ecotravel news

Goodbye

2010-09-02T09:12:00.002-04:00

Ecotravel News has been published for three years and now has come to a close. Thanks to those who found the site and enjoyed the stories.

Image from Free Images Live . com

Happy third anniversary to us

2010-08-05T11:18:00.010-04:00

We missed our second anniversary of publication last year because we were away on vacation and totally forgot... so this year we are celebrating early.

Image from David Gardener

Idaho Seven Devils mts, little known gem

2010-08-04T09:28:00.008-04:00

Idaho Statesman reports on Idaho's hidden gem of the Seven Devils mountains.

Many people don't know this majestic mountain range is [just off the US-95 near Riggins], or don't take the trouble to find it because Seven Devils is farther off the beaten path than the Sawtooths.

But if you love Idaho's scenic backcountry, it's a place you should visit at least once. If you're the adventurous type, it's someplace you can explore for years and still find new surprises.

"This is an absolutely fascinating place," said fire lookout Michael Oliver, whose tower has some of the best views in Idaho.

Oliver gets visits from folks ranging from locals to European tourists, from hardcore hikers and horsepackers who delve deep into the backcountry to families taking a scenic drive.

Read the full story: Seven Devils: these rugged mountains area little slice of heaven

Photo from Idaho Statesman

NW Indian Canoe Journey

2010-08-03T08:52:00.008-04:00

Indian Country Today reports on the American Indian Canoe Journey celebrating northwest native culture in the Pacific Northwest.

While the Canoe Journey [this was the 21st annual] initially involved canoe cultures from the Salish Sea, its sphere of influence continues to grow. Joining Northwest Coast canoe families were Ainu from Japan, Inuit from Alaska and Greenland, and Maori from New Zealand.

The Canoe Journey is also a major tourism draw in the host nations and surrounding communities. Elwha Klallam, the second to last stop on the Peninsula before Makah, served 4,000 people – canoe pullers, families and visitors – at breakfast and dinner for two days. It was quite a feat of coordination.

Read the full story: Canoe Journey builds bridges between cultures

Photo by Molly Neely-Walker

Is diversionary feeding of wild bears helpful or not

2010-08-02T16:00:00.008-04:00

Discovery News' Larry O'Hanlon questions whether diversionary feeding of wild bears is good or bad.

All home break-ins, tent raids and many other bear incidents are by bears who are suffering from forests damaged by fires, drought or other factors that have reduced their food supply, said Montana bear biologist Lynn Rogers of the Wildlife Research Institute in Minnesota. This intensifies when bears enter their "hyperphagic," heavy eating stage in the fall, before hibernation.

"It's food that they are after," explains U.S. Geological Survey biologist Chuck Schwartz, who is the leader of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team. He said the same applies to all bears, from grizzlies to black bears.

"These bears are in this state when they need this food to make it through the winter."

So why not scatter leftover orchard fruit in the woods for bears to forage on? Well for one thing, such "diversionary feeding" can be against the law. That was the case at Lake Tahoe, Calif., where the Bear League tried it a few years ago and claim they saw an immediate halt to bear break-ins.

Read the full story: Should we feed wild bears?

Photo from iStock via Discovery News

Be "bear aware" when visiting Glacier NP

2010-07-30T13:33:00.004-04:00

National Parks Traveler reports that Glacier National Park officials are telling visitors to be more aware of bears.

Two bear cubs were hit and killed by vehicles and several campers and hikers have encountered bears this year.

One [of the bear cubs] was killed by a driver who immediately reported the incident. The other was found dead and had suffered injuries consist with being hit by a vehicle. Drivers are reminded to obey the park speed limits and drive with due regard for bears and other wildlife that may be on or near the roads.

Hikers and backpackers are particularly at risk of encountering bears under potentially dangerous circumstances. To minimize the risk of injury or death (and lethal consequences for the problem bears involved), all trail users are urged to heed the rules and guidelines pertaining to hiking and camping in bear country.

Read the full story: Glacier National Park Officials urge visitors to be "bear aware"

Photo from National Parks Service

Sleep among the trees in Sweden's newest novelty hotel

2010-07-29T08:42:00.004-04:00

Financial Times reports on the new hotel in Sweden where guests sleep among the trees.

Located in Harads in northern Swedish Lapland, the Treehotel has uniquely designed rooms like a mirror cube (picture) that are placed among treetops in the forested location. The design elements are meant to assimilate with nature as much as possible. According to the architects special features like infrared coating on the cube room's mirror prevent birds from hitting it.

In providing novelty in a natural environment, the Treehotel is a successor to the wildly successful Icehotel, built from snow and ice every winter 160 miles north of [Treehotel's location] near Kiruna. It is also part of the “landscape hotel” trend – stylishly designed luxury hotels placed in the middle of nowhere, not so much for their proximity to hiking or other outdoor activities as for the views from their (usually) floor-to-ceiling windows.

Read the full story: A luxury hotel in Sweden's treetops

Photo from Treehotel

Half of China's water polluted and undrinkable: study

2010-07-28T09:28:00.007-04:00

Reuters via Environmental News Network reports on China's polluted water supplies where more than half is undrinkable and one quarter unsuitable for industrial use.

Inspectors from China's Ministry of Environmental Protection tested water samples from the country's major rivers and lakes in the first half of the year and declared just 49.3 percent to be safe for drinking, up from 48 percent last year, the ministry said in a notice posted on its website (www.mep.gov.cn).

Despite tougher regulations over the last decade, the ministry has struggled to rein in the thousands of small paper mills, cement factories and chemical plants discharging industrial waste directly into the country's waterways, and the overuse of fertilizers has also left large sections of China's lakes and rivers choking with algae.

Read the full story: Pollution makes quarter of China water unusable

Photo from My Health Beijing

Moscow blanketed with thick smog

2010-07-27T07:56:00.008-04:00

ITN reports that Moscow is enveloped in thick smog due to fires, high heat and pervasive air pollution.

The Ministry for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters said 21 fires across 42 acres were burning in the region.

As a result, the Russian capital has been shrouded in a fog, causing breathing difficulties for many residents.

In Moscow's outskirts, crops have been destroyed by the fires, causing huge financial losses to farmers. Wildlife has also been affected.

Read the full story: Moscow shrouded by smog due to forest fires

Photo from ITN

View record salmon at WA state dam

2010-07-26T11:04:00.006-04:00

The Wenatchee World via USA Today reports on the record number of sockeye salmon now making their way through Washington State's Rocky Reach Dam to their Canadian spawning grounds.

This year at Rocky Reach, the numbers of returning adult sockeye have surged past 271,000, said Steve Hemstrom, Chelan County PUD senior fisheries biologist. More than 247,000 of those swam through the dam's viewing windows in the last 22 days. The peak run for one 24-hour period occurred July 5 when 23,705 sockeye were counted. That's an average of about 1,000 per hour.

Many of the returning sockeye, now fighting their way up the Columbia River, will likely make a left turn at the Okanogan River and swim north to spawn in Lake Osoyoos, Hemstrom said. Curious observers at a high vantage point — say, the Okanogan River bridge in Omak — could likely see hundreds, maybe thousands of these fish making their way to Canadian home waters, he added.

Read the full story: Record number of sockeye salmon on view at Washington dam

Photo from Don Seabrook / The Wenatchee World / AP

Global eco-friendly beaches

2010-07-23T08:55:00.005-04:00

Mother Nature Network has a slide show of eight eco-friendly beaches around the world.

Among the beaches are:

Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays Island, Australia (picture): won the award for "Cleanest beach in Queensland."

