other structures, which utilize abundant local materials such as earth, clay tiles, marble, recycled railway ties, and river stones, are symmetrically arranged on the bridge’s feng shui axis. Local craftsmen were mentored in the construction of this bridge — the first of its kind outside Colombia, allowing them to learn a new skill they can use in the future. Sustainable Planning and Design As a result of this international teamwork, Nankun Mountain Nature Reserve will be an ecotourism destination that provides a variety of experiences and accommodation facilities. The opening of the upscale Crosswaters Ecolodge this fall is just the beginning. The overall nature reserve ecotourism plan calls, over a 10-year period, for the sustainable development of a boutique 25-room lodge called Sumoaping River Lodge, a three-star Village Lodge, a visitors and interpretation center in Shangping Village, a bamboo museum, a retail and civic center, and an enhanced trail system. Tourists who visit the reserve will enjoy mountain climbing, hiking, boating, birding, tubing, cycling, walking, swimming, astronomy, wine-tasting, and fruit picking. The planning and design of Crosswaters Ecolodge also celebrates the rich garden history of China, with plants and materials native to the region. “We researched and analyzed ancient Chinese gardens to understand the relationships between inside and outside and cosmic orientations of buildings and gardens,” Mehta says. “This research was then used in the planning and design of the various gardens, each of which has its roots in Chinese poetry and history.” The botanical garden will showcase bamboo species from China and act as an interpretive experience for guests. Other gardens include a lotus garden, a reflective moon garden, a seven-sages Tao garden, a bamboo sculpture garden, a butterfly garden, and an organic rice and vegetable garden. In May, EDSA received the prestigious Award of Honor in the Analysis and Planning category from the American Society of Landscape Architects for Crosswaters Ecolodge, one of only four winners selected by the jury out of 122 national and international entries. For more information, visit www.crosswaters.com.cn. Frances Figart is a magazine editor who plans to launch Green Travel magazine in 2007 to raise public awareness about sustainable travel and the industry professionals who make it possible. Learn more about her work at www.greentravel.biz.

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Uniting Conservation, Communities, and Sustainable Travel Agroecotourism: Ecoagriculture And Permaculture By Christina Cavaliere

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lobal biodiversity is under extreme threat due to unsustainable monocrop agriculture that promotes the clearing of species-rich natural vegetation and habitat. Concurrently, sustainable community-based ecotourism initiatives that rely on and attempt to conserve these threatened natural areas face many challenges. Agroecotourism is a market-linked method of biodiversity conservation and sustainable rural community development that addresses this interface of challenges. As industry statistics have seen market growth in rural travel through agrotourism (also known as farm tourism) it is critical for the ecotourist to be made aware of sustainable options within this growth area. Agroecotourism is a grassroots ecotourism movement where profitable community-based initiatives meet sustainable agriculture systems.

Organic Cocoa Farm for Specialty Chocolate in Costa Rica additional visitor demand by producing natural, handmade, and locally grown products.

What is Agroecotourism? Agroecotourism is an element within sustainable agriculture operations that addresses the acute threat to biodiversity by increasing landscape diversity, implementing the core principles of ecotourism, and incorporating the essential practices of ecoagriculture and permaculture. Agroecotourism, as a component of sustainable, organic, polycrop agricultural systems, meets the desires of a growing niche market segment, promotes agrobiodiversity and environmental integrity, and contributes to community development. This unique travel segment is designed for nature travelers who seek an in-depth understanding of lowimpact lifestyles, local communities, and sustainable agriculture. In addition, agroecotourism activities promote non-extractive interpretation-based activities in order to increase visitor appreciation of landuse planning, environmentally conscious businesses practices, renewable energy projects, community development initiatives, and social services projects. Furthermore, agroecotourism operations meet an

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Primary Components of Agrotourism

