Crow management on Cape Cod Seashore

National Parks Traveler reports on the dilemma Cape Cod National Seashore officials have with managing crows that are killing endangered piping plovers.

The crows like eating the plovers' eggs which are plentiful around the March through May nesting season. One-third of all plover eggs are eaten by crows. A solution was to place wire cages around the nests (picture above), but the intelligent black birds realized that if they landed fast and loud on the top of the cages, the plovers would run out in fright thus leaving their eggs unattended.

Poisoning the crows was a plan that had been thought up but became controversial.

While seashore officials go over their shorebird management plan and continue to invite public comments on how best to deal with crows and plovers, shorebird management activities will continue as in previous years with the use of enclosures to protect nesting plovers from predators. In addition, the seashore will implement a flexible shorebird management approach this summer on several high visitation beaches.

Read the full story: Cape Cod National Seashore officials revisit plan to kill crows to help piping plovers

Photo from Sidney Maddock / NPS

Now rent-a-bike at Grand Canyon NP

USA Today reports on the new bicycle rental program at the Grand Canyon.

Visitors can rent bikes at the visitor center starting May 1 from 8am to 6pm. This will continue through fall.

Bikes can be ridden through the South Rim which is bicycle-friendly according to the Park Superintendent Steve Martin.

Read the full story: Grand Canyon National Park offers bikes for rent

Photo from Tree Hugger / Ride the Spine

Climate change studies on volcano ash plane ban

Reuters reports that the recent European flying ban due to the Icelandic erupting volcano ash could help scientists understand the link between flight emissions and climate change.

The climate effects of jet fuel burned at high altitude are poorly understood, partly because scientists cannot often compare plane-free skies with days when many regions are criss-crossed by white vapor trails.

Scientists will pore over European temperature records, satellite images and other data from days when flights were grounded by ash -- trying to isolate any effect of a lack of planes from the sun-dimming effect of Iceland's volcanic cloud.

"The presence of volcanic ash makes this event much more challenging to analyze," said David Travis, of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, who found that an absence of vapor trails influenced U.S. temperatures after the September 11 attacks.

Read the full story: Like Sept. 11, volcano plane ban may hold climate clue

Photo from Emory Kristof / National Geographic

Massachusetts tourism promotes green

Terra Curve reports the new green tourism promotion in Massachusetts.

MA Green is a new program from the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism created to encourage sustainable hospitality practices in the state.

Launched in early 2010, the site aims to help prospective visitors find information on green-certified hotels in Massachusetts; utilizing certification programs like the Green Key Eco-Rating Program.

MA GREEN is comes equipped with a dual mission: First, serve the industry by providing resources and guidance to help travel businesses adopt environmentally sound practices; second, provide information to consumers seeking to stay at green hotels in their travels to the Bay State.

Read the full story: Promoting green travel online: MA gets it right

Illustration from MA Green

Mt Everest "death zone" bodies and trash to be removed by Sherpas

USA Today reports that a team of Sherpa mountain climbers will retrieve bodies and trash from Mount Everest's "death zone."

The team of 20 Sherpas wants to bring down at least five bodies from the trail in the "death zone" - the low oxygen area between the summit (29,029 ft) and South Col (26,240). This area is "treacherous" and around 300 climbers have died there since 1953 says the team leader. They declined to identify the bodies.

The group - all whom have summited the famous mountain - will depart May 1 and set up camp at the South Col.

They also plan to bring empty sacks and fill them with 6,600 pounds of trash - old tents, discarded oxygen canisters, food wrappings, etc. - that have accumulated on the popular mountain throughout the decades.

Garbage discarded on the mountain was a major environmental problem until the Nepalese government imposed strict rules about 15 years ago requiring visitors to return all of their gear and rubbish or risk losing a deposit.

It is unclear how much trash is left on the mountain, but several clean-up expeditions have brought down tons of garbage.

Read the full story: Sherpa team plans to clean Mt Everest's 'death zone'

Photo by Suolang Luobu / AP

Indiana Dunes local tourist boost

USA Today reports on the boost in tourism at the Indiana Dunes because more locals have opted to do "staycations."

Staycations, where you stay at home to vacation, became popular during the 2009 recession as a way to save money but still have the mentality of being on vacation.

Indiana Dunes is crediting a wave of "staycations" and improvements to the park for a record number of visitors in 2009.

A total of 1.1 million people visited the park last year, marking a 64% increase over 2005. That, in turn, boosted revenue by more than $1 million.

Read the full story: Staycations boost Indiana Dunes visitor numbers

Photo from hovercraftsales.com

How green is that "green" hotel

San Jose Mercury News questions how green so-called "green" hotels are.

Ironically an environmental studies professor at last December's Copenhagen climate conference was trying to reuse his towels at his hotel only to get new towels every day.

It's a conundrum that many travelers face nowadays: They arrive in a hotel that boasts about its environmental credentials, only to see little evidence of them during their stay. When torn between offering conservation benefits and what they consider good service, hotels usually jettison conservation.