Koh Libong, Trang Province, Thailand

Las Islas Cies, Galicia, Spain

See the slide show: 8 of the greatest eco-friendly beaches in the world

Photo from Tourism Whitsundays

Caught on video: provoked bison injures tourists

2010-07-22T15:59:00.002-04:00

CNN via National Parks Traveler reports on the Yellowstone bison who charged at two tourists that got too close while taking video.

The video also shows someone off camera throwing a stick at the animal which has many speculating that this could have provoked the bison to charge.

Watch the video below:

See the full story: Bison that charged Yellowstone NP visitors was provoked

Mt Rainier trail washed out by 2006 flooding to open again

2010-07-21T07:54:00.003-04:00

The Seattle Times reports that the popular trail around Mt Rainier washed out by at 2006 flood has been rerouted and will be open for hikers.

This week, park officials hope to open the lower, mile-long section of the new Glacier Basin trail, improved and rerouted.

Much of the original Glacier Basin trail, once a straightforward dirt path, was wiped out by about 18 inches of rain that poured down in 36 hours and raged through the White River Valley in November 2006.

The Inter Fork River overtook the trail, where it still flows. For the past four years, hikers and mountaineers have been forced to the river's side, where they scramble up loose rock fields or precariously hop from stone to log to cross the river.

While the first 5,000 feet of trail was expected to open this week, work has just begun on the next 1,500-foot section — which is slated to be ready for hikers early next spring.

Read the full story: Popular Mount Rainier National Park trail is restored, rerouted

Photo from Greg Gilbert / The Seattle Times

10 Gulf oil spill animals could go extinct

2010-07-20T09:08:00.006-04:00

Mother Nature Network has a slide show of 10 animals they say are "at risk for extinction" from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

For a handful of species, however, the spill may be the final nail in the coffin. The situation is so dire that one major online gambling site has begun allowing bets on which Gulf animals are most likely to be declared extinct first.

Among the list are:

- Great Lakes Piping Plover (picture): their foraging areas are coastlines that washed up oil now covers.

- Smalltooth and Largetooth Sawfish: while the largetooth "may already be extinct in the region," the smalltooth nursery areas are in the oil spill's path.

- Manatees: the oil is spilling into these endangered animals' summer habitat off Florida which could prompt a "massive" rescue and removal effort.

Read the full story: 10 animals at risk of extinction from Gulf oil spill

Photo from Steven Senne / AP

Rare Sri Lanka primate caught on camera

2010-07-19T08:45:00.005-04:00

Agence France-Press reports on the sighting and photograph of an extremely rare and thought-to-be extinct Sri Lankan primate.

The nocturnal loris, a 6 inch primate with small ears and large eyes, was last sighted on the island-nation in 2002 and scientists thought it had since died out. Its interior Sri Lanka jungle habitat is being razed in favor of tea plantations. This has created divisions of the shy mammals territory making it difficult for them to seek out mates and breed.

[Field] researchers, working with the Zoological Society of London, managed to track down the mysterious creature in the forests of central Sri Lanka.

In a world first, they were able to take pictures of an adult male slender loris sitting on a tree branch.

The field team was able to capture one of the creatures and give it a physical examination, the first time that has ever been done, before releasing it back into the wild.

Read the full story: Wide-eyed primate caught on camera for first time

Photo from France 24

Swim with whale sharks in Baja, Mexico

2010-07-16T07:26:00.006-04:00

MSNBC reports on the adventure of swimming with whale sharks, "the world's largest fish," in the Mexico's Sea of Cortez.

Whale sharks grow up to 40 feet but have very small teeth and aren't predatory. That means they won't try to eat you. Gentle giants, they gather each fall at Bahia de Los Angeles — almost halfway down the Baja Peninsula on the Sea of Cortez — to filter-feed on microscopic organisms called plankton.

The Mexican government also seems concerned about whale sharks, marking off with buoys the part of Bahia de los Angeles where whale sharks congregate and enforcing rules for interacting with the animals. Chasing or herding sharks isn't allowed. No more than three people per boat may be in the water at any time. Touching sharks is prohibited.

Read the full story: Swim with the world's largest fish in Mexico

Photo from Baja Airventures Inc.

Hiking among Indonesia's volcanoes

2010-07-15T10:24:00.005-04:00

The New York Times' Edward Wong reports on his hiking trip among Java's volcanoes.

Flirting with the fury of a volcano may not sound like the usual tourist fare, but in recent years, these imperious volcanoes have become an increasingly popular draw that is away from the crowded resorts of Bali, which lies just east of Java. Last year, more than 93,000 people visited Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park, Indonesia’s most famous volcano preserve, up 78 percent from the previous year, according to the park’s main ranger station.

We were also pleased to see Mr. Wong refer to his faithful hiking partner Tini, finally, as his wife, previously she was always just referred to as his "friend."

Read the full story: In Java, risking the wrath of a volcano

Photo by Edward Wong / The New York Times

Russia expands conservation areas

2010-07-14T08:23:00.005-04:00

Environmental News Network reports that Russia will expand their wildlife protected areas 3 percent by 2020.

The new conservation space will be almost the size of the country of Switzerland.

The Russian government's decision establishes 9 new nature reserves and 13 national parks covering a total area of over 3.8 million [hectares] by 2020. Russia is also introducing marine buffer zones of over 1 million ha.

An existing 9 reserves and 1 national park will see their areas increased by 500 thousand ha.

The decision was based on an analysis of WWF in cooperation with The Nature Coservancy and MAVA Foundation, carried out between 2006-2008, and is aimed at fulfilling Russia's commitment under the Convention on Biodiversity to establish effective protected area systems that safeguard biodiversity.

Read the full story: Russia to create national parks and reserves nearly size of Switzerland

Photo from ENN

Gulf hotels offer oil-free or your money back

2010-07-13T09:04:00.007-04:00

USA Today reports that several Gulf Coast hotels are now offering oil-free beaches guarantees.

This is in the wake of the BP oil spill which is still currently spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico and affecting some beaches bordering the area.

"It's frustrating to get the word out that the beaches are fine," says Park Brady, CEO of ResortQuest International, one of the largest operators of vacation rental companies on the coast.

ResortQuest, which typically charges a 15% deposit and full payment shortly before arrival, is issuing full refunds if customers can't use the beach. "It eased a lot of fears," Brady says.

Read the full story: Gulf Coast hotels roll out oil-free beach guarantees

Photo by Michael Spooneybarger / AP

Georgia's eco-island where bats control mosquitoes

2010-07-12T09:50:00.006-04:00

Mother Nature Network's Destination of the Week is Little St. Simmons Island, Georgia.

This private island off-grid resort only allows 32 overnight guests.

As one of only two Green Globe 21 Benchmarked properties in the U.S., LSSI’s commitment to low-impact lodging exceeds standard leave-your-bath-towel-on-the-floor-if-you-want-it-laundered practices:

- Three of the guest houses, Tom House, Cedar House and River Lodge, feature geothermal HVAC systems.

- Rain barrels are a common site throughout the island.

- The recycling/composting program is comprehensive.

- You won’t find a single plastic water bottle on the entire island since guests are provided with their own Camelback reusable bottles.

- To keep a somewhat notorious bug population at bay, the island has instituted an eco-friendly, larvicide-based mosquito control program. However, if you’re skittish around bats take heed: There are bat houses in place to help keep the mosquito population in check.

Read the full story: Little St. Simmons Island, Georgia

Photo by Matt Hickman

Explore underwater paradise with the whole family

2010-07-09T11:41:00.006-04:00

The Star-Telegram reports on five global snorkeling spots where exploring the beauty of underwater paradise is a family-friendly affair.