What is Ecoagriculture? Monocrop agriculture strips natural landscapes to produce one crop and introduces a multitude of pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. In contrast, polycrop organic farm operations include all elements of the natural landscape and introduce hundreds of biome-appropriate species of flora and fauna for food production and long term investments such as timber. The sustainable agrosystems where agroecotourism products flourish contributes to ecologically sound development through organic practices, thus reducing pollutants released into surrounding natural and protected areas. As community based businesses, these organic farms boost local economies through job creation and increased revenue for local goods and services. Ecoagricultural approaches to land design and management increases the motivation for tourists’ visits and at the same time decreases the pressures and impacts of tourists to protected areas. These diversified and managed landscapes serve several functions that are both attractive to the ecotourists and to environmental conservation. For instance, they attract &DP diversified wildlife and &DPUPVSTJN BHSJDVMUVSF 1SJODJQMFT preserve heritage and native species of plants. They act as biological corridors by connecting surrounding natural/ $PNNVOJUZCBTFE protected areas, and provide *OJUJBUJWFT increased interaction of 4PVSDF
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Uniting Conservation, Communities, and Sustainable Travel Destination Highlight:

Guatemala Utilizes Ancient Knowledge By Melissa Leggett ith an end to the region’s longest running civil war, Edmundo Solis, Guatemala – a country rich in Mayan civilizations manager of the Jaguar as well as a Spanish colonial architecture – is rapidly Hotel growing as a Central American ecotourism destination. Inn in the Tikal region, In 2004, Guatemala enjoyed a 34 percent growth in jungle international arrivals, demonstrating its expanding draw explains that the in the global marketplace. According to the Guatemalan use of sustainable for Tourism Institute, more than one million international materials the tourists visited Guatemala from January through building August 2006 — a record number. Guatemala boasts hotel’s restaurant Tikal National Park, Guatemala exceptional diversity in archaeological sites and strong came not from a Mayan cultures that reigned until Spanish colonization. detailed design And now with national ecotourism organizations such plan, but “as a necessity that was satisfied with local as Alianza Verde and Puerta Mundo Maya working to materials.” Materials from the jungle such as quano (palm conserve and promote the natural and cultural resources, leaves), bejucos (wild vines), and stones are used for roof, community-based tourism and ecotourism are two of structure, and pathway construction, minimizing the need for imported materials. the major activity draws in Guatemala.

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Because more than half of Guatemala’s population is indigenous, its hotel and ecolodge construction are able to reflect the strengths of native culture and practices. The use of both local materials for construction and organic farming is widespread. Many techniques, such as the local production of organic cotton, have been a part of traditional customs for much of history, although they sometimes aren’t officially organically certified.

Indigenous methodologies are still extensively used throughout many Mayan communities in Guatemala, and they continue to demonstrate the beneficial balance between nature and the local peoples. Fransisco Sandoval, manager of Uxlabil Atitlan in the Mayan village of San Juan La Laguna near Lake Atitlan, understands the importance of local building materials to the overall experience of this ecolodge. (Continued on next page)

GUATEMALAN NATIONAL ECOTOURSIM ALIANZA VERDE provides information on ecotourism destinations within Guatemala and administers the Green Deal certification program. www.alianzaverde.org The MESOAMERICAN ECOTOURISM ALLIANCE is committed to the development of sustainable tourism as a means for supporting conservation efforts throughout Mesoamerica, including Guatemala. www.travelwithmea.org MUNDO MAYA ORGANIZATION works regionally on cultural and environmental development of the Mayan world region. www.mundomayaorganizacion.org PUERTA MUNDO MAYA has helped establish an ecotourism route completely operated by Q’eqchi’ communities. www.puertamundomaya.com

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Uniting Conservation, Communities, and Sustainable Travel Guatemala Con’t (Continued from previous page) Using the centuries-old building techniques of the Tzutuhil Mayan, the hotel was constructed from excavated stone that displays carved images throughout the restaurant; the image designs emulate those of the local historical church. Modern influences and technologies such as solar energy are also being applied to hotel and ecolodge construction in Guatemala. Hildegard Valle, manager of San Gregorio Wellness Retreat south of Guatemala City, explains that although San Gregorio is not defined as an ecolodge, this four-star boutique hotel and spa is taking special measures to implement sustainable principles. They plan to use solar energy as the primary resource for heating all the hotel’s water, while the restaurant will serve local organic produce. Guatemala, with its living Mayan culture, impressive archeological and architectural sites, traditional organic farming techniques, and present-day use of sustainable construction materials, is one of today’s hotspots on the Mesoamerican eco-circuit. Melissa Leggett, former TIES Intern, is a recent graduate of the University of California, Irvine, where she earned her B.A. in International Studies. She currently resides in Berkeley, California, and will be traveling to New Zealand in 2007.