Read the full story: 'Green' hotels dilemma: conservation vs. service

Photo from AP Photo / Eric Risberg

Meet Hitesh Mehta: ecotourism pioneer

Peter Greenberg Worldwide interviews Hitesh Mehta (pic left), an eco-tourism pioneer:

"Fifteen years ago, I felt strongly that I needed to take all my interests—architecture, landscape architecture and conservation—and combine them into one. I noticed the striking disconnect between architecture and the landscape on which the safari lodges were built: ugly, modern buildings that were anything but timeless.

In 1995, I wrote what is considered the first research paper on ecolodges in the world. I decided that my calling was to go deeper than simply helping to control the aesthetic features of my residential house projects. As such, my focus in landscape architecture moved to pristine and fragile natural areas where tourism was uncontrolled, and had large social and environmental impacts and required a new planning paradigm to protect the sanctity of those places."

Read the full story: An interview with an eco-tourism pioneer

Photo from Peter Greenberg Worldwide

Rare condor chick hatches in CA NP

National Parks Traveler reports on the first condor chick in over a century to hatch in California's Pinnacles National Monument.

Condors were put on the federal endangered species list in 1967, captive breeding programs began in the 80s to ward off complete extinction and reintroduction to Southern California began in the 90s.

The parents of this newly hatched chick were released into the wild and were seen doing courtship rituals last winter.

National Park Service Wildlife Biologist Daniel George reports that the first-time parent condors have been exhibiting normal behavior, regularly feeding and incubating the new nestling. He notes, "The milestone highlights regional efforts to bring the condor back from the brink of extinction."

The park has some tips for anyone interested in coming to view the birds:

Although the areas directly around the nest cliff will be closed to public use for the duration of the nesting period, public viewing is still possible. The strenuous hike to the viewing area is approximately two miles from the closest East or West Side parking areas. From the west, the elevation gain is approximately 1100 feet, and from the east it is over 1200 feet. Please ask in park Visitor Centers for more complete directions to the viewing area.

Read the full story: Condor chick is first to hatch in over a century at Pinnacles National Monument

Photo from NPS

Tourist mosquitoes threaten Galapagos animals

Buenos Aires Herald reports that stowaway mosquitoes are threatening the once isolated wildlife on the Galapagos Islands.

The invasive insects are believed to be transported by planes and tourist boats, ferried to the island by the increasing number of tourists.

Experts fear the spread of the southern house mosquito, or Culex quinquefasciatus, could have the same devastating effect in the Galapagos as in Hawaii during the late 19th century, when disease wiped out many indigenous birds.

The government of Ecuador recently introduced a requirement for insecticide spraying on aircraft flying to the Galapagos, but the scientists said the scheme's effectiveness was not being monitored and the rules did not apply to cargo ships.

Mosquitoes are the latest in a string of invaders - including rats, wild pigs, flies and invasive plants - that have colonized the Pacific islands, located about 600 miles off South America's coast along the equator.

Read the full story: Stowaway mosquitoes threaten Galapagos wildlife

Photo from BA Herald

Climb Himalayas in Indian Kashmir

USA Today reports that foreigners are now allowed to climb the Himalayas from the India side of Kashmir because violence from insurgents has declined.

Before the start of the insurgency by separatists in 1989, hundreds of thousands of tourists flocked to the region — known as the Switzerland of the east — to enjoy the glacier-fed streams flowing through the forests and grasslands or lounge on houseboats floating on Srinagar's Dal Lake.

The government in the Indian state of Jammu-Kashmir declared 2010 a "visit Kashmir year" following an improvement in the security situation, said [Farooq Ahmed Shah, a state tourism official].

"The decision has been taken at the highest level and nearly 100 peaks in Ladakh region are open for trekking and mountaineering," he said.

These peaks are situated at an altitude ranging from 9,840 feet (3,000 meters) to nearly 26,246 feet (8,000 meters).

Read the full story: India opens Himalayan peaks to foreigners

Photo from environmentandpeople.org

Earth Day = green travel

Smarter Travel reports on green travel for Earth Day.

Tips to be greener include:

• use less paper napkins
• walk instead of drive
• reuse hotel towels
• use reusable water bottles
• visit a farmer's market
• take shorter showers
• stay in an eco-friendly hotel

This month, resorts are offering a variety of eco-programs and deals. Opt for Santa Fe's Eldorado Hotel & Spa and save 15 percent with a "go green save your green" deal. The San Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort offers free eco-education activities until April 24. (Dolphin Monday, anyone?) In California, Loews Coronado Bay Resort invites families to explore a state beach with an environmental educator and then help with a beach cleanup. The Hyatt Regency Monterey lets you buy a tree sapling with proceeds to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Or book in April with Planeterra and receive a 10 percent discount on all volunteer travel.

Read the full story: Traveling green on Earth Day

Photo from hotelplanner.com

Celebrate Earth Day in FL Bay and Everglades

National Parks Traveler recommends celebrating Earth Day in Florida's Bay or Everglades National Park.

A private fund called Florida Bay Stewardship has been set up to help benefit the bay and Earth Day (April 22) will kick off the celebrations.

Events include boat and kayak tours of the bay, an Eco-Mariner course, and free cake.