Along with three places in the Caribbean, Alaska and Florida are also mentioned.

Ketchikan, Alaska. Zip on your head-to-toe wet suit and explore the colorful and diverse marine life in the chilly waters of southeastern Alaska. Local water temperatures reach 65 degrees in midsummer. Participants must weigh at least 90 pounds. Waters are calm; some tidal pools are shallow. Later, join a half-day boat tour from Ketchikan Outdoors and cruise to a remote island for a picnic among wildlife.

Read the full story: Seaside getaways

Photo from Getty Images / Thinkstock

Global search for temp panda handlers

2010-07-08T09:17:00.006-04:00

Agence France-Press reports on the Chinese panda center's search for six temporary panda handlers.

The Chengdu Giant Panda Research Base in the southwest of China says it will have a worldwide contest to pick six panda enthusiasts who will then help look after the black and white mammals for a month. The winners will get to blog their experiences and bring awareness to the pandas' plight.

Huang Xiangming, head of the animal management department at the base, says that when it first opened in 1987, the centre only had six pandas, rescued starving from the wild. It now counts 84 permanent residents.

He says panda keepers are especially needed at times of mating in spring and birthing, which starts during the summer. These rituals are vital, as the animals' notoriously low libido has frustrated efforts to boost their numbers.

Details on the search have not yet been released.

Read the full story: China launches global search for panda keepers

Photo from France 24

Solar plane takes off in Switzerland

2010-07-07T08:55:00.003-04:00

Agence France-Press reports on the historical solar plane flight that took off this morning in Switzerland.

Star Impulse (picture right) set off to fly on a 25 hour trip from Payerne, Switzerland. The ground crew will see if it can take in enough electrical charge during daylight hours to continue overnight.

The round-the-clock flight by the prototype built last year is the first major hurdle for the project since it started seven years ago, with the aim of flying around the world by 2013 or 2014.

The speed is only 22 miles per hour with a single pilot. This is much slower than a small aircraft like a Cessna that reaches over 100 mph.

Read the full story: Solar plane sets out on historic flight

Photo from France 24

Oil-affected sea turtles won't be "incinerated alive"; BP, enviro groups, US Coast Guard

2010-07-06T10:51:00.010-04:00

Reuters reports that an agreement between BP, environmental groups and the U.S. Coast Guard to burn off oil in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill won't burn sea turtles caught up in the oil.

Under the accord reached in talks on Thursday evening and Friday morning, the parties agreed to a plan allowing biologists or other trained wildlife observers to accompany oil-incineration vessels at sea to remove as many turtles as possible from designated areas before burning starts.

Private boat captains chartered for wildlife rescue missions in the Gulf said in affidavits filed with the lawsuit that young sea turtles tend to congregate among oil blobs floating in the water, apparently unable to distinguish between the oil and mats of seaweed that provide natural shelter on the surface of the Gulf.

The turtles are then presumably swept up and unable to escape when shrimp boats contracted for cleanup operations are used to drag fire-resistant booms to encircle the floating oil before it is set ablaze.

Read the full story: Deal struck to save turtles from Gulf oil burns

Photo from Tour de Turtles

More July 4th travelers than last year

2010-07-02T11:21:00.005-04:00

USA Today reports that more people than last year will be "hitting the road" this July Fourth holiday because of their bursting need to get away.

About 34.9 million will take a trip at least 50 miles from home, up 17.1% from 2009, and 90% of them will travel by car, AAA projects.

"Some Americans are feeling more confident about their personal financial situation compared to a year ago," says Troy Green, AAA's national spokesman. Also, he sees "pent-up demand," because many Americans stayed home last year, which had the least number of Fourth of July travelers this decade.

Read the full story: 'Pent-up demand' for travel erupts over July 4th holiday

Photo by Keith Srakocic / AP

The Global Conservation Award goes to... Emirates

2010-07-01T08:03:00.007-04:00

Terra Curve reports on the Global Conservation Award win by the Emirates Hotels & Resorts.

The Tourism for Tomorrow Awards are the World Travel & Tourism Council’s highest-profile global accolade, recognizing best practices in sustainable tourism development, conservation and biodiversity protection.

Within the Emirates Group, the Emirates Hotels & Resorts (EH&R) portfolio encompasses three major conservation projects spread across three continents: Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa in Dubai; Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa in Australia; and the forthcoming Cap Ternay Resort & Spa in the Seychelles.

Read the full story: Emirates wins big for conservation

Here's a look at the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve at the Al Maha along with other Dubai conservation efforts:

Name the baby gorillas in Rwanda

2010-06-29T12:08:00.006-04:00

Global Post reports on the sixth annual baby gorilla naming event in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park.

In a country home to roughly a third of the world’s 700 remaining mountain gorillas, the annual event, known as Kwita Izina, is a celebrity-laden affair designed to draw attention to global awareness of biodiversity and conservation.

Names for the 14 infant gorillas included "Kinyarwanda-language monikers such as "Igihembo" (Prize), "Ubuhamya" (Testimony) and "Umurage" (Legacy) and "Waka Waka," meaning "Do It" in Cameroon’s Fang language."

Read the full story: Rwanda where there are baby gorillas to name

Photo by Jon Rosen / GlobalPost

Oil spill exhibit at Iowa aquarium

2010-06-28T11:10:00.004-04:00

USA Today reports on the Iowa aquarium exhibiting Gulf of Mexico oil spill consequences.

The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa was set to display Gulf of Mexico highlights, but decided to change the exhibit after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster; which continues to affect the area.

The main tank — the size of a school bus — will contain water and artificial coral, its sides adorned with window stickers that look like oil.

"It will look like the oil is sinking down and about to cover the coral, which will kill the coral," said Jerry Enzler, the museum's executive director.

Anywhere from 67 million to 127 million gallons of oil have spilled since the April 20 explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig that killed 11 workers and blew out a well 5,000 feet underwater. BP PLC was leasing the rig from owner Transocean Ltd.

[The exhibit] will be a powerful message, said Steve Feldman, a spokesman for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a nonprofit accrediting group based in Silver Springs, Md.

"The upclose connection to animals is very powerful. It's part of how we teach our children about nature and in this case, man's impact on nature," Feldman said.

Read the full story: Iowa aquarium exhibit highlights oil spill

Photo from National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium via AP

Gulf oil spill volunteering

2010-06-25T08:40:00.004-04:00

Peter Greenberg Worldwide has a comprehensive guide for Gulf oil spill volunteering.

Volunteering is a noble way to spend a vacation but during this oil spill disaster make sure you have a solid volunteer offer before going to any of the areas affected.

Each state has its own resource where potential volunteers can register their information. Registration does not mean you’re guaranteed a volunteer position. Participants will be contacted only on an as-needed basis and local candidates will be considered first. If you do reach out to an organization to offer help, please make sure it’s connected with its state service commission.
United We Serve/National: www.serve.gov/oilspill.asp
Mississippi: www.volunteermississippi.org
Alabama: www.servealabama.gov
Florida: www.volunteerflorida.org
Louisiana: www.volunteerlouisiana.gov
While local officials appreciate that visitors want to come and help, there is logic behind the limitations. Louisiana Service Commission Executive Director, Janet Pace, explains, she does not want to “put a good-hearted, well-meaning volunteers in harm’s way,” without a better understanding of the health hazards associated with the oil.

PGW also gives alternative ways to help like: coastline monitoring, adopting a pelican, and helping out the people affected.

Read the full story: BP Oil Spill News: Volunteer Guide - Helping Gulf Oil Clean-Up Efforts

Photo from PeterGreenberg.com

Oil turns FL beaches black

2010-06-24T08:01:00.005-04:00

CNN reports on the miles of oil from the BP Gulf Coast oil spill now coating the beaches of Florida's panhandle.