Native Landscaping Con’t (Continued from page 4) and long-term, larger-scale reforestation projects. Restoration could also involve the construction of bird blinds and nesting boxes, or recording the number of species present over time. Some of these initiatives can give visitors opportunities to get involved and to make a personal contribution to landscape restoration.

Author Michael Bocking revegetating lake edge

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The key to successful landscape naturalization at ecotourism destinations is a collective vision of conservation, in which the local, natural environment is valued and seen as the model for landscape restoration. It’s based on an understanding of how natural systems function, a respect for indigenous culture, and a desire to create landscapes that are ultimately self-sustaining. Moreover, it’s what ecotourists come to see.

Michael Bocking is a landscape architect who specializes in ecologically based planning and design. His experience includes work in parks, as well as in private natural areas. His travels have taken him to ecotourist facilities in Central America, the Caribbean, Australia, and New Zealand. Michael and his wife, Evelyn, live on their 135-acre nature sanctuary outside Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Uniting Conservation, Communities, and Sustainable Travel Agroecotourism con’t (Continued from page 7) increased interpretation. They reduce or eliminate the use of toxic agrochemicals and soil erosion, and also highlight local community knowledge of food production and traditional landscape management. What is Permaculture? The term permaculture, coined by Bill Mollison (renowned Australian ecologist) in 1978, combines permanent agriculture and permanent culture. Patterns found in naturally occurring environments are studied to both dictate and enhance system synergy. Food production is the primary focus of the design of these ecological landscapes and combines multi-use plants, cultural practices, animal assistance for nutrient recycling and weed control, energy-efficient buildings, wastewater treatment, recycling, and land stewardship.1 The philosophical studies that support organic permaculture practices have evolved to incorporate co-housing projects, eco-villages, sustainable tourism products, and on-site trainings. This allows cross over from rural to urban and from family farms to whole villages. Permaculture incorporates designing and living in regenerative systems where visitors are encouraged to integrate these principles and techniques into their home communities. Agroecotourism and permaculture products that benefit local residents, the environment, and visitors include greenbuildings; landscape planning; consumption and sale of organic foodstuff; educational programs and training including organic gardening, compost making, wild herbs collection, and traditional food and beverage processing, and renewable energies. Successful agroecotourism ventures also involve extensive environmental and cultural interpretation with activities ranging from day classes to full-scale, accredited courses of study. An internationally recognized Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) is available to homeowners, tourism operators, landscape architects, teachers, and trainers. Off-site permaculture activities often include visiting private farms, protected areas, industrial farms (for comparison lessons), and local communities. Ecoagriculture sites that incorporate agroecotourism operations provide tourists the opportunity to witness examples of permaculture design, organic agroforestry research, and the application of appropriate traditional and innovative tools, skills, and practices for ecological management. Many permaculture sites are surrounded by primary and secondary forests that were affected by deforestation, conventional farming practices, and livestock production. Agroforestry is commonly used as an applied development approach to agriculture within permaculture practices. Successful agroecotourism products build

strong global connections between permaculture sites, ecotourism operators, travel agents, educational institutions, and domestic and international tourists. Agroecotourism is a diversified market approach that operates within sustainable ecoagricultural systems and addresses the environmental, sociocultural, and economic complexities facing local communities by utilizing ecotourism principles, community-based initiatives and sustainable ecosystem management. Agroecotourism offers essential components to maintaining rural life and a human connection to food production. It is thus becoming an increasingly popular tourism and educational option, as well as a vehicle to support ecoagricultural systems. A diversified system, albeit ecological, agricultural, economical, or social, is a stable system. 1 Diver, Steve. Revised August 2002. United States of America. Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA). http://attra.ncat.org/ attra-pub/perma.html#defined

Christina Cavaliere is TIES Director of Training and Education. She’s spent several years analyzing the interface of tropical ecology and sustainable development in various equatorial regions. This article is based on excerpts from her postgraduate research on tropical ecoagriculture and agroecotourism. Christina earned her Permaculture Design Certificate in Costa Rica. For more information on the themes discussed, please contact [email protected].