Read the full story: Celebrate Earth Day in Florida Bay and Everglades NP

Photo by NPS

Two glaciers gone in Montana NP

USA Today reports that two glaciers are gone from Glacier National Park.

Warmer temperatures have reduced the number of named glaciers in the northwestern Montana park to 25, said Dan Fagre, an ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. He warned the rest of the glaciers may be gone by the end of the decade.

The park's glaciers have been slowly melting since about 1850, when the centuries-long Little Ice Age ended. They once numbered as many as 150, and 37 of those glaciers eventually were named.

A glacier needs to be 25 acres to qualify for the title.

Read the full story: Glacier National Park loses two more glaciers

Photo from National Parks Service / AP

Endangered coastal spots to see

Coastal Living via CNN reports on nine environmentally-sensitive coastal tourist spots that could disappear in the near future. Among the sites are:

INSIDE PASSAGE, British Columbia: Much of the storied Inside Passage route between Washington and Alaska looks as it has for centuries. Unfortunately, visiting cruise ships trail a hazardous mess in their wake. On a typical week long journey, passengers produce sewage, gray water, and many tons of trash.

EVERGLADES, Florida (picture above): The Everglades is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States, with 1.5 million acres of marshes, estuaries, and prairies, and shady stretches of pine, cypress, and mahogany. Decades ago, the Everglades' freshwater flow was altered to accommodate agriculture, growing cities, and safety concerns. The dams and diversions starved and polluted the delicate ecosystems and the species that relied on them.

ROATAN, Honduras: Divers and snorkelers rave about the majesty of Roatán's biodiverse waters and coral reef system. [Warming oceans], Coastal development, illegal fishing, and reckless divers have taken a toll [on the delicate reefs].

Read the full story: 9 coastal wonders to see now

Photo from National Parks Service

Trekking up crowded Mount Sinai

The Miami Herald reports on the crowded trek up Mount Sinai.

In the bible this is the mountain that Moses climbed and received the 10 Commandments. Now it is an overrun tourist spectacle.

Reporter Charmaine Noronha recounts her trip:

I would retrace Moses' footsteps on a hike to witness the sunrise from the summit. If Moses could do it, why couldn't I?

We followed in step with our guide as he led us through the darkness, up the winding trail, over granite crags and slippery rocks. I'm not religious, but the irony of the moment hit me: I'd literally put all my faith in this man I'd just met.

For others on the hike, the expedition had deep religious significance. The Bible says this is where God gave Moses two stone tablets inscribed with the commandments. Moses received these laws after leading the Jews out of slavery in Egypt, a story that is retold during the Jewish holiday of Passover. But Sinai is an important site for Jews, Christians and Muslims alike, and every night, hundreds of pilgrims make the climb.

Read the full story: Climb to the top of Mount Sinai

Photo from Bible Probe

Iceland volcano eruption brings tourists

CNN reports on Iceland's newest tourist attraction - an erupting volcano.

Last active in 1821, the Eyjafjallajokull volcano came out of dormancy in late-March and tourists have been paying high prices to see the sight.

For less than $400 a person, tours depart from the capital, Reykjavik, toward the southern part of Iceland. Part of the roughly 100-mile trip includes a drive on the Myrdalsjokull glacier. Finally, at nearly 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) above sea level, the fire from the volcano comes into view.

"It's amazing to see the volcano because of the season," says Vidir Reynisson, Iceland's Civil Protection Services Department Manager. "There's a lot of snow, and it's quite spectacular to see the contrast" with the burning lava.

Reynisson says there's no immediate threat to onlookers, and nearby residents who were evacuated last month because of flooding concerns have returned to their homes.

Read the full story: Erupting volcano boosts tourism in Iceland

Photo from AFP / Getty Images

See Pearl Jam plant trees

Mother Nature Network reports that band Pearl Jam will offset their carbon output from last year's tour by planting trees.

Pearl Jam has announced a donation of $210,000 to the Cascade Land Conservancy (CLC), a Seattle-based organization that works to conserve natural areas and restore neighborhood trails and parks. The donation will offset the carbon emissions from the band's 2009 tour and lead to the planting of 33-acres of native trees and plants around Puget Sound.

According to calculations from the CLC, the band's 32-date tour produced 5,474 metric tons of CO2.

Read the full story: Pearl Jam offsets 2009 tour with tree-planting initiative

Photo from Handout / Getty Images

Oil drilling could hurt East Coast tourism

The Associated Press reports on the mostly negative reaction from residents, environmentalists, and tourism industry to President Obama's decision to drill for oil along the East Coast.

From the Delaware shore to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Atlantic coast beaches are a destination for many Northeast visitors. The vision of oil platforms, even beyond the horizon, did not sit well with tourism officials.

In South Carolina, tourism is an $18.4 billion business, with Myrtle Beach a big part of it.

"We don't believe placing oil rigs off the coast of South Carolina would be beneficial to the state and the best case scenario for oil royalties would not be close to the tax stream generated by coastal tourism," said Brad Dean, president of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.

Read the full story: Reaction mixed to idea of East Coast drilling

Photo from AP