The famous white sand beaches around Pensacola are now black with oil and the water is unsafe to swim in.

More than two months after the Deepwater Horizon disaster, Pensacola awoke Wednesday to the largest onslaught of black crude on Florida's coast, as more than nine miles of white shoreline and beaches were soaked with syrupy oil.

A health advisory has been issued by Escambia County for parts of Pensacola Beach and Fort Pickens.

"It's pretty ugly. There's no question about it," Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said. "It does break your heart."

Tourists are canceling their reservations to the normally bustling summer tourist area.

Read the full story: Oil soaks miles of Pensacola Beach

Photo from James Amerson / CNN iReport

Take these 7 environmentally friendly safaris

2010-06-23T10:39:00.005-04:00

Tree Hugger reports on seven safaris with an environmental focus.

Kenya: Eco-Resorts' 11-day,10-night tour of Kenya singles out the country's ecotourism hotspots by booking stays at properties owned by residents of the communities you'll pass through

Rwanda: Rwanda Eco-Tours' Inside Nyungwe tour is a six-day trip takes you into Nyungwe Forest National Park, home to more than a dozen different primate species.

South Africa: The Earth Organization's safaris are practically a mini-course in conservation under the direction of Lawrence Anthony, best known for saving the animals in residence at the Baghdad Zoo at the beginning of the Iraq War.

Read the full story: 7 eco safaris around the globe

Photo from Rwanda Tourism

Yellowstone grizzly bear mauling investigation

2010-06-22T09:15:00.004-04:00

National Parks Traveler reports on the investigation into the death of the man mauled by a grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park.

Erwin Frank Evert, a 70-year-old botanist, knowingly entered an area last week that warned people to stay away from a recently radio-collared grizzly bear. Evert was mauled by the bear and investigators are now trying to piece together the events.

“In 33 years or so of trapping in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem we’ve never had this situation before,” an understandably somber Chuck Schwartz, team leader of the state-federal bear study team, said Monday.

According to Chris Servheen, the long-time Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the field biologists in this incident stayed with the 430-pound grizzly [after it was anesthetized and collared] until it began to stir, then left the area. About the same time, Mr. Evert was heading up the drainage that climbs into the Absaroka Mountains just about 7 miles east of Yellowstone.

“I cannot remember another incident where a grizzly bear that’s been handled has killed a person, recently after being handled," Dr. Servheen said Monday. "And we have captured thousands of grizzly bears and black bears using these same techniques. This is the first time its ever happened.”

The grizzly bear's new radio collar subsequently led wildlife agents to its location on Saturday where they shot and killed it from a helicopter.

Read the full story: Investigation launched into Yellowstone grizzly bear mauling

Photo from USGS

Idaho water adventure company's success

2010-06-21T11:20:00.004-04:00

Idaho Statesman reports on the success of the Idaho Canoe and Kayak Club's success.

Its outings have enticed up to 150 Treasure Valley boaters to Idaho waterways since the late 1980s. Floats from May to October typically draw from 40 to 70 boaters.

Stan Kolby and Jo Cassin, the co-owners of Idaho River Sports in Boise, have been an integral part of the club's success.

Although their shop was selling a lot of canoes, Kolby and Cassin found that buyers didn't know where to paddle - or who to paddle with.

"The club did exactly what we wanted it to do," said Kolby, which was to bring together boaters on Idaho's rivers and lakes.

"It totally exploded," Kolby said.

At first canoeists dominated the monthly floats. Then in the mid-1990s, more stable and comfortable recreational kayaks became popular choices.

Read the full story: Explore Idaho by canoe or kayak

Photo from Idaho Canoe and Kayak Club

Deforestation = more malaria; study

2010-06-18T10:22:00.006-04:00

Reuters reports that malaria rates rise when the forests are cut down in the Amazon according to a study by U.S. researchers.

The scientists found in their study, published in Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, a 48 percent increase in malaria rates in Brazil after 4 percent of the tree cover was cut down.

"Conservation policy and public health policy are one and the same," Jonathan Patz, the professor who oversaw the work, said in a telephone interview. "How we manage our landscapes and, in this case, tropical rain forest has implications for public health."

Malaria, caused by a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes, kills about 860,000 people a year globally, according to the World Health Organization. Brazil has about 500,000 cases a year of malaria, most carried by Anopheles darling mosquito.

Patz's team has been tracking mosquito populations and how they change as forests are cut down in Brazil and Peru. They took satellite data showing changes in tree cover in one county of Brazil's Amazon region and linked it with health records showing diagnosed cases of malaria.

Read the full story: Cleared forests lead to rise in malaria in Brazil

Photo from Nature's Crusaders / Stephen Ferry / Getty

Rick Steves likes to bike in Europe

2010-06-17T10:22:00.004-04:00

Rick Steves, European travel expert, explains why he enjoys bicycling in Europe.

He says that he gets closer to the people and culture while also feeling like a local.

Whenever I'm in Amsterdam, much of my experience is framed by my black bike handlebars: the shiny wet cobbles, powering up a bridge to coast down it and halfway to the next bridge, getting pinged by passing bikes and pinging my bell to pass others. Cars, trams, bikers, and pedestrians seem to float by from all directions in silence -- their sounds lost in the white noise of this dreamy city.

Stockholm, Copenhagen, Berlin, Salzburg, Munich, and Bruges are also a delight on two wheels, offering an extensive network of well-marked bike lanes. Some cities have creative programs where hundreds of free or very cheap loaner bikes are locked to racks around town.

Read the full story: Biking in Europe: a cultural bridge

Photo from Rick Steves

BP to use oil filtration machines made by actor Kevin Costner

2010-06-16T11:40:00.005-04:00

Mother Nature Network reports that BP will use several of actor Kevin Costner's oil filtration machines in efforts to clean up their continuing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

After more than 20 years of development and $25 million in personal investment, the actor's oil-separation centrifuges were given the green light by BP last night.

"We were confident the technology would work, but we needed to test it at the extremes. We've done that and are excited by the results," said Doug Suttles, BP's chief operating officer. "We are very pleased with the results and today we have placed a significant order with OTS [Costner's Ocean Therapy Solutions] and will be working with them to rapidly manufacture and deploy 32 of their machines."

Read the full story: Kevin Costner's oil filtration tech gets BP 'excited'

Photo by Susan Walsh / AP

Interstate to trees near St. Louis arch

2010-06-15T11:22:00.005-04:00

USA Today reports on the plans to green-up the interstate highway near the St. Louis, Missouri arch.

An environmental group wants to remove Interstate 70 from the downtown area and create a tree-lined boulevard according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

For years, civic leaders, including former Republican Sen. John Danforth, have sought to find a way to connect downtown with the Arch grounds and the river. Right now, the interstate makes it difficult to move freely from downtown. Bridges cross above the interstate, but traffic is heavy and walking can be dangerous.

The National Park Service, which operates the Arch and its grounds, launched the international competition to redesign the grounds.

Read the full story: Big changes in store for area around St. Louis arch

Photo from SLANAC

Nude cyclists protest London bike safety

2010-06-14T08:58:00.006-04:00

The Guardian UK reports on London's annual naked bike day event.

Last weekend 1,100 riders rode in the buff to bring awareness to bicycle safety along London's vehicle-filled roads.

"It's a bit of reclaiming the streets," said Sarah Reader, a 23-year-old from London. "I cycle ten miles a day and London's built up such a car culture.

"When I first heard of it I didn't think it was a political thing, but when you think about it, it will make cyclists visible.