Everyday Ecotourism Con’t (Continued from page 5) culturally and ecologically rich Kandalama region of Sri Lanka, earned LEED certification as part of its overall commitment to environmentally friendly practices and superior guest accommodations. The ecotourism industry has grown exponentially in the last few years, but eco-conscious traveling can — and should — be an everyday occurrence. The US Green Building Council (USGBC) is working to educate the public and the industry about the benefits of greenbuilding and is giving them the tools to make it a reality. From business travelers to family road-trippers, customers are increasingly aware of the impact that buildings have on our health and on our planet. They’re seeking hotels that are filled with natural light and fresh air, that conserve resources, and that don’t pollute our environment. With the LEED rating system, hotel owners and operators can respond to this demand and help create a healthy and sustainable future for us all. 1

Hotel and Motel Management, www.hotelmotel.com/hotelmotel/ article/articleDetail.jsp?id=337417 2 UMUC, http://www.umuc.edu/events/press/news222.html

Jessie Sackett manages communications for the USGBC. For more information on USGBC, please go to www.usgbc.org.

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Uniting Conservation, Communities, and Sustainable Travel

Future EcoCurrents Topics The next edition of EcoCurrents will focus on Cultural Heritage + Handicrafts: Products + Services. We encourage members to submit articles on the role of ecotourism within these topics, particularly community development and cultural interpretation. Please submit letters and future articles to [email protected] by December 1, 2006 for potential inclusion in 4th Quarter 2006 EcoCurrents.

Photo Credits: Clockwise from top left on each page

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Page 1: Photos courtesy of Hitesh Mehta. Page 3: Photo courtesy of Hitesh Mehta. Page 4: Photo credit - Evelyn Samuel. Page 5: Photo courtesy of US Green Building Council; Photo credit: Mario Seneviratne. Page 6: Photo courtesy of Hitesh Mehta. Page 7: Article photo credits - Christina Cavaliere. Page 8: Article photo credits - Katie Maschman. Page 9: Ad photo credit - Katrina Shum; Article photo credit - Evelyn Samuel. Page 11: Photo credit - Katrina Shum.

Uniting Conservation, Communities, and Sustainable Travel TIES SPONSOR MEMBERS Adventure Life Journeys • Alaska Wildland Adventures • Amazonia Expeditions • Aventuras Naturales - Pacuare Lodge • Canadian Mountain Holidays Inc. (C.M.H.) • Center for Environmental Leadership in Business (at Conservation International) • Crossing Latitudes, Inc • ecoAfrica Travel • Ecoventura/Galapagos Network • El Pescador Resorts • Finca Rosa Blanca Country Inn • Green Hotels of Costa Rica • Holbrook Travel • Horizontes Nature Tours • InkaNatura Travel • International Expeditions, Inc • INTRAV / Clipper Cruise Lines • Intrepid Travel Pty Ltd • Jungle Bay Resort and Spa • Lapa Rios Ecolodge • Legitify • Lindblad Expeditions • Maho Bay Camps, Inc. • Micato Safaris • NatureAir • Nomadic Journeys Ltd • OARS (Outdoor Adventure River Specialists) • Rainforest Expeditions (Posada Amazonas/Tambopata) • Rhino Walking Safaris • Rivers Fiji • Solimar Marketing & Travel • Tiamo Resorts • Trans Niugini Tours • Wilderness Travel • Wildland Adventures TIES NATIONAL & REGIONAL ASSOCIATION MEMBERS Alaska Wilderness Recreation & Tourism Association • AMTAVE (Mexican Association of Adventure Tourism & Ecotourism) • Armenian Ecotourism Association • Asociación Ecoturismo Guatemala • Asociación Ecuatoriana de Ecoturismo - ASEC • Brazilian Society for The Environment • Camara Nacional de Ecoturismo de Costa Rica (CANAECO) • Central Balkan Kalofer Ecotourism Association • Discover Nepal • EcoBrasil - Associacao Brasileira de Ecoturismo • Eco-Nigeria – Ecotourism Society of Nigeria • Ecotourism Australia • Ecotourism Kenya • Ecotourism Laos - Mekkong Tourism Development Project • Ecotourism Norway • Ecotourism Society of Sri Lanka (ESSL) • Ecotourism Society Pakistan • Ecotourism Society Philippines Foundation • Ecotourism Society of Saskatchewan • Ecoturismo Italia • Estonian Ecotourism Association (ESTECAS) • Fiji Ecotourism Association • French Ecotourism Society • Grand Bahama Island Ecotourism Association • Green Tourism Association • Hawaii Ecotourism Association • Indonesian Ecotourism Network (INDECON Foundation) • Iriomote Island Ecotourism Association • Japan Ecolodge Association (ECOLA) • Japan Ecotourism Society (JES) • Kunigami Toruism Association (KUTA) • La Ruta de Sonora Ecotourism Association • Mesoamerican Ecotourism Alliance (MEA) • Mongolian Ecotourism Society • Murghab Ecotourism Association (META) • Sri Lanka Ecotourism Foundation (SLEF) • Sustainable West Virginia • Swedish Ecotourism Society • Taiwán Ecotourism Association • Thai Ecotourism & Adventure Travel Association (TEATA) • The Ontario Ecotourism Society (TOES) • Toledo Eco Tourism Association • Virginia EcoTourism Association TIES BOARD Heba Aziz, Ministry of Tourism, Oman • Tracy Berno, University of the South Pacific, Fiji • Rajiv Bhartari, Indian Forest Service & Corbett Tiger Reserve, India • Sylvie Blangy (Development Chair), TUKTU Ecotourism Consultants, France • Kelly Bricker (Board Chair) , WILD-U, Fiji & USA • Tony Charters (Vice Chair), Tony Charters & Associates, Australia • Richard Denman (Secretary), The Tourism Company, United Kingdom • Andrew Fairley (Treasurer), Turtle Island, Fiji & Australia • Kamelia Georgieva, Human Research Center, Bulgaria • Nandita Jain, Independent Consultant, India & USA • Glenn Jampol, Finca Rosa Blanca Country Inn, Costa Rica • Karen Lewis, Lapa Rios Ecolodge, Costa Rica & USA • Clare Mcfarlane, Aries Tours, Australia • Hitesh Mehta, EDSA, USA • John Poutasse, Attorney, USA • Ravi Ruparel, The World Bank; Uganda • Chandra de Silva, Ranweli Holiday Village, Sri Lanka • Keith W. Sproule, Independent Consultant, USA • Masaru Takayama, Japan Ecolodge Association, Japan • Louise Twining-Ward, Tourism Resource Consultants, USA • Wolfgang Strasdas, University of Eberswalde, Germany • Jan Wigsten, Nomadic Journeys, Mongolia & Sweden • Carolyn Wild, WILD International, Canada TIES STAFF Courtney Baggett, Events Coordinator • Amos Bien, Director of International Programs • Christina Cavaliere, Director of Training andEducation • Alice Crabtree, Asia-Pacific Director and Research Associate on Certification • David Diedrich, Director of Finance and Administration • Ayako Ezaki, Asia-Pacific Coordinator • Martha Honey, Ph.D., Executive Director • Katie Maschman, Director of Membership and Communications

CONTACT TIES: 1333 H St NW, Suite 300E, Washington DC 20005, USA • Tel: +1(202)347-9203 • Fax: +1(202)789-7279 • www.ecotourism.org