"I think it will be incredibly liberating and it's a bit cheeky. We might start off with underwear then ditch it later on," she said.

Read the full story: Cyclists strip off in central London

Photo by Leon Neal / AFP / Getty Images

Gardens and parks in Mumbai

2010-06-11T08:55:00.006-04:00

The New York Times In Transit blog reports on escaping the crowds of Mumbai, India to visit some of the green spaces.

Luckily, the ever-popular Marine Drive promenade and the Hanging Gardens are not the only green spots in town. For a short morning stroll, check out the leafy neighborhood of Five Gardens, just a five-minute drive from the teeming Dadar train station.

At sunset, head to Bandra’s seaside promenade, which runs from the 17th-century Bandra Fort up to the fishing village of Khar.

For a real escape, head to the northern suburb of Borivali to Sanjay Gandhi National Park, a 40-square-mile expanse of rugged green hills where leopards still roam.

Read more here: Going green in Mumbai

Photo by Ally Reeves

Cars in NYC bike lanes get stickered

2010-06-10T09:04:00.004-04:00

The Daily Green reports on the controversial stickers (right) that some activists are putting on cars parked in bicycle lanes in New York City. Parking in bike lanes is against the law.

The anonymous group - who started putting the stickers on the offending vehicles last week - has already handed out "a couple hundred."

They claim it's a safety issue, yet the car owners could consider it vandalism even though they are breaking the law by parking in a bike lane.

As one commenter wrote: "some bicyclists will just pick their bike up and slam it into the car and continue on their way. This does a lot more damage than a sticker on the window or bumper."

Read the full story: A sticker situation - cars in the bike lane get a wake-up call

Photo from The Daily Green

Stay away from Guatemala volcano or risk death

2010-06-09T13:06:00.004-04:00

Associated Press reports that tourists hoping to see erupting Guatemalan volcano Pacaya are risking their lives according to officials.

Pacaya National Park was closed even before the May 27 explosion, which killed a reporter who got too close and was hit by a shower of volcanic rock. But visitors are bypassing the usual route up the mountain and going instead to a private farm in the village of Los Pocitos, where locals will take them to the pyroclastic flows for a $1.25 a head.

Even in normal times, travel guidebooks warn of the risks of hiking Pacaya, which has been active since 1966. A month before the most recent eruption, a Venezuelan tourist and her Guatemalan guide were killed by a rock slide.

Read the full story: Tourists warned to stay away from Guatemala volcano

Photo by Rodrigo Abd / AP

Air Canada green flights

2010-06-08T10:27:00.006-04:00

Terra Curve reports that Air Canada will offer voluntary carbon offsets to all passengers wishing to make their flights "green."

Powered by a new partnership with Zerofootprint, a leading organization in the global fight against climate change, the bilingual Voluntary Carbon Offset program offers travelers the choice of two new ISO-14064 certified carbon offsets projects – including an Ontario-based landfill gas recovery project and a tire recycling program in Quebec.

Read more here: Choose to fly green with Air Canada

Photo from Global Giants

Panama: Central America's new ecotourism destination

2010-06-07T10:37:00.004-04:00

Mother Nature Network reports on the ecotourism possibilities in Panama.

Eco-tourism is becoming a powerhouse industry in Panama, much like it did in neighboring Costa Rica over the past few decades. Costa Rica’s well-developed nature-tourism industry has caused land prices to climb to the point where developing anything other than a multistory resort hotels is not financially possible. Panama’s prices are much lower, making it possible for developers to build resorts within the natural surroundings rather than on top of them.

Read the full story: Destination of the week: Panama City

Photo from Joel Carillet / iStockphoto

United Airlines to demonstrate fuel-saving flights

2010-06-04T09:19:00.007-04:00

Associated Press reports on United Airlines fuel-saving flight demonstrations this weekend.

United will fly a normal commercial route with passengers from Frankfurt to Chicago and back on Saturday. However these flights on Boeing 777s will be expected to save 3 percent of the fuel (around 940 gallons) normally used. This will be achieved by not staying at a precise altitude; which burns extra fuel to maintain.

This flight will drift up and down as much as 3,000 feet; [which] also lets them choose the best altitude depending on wind and other conditions, said Joe Burns, a United captain and managing director of technology and flight tests.

He said those small adjustments wouldn't make much difference on a short domestic flight, but they add up on an eight- or 10-hour overseas flight.

Read more here: United Airlines plans fuel-saving flight

Photo by Eric Risberg / AP file

New Mexico launches ecotourism programs

2010-06-03T08:23:00.006-04:00

USA Today reports on the new ecotourism projects New Mexico is launching this summer.

Tourism is New Mexico's No. 2 industry, behind oil and gas production, and brings in an estimated $5.7 billion annually. And if ecotourism can be fairly described as nature-based specialty travel or wilderness experiences that enrich and educate, the state thinks it has something to offer.

Visitors are attracted by "that sense of place we have here in New Mexico," said Deputy Tourism Secretary Jennifer Hobson, who oversees the initiative. "They want to go someplace where they can learn something, have a story to tell, meet the local people."

Read the full story: New Mexico embraces ecotourism efforts

Photo from New Mexico Tourism Department via AP

Some Zion NP trails and canyons closed through Fall

2010-06-02T13:16:00.006-04:00

National Parks Traveler reports that road work will impact access to some of Zion National Park's hiking trails and canyons.

Trails and canyons along the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway will be closed off during the week when the road work commences on Monday June 7. Closures will continue through to October.

Under the current plan, you won't be able to drive the highway Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. From 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. there will be access, but under traffic control. On weekends and holidays the road should be open round-the-clock, though there could be traffic control at times that could delay you.

Trails affected by the construction are the Canyon Overlook and East Rim. The Canyon Overlook will not be accessible at any time Monday through Friday. Parking is not available Monday through Friday at the East Rim trailhead. The East Rim trail is accessible from the Stave Spring Trailhead, Weeping Rock Trailhead, and the East Mesa Trailhead.

Canyons affected include Pine Creek, Spry and Keyhole. These canyons will not be accessible at any time Monday through Friday. All hikes and canyons will be available on weekends if no work is occurring. Visitors should check the park website ahead of time to make sure there is no construction affecting the area they wish to visit.

Read the full story: Road work in Zion NP will impact hiking and canyoneering access

Photo from NPS

Bike through Germany to French border

2010-06-01T10:57:00.004-04:00

Stars and Stripes reports on a buddy bike trip from Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany to France's border.

Ben Bloker and his friend Nick took a two-day bike trip through Saarland and connected to the Glan-Blies-Weg, "a touring path that runs from Glan-Münchweiler in Germany to Sarreguemines, just across the border in France."

Pre-ride preparation was minimal. We rented a lightweight tent from Ramstein Air Base’s Outdoor Recreation office and split it up for the ride. My buddy, Nick, had a commuting bike that was already tour-ready. My mountain bike required some skinny tires and the installation of a rear rack. We packed our panniers with sleeping bags, camping pad, water and extra clothing.

Read the full story: The basics of bike touring

Photo by Ben Bloker / Stars and Stripes

Trump to build Scottish golf resort despite protests

2010-05-28T11:45:00.003-04:00

The Financial Times reports that real estate developer Donald Trump will press on developing his Scottish golf resort near Aberdeen despite environmentalists' protests.

Ecotravel News has been following this story for years. Back in February 2008 we posted a video of protesters, and later followed it up with a post questioning the profitability of the resort.

Trump said that he used $60 million of his own money to help finance the building of the resort.

Work began on planting the coastal dunes at Menie Estate with marram grass in the autumn and Mr Trump said today he was going to name them “The Great Dunes of Scotland”. Environmentalists objected to the scheme because the dunes offer a home for rare birds and plants.

Tripping Up Trump, a protest group, announced it had taken title to part of the land owned by Michael Forbes, a smallholder who has previously rejected offers by the Trump Organisation to buy his and several adjoining properties that lie close to the proposed courses.

Read the full story: Trump vows to press on with Scottish resort

Photo by Murdo Macleod

Pump soap, reduce wasteful plastic shampoo bottles

2010-05-27T11:09:00.004-04:00

MSNBC reports that some luxury hotels are getting rid of wasteful and unenvironmental mini-plastic soap and shampoo bottles and replacing them with refillable pumps.

Pat Maher, the green consultant for the American Hotel and Lodging Association, predicts amenities dispensers will be the norm within five years. “Right now, half a million of those little shampoo bottles end up in landfills every day. Hotels that say they’re eco-friendly establishments and doing all those things they do with the greening of their hotels ... will start getting complaints if people stay at their hotels and they don’t have soap dispensers.”

Maher says properties currently testing or installing bathroom amenities dispensers include the Kimpton, Ritz Carlton and Choice Hotels as well as Starwood’s extended-stay Element Hotels.

Read the full story: Hotels dispensing with bathroom clutter

Photo by RSA

Swiss cowbells crafted in traditional way

2010-05-26T10:56:00.005-04:00

Stars and Stripes reports on a Swiss craftsman who still creates cowbells in the old traditional way.

Swiss cows usually wear bells when they are grazing in mountain pastures so their farmers can know where they are. Anyone who has visited the Alps can associate the gentle bonging of cowbells with the beige-colored cows grazing on the mountain grass.

Eligius Schelbert is a Glockenschmiede — a bell smith — in the central Swiss town of Muotathal. He makes three kinds of bells, each in 15 sizes, from tiny bells worn by sheep to giant bells usually used for decoration.

Schelbert is following a family tradition that started in 1870. He’s the fourth generation in his family to carry on the bell-making trade. These days he makes most of his bells using steel, which he orders in different degrees of thickness. He cuts down the metal, then hammers the pieces to the required size and welds them together. He follows 26 steps to produce each bell.

When he’s in the mountains, Schelbert says he can recognize the sound of one of his bells.

Read the full story: Swiss craftsman upholds tradition of making bells for bovines

Photo by Christian Perret / Courtesy of Swiss Image

SC to develop bicycle-only community

2010-05-25T11:54:00.004-04:00

The State reports that Lexington County, South Carolina is planning to develop a bicycle-only subdivision near Gaston.

It will have no asphalt. It will have miles of trails and ponds for boating. It will have eco-friendly homes. And residents and their visitors will have to park their cars outside the community and bike — or walk — to their homes.

Developers have spent nearly $1 million to buy 140 acres about 15 miles south of Columbia, according to land records. They also have hired community designer Ozzie Nagler, planner of Harbison and the Three Rivers Greenway.
“It could become an eco-tourism destination,” said Joe Mellett, a Cincinnati-based Internet marketer and one of the developers.

Read the full story:Developers plan to build bicycle-only community

Photo from The State

British Airways crews five-day strike

2010-05-24T10:51:00.006-04:00

USA Today reports on the five-day strike of British Airways cabin crews.

Thousands of British Airways cabin crew began a five-day strike Monday, though the airline claimed it will still be able to carry 70% of passengers who have booked flights.

The walkout in the increasingly bitter feud follows the failure of weekend talks between the Unite union and the airline. A key issue is the union's demand that the airline restore employee travel benefits which the airline suspended following an earlier strike.

Read the full story: British Airways cabin crew begin 5-day strike

Photo by Carl De Souza / AFP / Getty Images

Gorgeous gardens around the world

2010-05-21T10:11:00.009-04:00

Concierge.com reports on 12 lush and gorgeous gardens worth visiting around the world.

Terra Nostra (picture left) Furnas, São Miguel, Azores, Portugal

others include:

Wörlitz Germany, near Dessau
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden Cape Town, South Africa
New York Botanic Garden the Bronx, New York City
Saiho-ji Kyoto, Japan
Kennerton Green Mittagong, outside Sydney, Australia
Amber Palace Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

See the slide show: Green retreats

Photo from concierge.com

MIT designs "greener" passenger plane

2010-05-20T10:57:00.004-04:00

MSNBC reports on a new passenger plane design by MIT researchers for NASA that will cut fuel consumption and emit less carbon than traditional airplanes by 2050.

The design will feature engines near the tail of the plane; which the researchers say will cause less drag than today's models with engines on the wings.

The 180-passenger D “double bubble” series was designed for domestic flights, meant to replace the Boeing 737 class aircraft, the most popular jetliner in the world right now. The design is called a “double bubble” because it uses two partial cylinders placed side by side. Those two cylinders create a wider structure that looks like two soap bubbles joined together.

Read the full story: Fly the eco-friendly skies

Photo from Discovery.com

Mt St Helens tourism vs conservation

2010-05-19T10:40:00.005-04:00

The Seattle Times reports on how to bring tourism back to Mount St. Helens while preserving the natural area surrounding it.

Mount St. Helens in the Cascade mountains of Washington State famously blew its stack on May 18, 1980 and has had more volcanic activity in the last few years.

Fascination with the volcano continues to this day, and the mountain has obligingly let loose with smaller eruptions every few years, maintaining the intrigue. On average, the volcano and the surrounding Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument get about 750,000 visitors a year.

But, try as they might, entrepreneurs in communities surrounding the mountain have never been able to turn the fascination into serious money.

Scientists and conservationists, who regard the volcano as a natural laboratory, want nature left alone. Tourism interests want more roads, campgrounds, hotels, restaurants, more organized activities and — most of all — more access into areas set off for scientific research.

Read the full story: Balancing tourism and science at Mount St. Helens

Photo from USGS

NJ couple eat, drinks and walks around Portland, OR

2010-05-18T10:48:00.005-04:00

The Washington Post's "Going our way" section profiles the Sommers' (picture right) walking trip to Portland, Oregon.

"One of America's best walking towns" (Walking magazine). "So green you could serve it as a side dish" (Outside). "Cool, quirky style surprisingly affordable" (Budget Travel). "One of the top 10 cat-friendly cities in America" (CATalyst Council).

Okay, so the accolades are getting a little wacky. But you get the idea. Portland, Ore., is a much-loved city, celebrated for its locally sourced food and wine scene, its vibrant downtown, its walkable neighborhoods and outdoorsy, laid-back vibe. It's an ideal vacation choice for Gladys and Howard Sommers, who like to explore smallish U.S. cities and experience the unique flavor of each.

Read the full story: Portland, Ore: A town where you can eat and drink... and walk it all off

Photo from Gladys and Howard Sommers

Guns vs grizzly bears - new federal law allows guns in national parks

2010-05-17T11:13:00.006-04:00

The AP via USA Today reports on a new federal law that allows people to carry guns into national parks.

The law was focused on Second Amendment rights to bear arms as opposed to warding off attacking grizzly bears.

Proponents claim that the guns will help protect them against the advent of a bear attack. Park service biologists claim that guns and grizzlies together equal dead grizzlies and that less deadly methods to ward of bears should be used. Other park service workers say that only time will tell about the consequences of the new law.

Grizzlies are the undisputed bosses of the backcountry in [Grand Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks]. They've killed 10 people in Glacier and five in Yellowstone in the past century. Those parks average one grizzly attack with injuries a year. Grand Teton has had only a handful of attacks, and no deaths, but it's only had substantial numbers of grizzlies for the past decade or so.

Wyoming, Idaho and Montana are home to roughly 1,300 grizzlies. Their numbers have rebounded since the 1970s and, although grizzlies still are listed as a threatened species, it's no longer rare for one lolling roadside to jam up tourist traffic in Grand Teton, Yellowstone or Glacier.

Park rangers in [the three parks] are still telling visitors that a pressurized can of hot-pepper oil — bear spray — is their best defense.

Their reasoning? Studies show that in most cases, putting a cloud of bear spray in a grizzly's face works better than trying to stop a moving 400-pound animal with a perfectly placed bullet.

"You've got to be a really good shot with a gun," said Yellowstone bear biologist Kerry Gunther. "That's the beauty of bear spray. You don't really have to aim it. All you have to do is pull it and pull the trigger."

Read the full story: New law pits guns against grizzlies in national parks

Photo by David Grubbs / AP

Lead poisoning threatens rare wild condor chick

2010-05-14T08:49:00.004-04:00

In April National Parks Traveler reported on the first condor chick to hatch in the wild in 100 years.

Now they report that toxic levels of lead is threatening the 50-day-old hatchling. Initially treated with chelation - a calcium EDTA injection that binds with heavy metals to avoid tissue retention - the chick's health continued to decline and biologists evacuated it to a special treatment facility.

Lead poisoning has been an on-going problem for condor populations. Condors are exclusively scavengers, feeding on a wide range of dead mammals. Research has established that the principle source of lead exposure among condors is lead ammunition.

Lead Ammunition has been banned for the taking of big game in a wide region of central and southern California, although that move has been a controversial one for some hunters. Park officials note that shooters who have made the switch to non-lead ammunition have made an invaluable contribution to the health of scavenging wildlife.

Lead levels were also found to be toxic in the condor father and he was also given chelation at the Los Angeles Zoo. Biologists are also trying to trap the mother condor to determine is she also has been exposed to lead.

Read the full story: Bad news for condor chick at Pinnacles National Monument

Photo by Gavin Emmons / National Park Service

Glacier NP 100 years old but glacier free soon?

2010-05-13T09:51:00.007-04:00

Associated Press via MSNBC reports that 100-year-old Glacier National Park could be glacier free by 2020.

The forests are drier and disease-ridden, leading to bigger wildfires. Climate change is forcing animals that feed off plants to adapt.

Many experts consider Glacier Park a harbinger of Earth's future, a laboratory where changes in the environment will likely show up first.

The chance to see the glaciers that are now disappearing is what lures many visitors to the remote park.

Read the full story: Age has been unkind to Glacier National Park

Photo by Michael Albans / AP

Global warming concerns Greenland yet nature lures tourists

2010-05-12T16:46:00.005-04:00

Frommer's reports on the natural wonders of Greenland and the affects of global warming on this northern island.

Everyone's worried about the shrinking ice cap in Greenland. And yet, locals seem as confident about the future as they are worried about the present.

The 57,000 inhabitants of this huge island go about their business of fishing, mining, and gently handling the tourists.

Aurora borealis (Northern Lights) [can be seen] year-round. You can find mussels on the beach near Oqaatsut, pick berries and mushrooms while hiking, take a kayak out in summer for netting small salmon, and otherwise enjoy the great outdoors. Dog sledding is best here in March and April.

Read the full story: Greenland: living on an ice cap

Photo from USGS

Epic and global train trips

2010-05-11T08:56:00.005-04:00

Orange County Register via The Wichita Eagle reports on epic train journeys around the world.

Writer Gary A. Warner shares some of his favorite train trips

VIA Rail: Vancouver-Jasper. The route from Vancouver to Jasper in the Canadian Rockies is called "the ski train" in winter. Come summer, the 1950s dome car features views of pine forests, vast lakes and some of the tallest peaks on the continent.

The Indian-Pacific, Australia: This epic 2 1/2-day Australian rail ride from Sydney on the Pacific Ocean to Perth on the Indian Ocean covers 2,704 miles.

Rovos Rail, South Africa: A fatal accident has cast a shadow over the once exemplary record of this luxury train that operates throughout South Africa and sometimes to the north. Rovos excursions in the past include an epic trip to Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe-Zambia border and then on to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

Southwest Chief: The successor to the classic Santa Fe train roughly parallels old Route 66 from Los Angeles to Chicago.

Read the full story: Great train journeys: riding the rails around the world

Photo by Bruce C. Strong / MCT

"15 most toxic places to live"

2010-05-10T09:28:00.004-04:00

Mother Nature Network reports on the 15 most toxic places to live:

Included in the list are:

Citarum River, Indonesia: the vast amounts of trash clogging up the waterway makes it look like a landfill rather than a river

Rondônia, Brazil (picture): slash and burning the Amazon rain forest to raise cattle has ruined the area

Lake Karachay, Russia: it was used by the former Soviet Union as the dumping spot for nuclear waste

See the slide show: The 15 most toxic places to live

Photo by National Geographic / Getty Images

Giant Canadian beaver dam can be seen from space

2010-05-06T13:01:00.003-04:00

NPR reports on the world's largest beaver dam which is visible from space.

The Canadian beaver dam is as large a nine football fields and located in Alberta's Wood Buffalo National Park.

Dan Karpenchuk reports for the NPR newscast that "it's believed several beaver families joined forces to create the massive dam, which must have taken years to complete." He also says the dam is in an almost inaccessible part of the park, which may help explain why the beavers like that spot so much and have had enough time to make the dam so big.

Photo from http://www.geostrategis.com

Read the full story: Talk about busy beavers

Ecotravel news looking for help

2010-05-05T10:05:00.002-04:00

Ecotravel News has been away and apologizes for the lapse in posts.

Because of more frequent travel we are looking for additional bloggers to help post and create more coverage.

If you are interested please contact us here.

Thanks and look forward to hearing from you!

Ride Amtrak, expect delays

2010-05-05T09:57:00.005-04:00

The Washington Post reports that more people are riding Amtrak trains but on time arrivals are less frequent.

Though many trains do run on time, or close to it, rail passengers frequently find themselves stuck in travel purgatory, because some unforeseen situation has tripped up Amtrak: A sluggish freight train is blocking the way; the engine's power source has conked out; a ne'er-do-well cow has wandered onto the tracks; there's cleanup on Track 1. The causes are legion, the delays legendary.

"It's a love-hate situation," said Jim Wrinn, editor of Trains magazine. "There's this promise of a really nice ride and experience, but it's really not there."

Still, many starry-eyed travelers continue to harbor hope that their Amtrak trip will succeed, especially now that the other modes of transportation are failing us.

Read the full story: Amtrak ridership is up, but passengers grouse about frequent delays

Photo by Jennifer Beeson Gregory / The Washington Post

Natural wonder of Pinnacles National Monument

2010-05-03T11:25:00.004-04:00

San Jose Mercury News reports on the natural sights at nearby Pinnacles National Monument:

The secluded 24,000-acre jewel is San Jose's nearest national wilderness. Yet it is largely unknown to the travelers on nearby Highway 101, hurling themselves toward San Francisco or Los Angeles.

"It's spectacular, and it's in our own backyard," says Jo Feeney of Los Altos, hiking with husband Hal up the steep Condor Gulch Trail along wildflowers and a waterfall. "I can't believe we've been all the way to South Africa's national parks, and have never been here."

The Pinnacles can be sampled in a single day — but visit soon. In April and May, its creeks still gurgle with water and its paths are decorated with colorful poppies, buttercups, lupines and paintbrush. By summer, temperatures reach a scorching 100 degrees.

Read the full story: Pinnacles National Monument: A Nearby Geologic Wonder

Crow management on Cape Cod Seashore

2010-04-27T10:32:00.007-04:00

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

2010-04-26T09:59:00.004-04:00

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

2010-04-23T10:20:00.005-04:00

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

2010-04-22T09:36:00.006-04:00

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

2010-04-21T08:42:00.007-04:00

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

2010-04-20T11:55:00.004-04:00

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

2010-04-19T09:00:00.005-04:00

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

2010-04-16T10:07:00.008-04:00

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

2010-04-15T11:21:00.007-04:00

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

2010-04-14T08:38:00.004-04:00

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

2010-04-13T09:59:00.008-04:00

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

2010-04-12T11:16:00.007-04:00

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

2010-04-09T10:27:00.004-04:00

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

2010-04-08T08:05:00.008-04:00

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

2010-04-07T09:07:00.010-04:00

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

2010-04-06T09:22:00.007-04:00

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

2010-04-05T09:28:00.005-04:00

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

2010-04-02T08:43:00.004-04:00

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

2010-04-01T10:39:00.009-04:00

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

Electric car to power utilities and income

2010-03-31T08:39:00.009-04:00

Reuters reports on the University of Delaware researchers who have fashioned an electric car to not only run on just electricity but also to store and generate electricity for utilities.

This technology on the prototype car is called vehicle-to-grid or V2G and the professors hope this will also generate future revenue.

To help lay the groundwork for V2G in Delaware, the state passed a 2009 law - the first of its kind in the world -- requiring utilities to compensate electric car owners for power sent back to the grid at the same rate they pay to charge the battery.

At a current cost of about $75,000 per [Toyota] Scion - including V2G conversion and the basic car -- the vehicles are beyond the reach of most drivers. But [Professor Willett Kempton, who is leading the university's V2G program], argues that costs will fall as production increases. With all costs optimized, a V2G car should eventually sell for $3,000-$5,000 more than an equivalent gasoline model, he said.

And Kempton estimates that the value of providing storage and electricity generation to utilities is $4000 per year.

Read the full story: Electric cars give power back to grid

Photo from University of Delaware

Sustainable tourism talk with Global Heritage Fund co-founder

2010-03-30T09:50:00.004-04:00

Peter Greenberg Travel speaks with Global Heritage Fund co-founder Jeff Morgan about sustainable tourism.

"The planet is losing many of its most unique and one-of-a-kind sites– where there is only one example for an entire civilization…

If you look at where all the money goes, it goes into churches, mosques, synagogues and Buddhist sites.

GHF’s Preservation by Design is a community-based model where the local people become the stewards and benefit from long-term income and jobs which enable site protection and preservation. The method and process we developed that takes each site through a four-step process: planning, science, community and partnerships."

Read the full interview: GHF co-founder talks sustainable tourism

Photo from Peter Greenberg Travel

Maine woods eco-lodge

2010-03-29T10:26:00.005-04:00

The Washington Post reports on a Maine eco-lodge reached only in the winter by skis. Diane Daniel writes about her trip.

We were looking for a silent, snowy and achingly beautiful winter weekend. Five hours north of Boston, in the western Maine woods, we found it.

Even better, we spent two nights in off-the-grid full-service comfort deep in those woods, thanks to one of the most ambitious environmental projects in the state: the Maine Huts & Trails system, a nascent network of year-round hiking, biking and skiing trails connecting alternative-powered, eco-friendly huts where guests can spend the night.

Read the full story: Deep in the Maine woods

Photo from Maine Huts & Trails

London Zoo exhibits S American rainforest life

2010-03-26T08:53:00.005-04:00

The Guardian reports on London Zoo's South American rainforest exhibit.

David Field, zoological director of London zoo, said: "Rainforest Life will transport people to other corners of the world by coming through the gates of London zoo. It is a dynamic, living ecosystem and you won't see the same exhibit twice. It will give people a real taste of these priceless forests that are disappearing fast."

The zoo hopes [the exhibit] will become a breeding centre for the endangered species it houses. Visitors to the exhibit will have the chance to experience the heat and humidity of the jungle from elevated walkways where they can view the canopy teeming with wildlife.

Read the full story: London zoo exhibit recreates living South American rainforest

Photo from London Zoo

Ride subway, exit in "Asia"

2010-03-25T08:40:00.007-04:00

The Washington Post reports on the New York City subway ride that will let you out in "Asia."

Brain Yarvin takes you on the plane-less journey to Flushing, Queens, only $2.25 and about a 45 minute subway ride from Midtown Manhattan.

Most out-of-towners will head toward Flushing for Citi Field or its neighbor, Arthur Ashe Stadium, and if they're not in the loop, they'll take in a baseball game or a tennis match and leave. The rest of us know better. Here's a neighborhood that really seems to be part of China, only with New York City street signs. When I step off the train at Main Street, get my first whiff of scallion pancakes, make my first sighting of a new menu or find some ingredient that exists nowhere else in the Eastern United States, I know that I've come to the right place.

Read the full story: Flushing, Queens: Taking the 7 train from Times Square to Asia

Ride a bike in Mexico City

2010-03-24T08:52:00.006-04:00

The Christian Science Monitor reports on the new bicycle friendliness of Mexico City.

How to help this sprawled-out city choked with more than 4 million vehicles and rampant air pollution? Ride a bike, says Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard.

New infrastructure, road closures, and bike-sharing programs are helping to promote the two-wheel answer to congestion and poor air quality. There’s the “Muevete en Bici,” which opens 8.7 miles of major avenues to only cyclists on Sundays. The city has also promised to build new bike parking and 186 miles of bike paths by 2012. There are bike racks in the Metro stations as well as bicycle-designated subway cars. Bike-sharing programs abound, the largest being the newly launched EcoBici (EcoBike) that has 1,100 bikes for use. It is the first of its kind in Latin America.

Read the full story: Mexico City makes way for bicycles

Photo by Alfredo Estrella / AFP

All Starwood resorts to celebrate Earth Hour

2010-03-23T10:07:00.004-04:00

Terra Curve reports that hotel brand Starwood will celebrate this month's Earth Hour at all properties.

This year, in more than 90,000 hotel rooms, guests staying in participating Starwood properties will be encouraged to turn off the lights. Additionally, as they did last year, participating Starwood hotels will take the steps of turning off exterior signage lighting; last year, the darkened hotels offered striking visual imagery that provided an apt symbol of Earth Hour. Properties will also participate by dimming or turning off non-essential interior lighting, using candlelight in appropriate public areas such as restaurants and bars, and using in-room voicemail messages and in-room television messages to inform guests about Earth Hour observances.

Read the full story: Starwood gets in on the Earth Hour festivities

Photo from Starwood

Vicksburg, Mississippi to offer ecotourism

2010-03-22T09:34:00.006-04:00

USA Today reports on Vicksburg, Mississippi's tourism diversity campaign including ecotourism offerings.

The town, mostly known for its Civil War battlefields, has suffered a decline in tourists in recent years. Tourism employs 16 percent of the town and county's workforce but brings in a significant portion of the area's income. Last year brought in $209 million.

New museums, the 150th anniversary of the Civil War and Mississippi river adventures are new offerings the Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau (VCVB) hope will draw tourists back.

"The Mississippi River is a huge draw, and we need to tap into that more," said Bill Seratt, VCVB executive director. "As you travel between Memphis and Vicksburg, you really don't have the opportunity to get up close and personal with the Mississippi River. Here, you really get to understand what a power body of water it is."

Eco-tourism is one of just a few niche travel markets the VCVB is trying to tap into to diversify Vicksburg's image. A "soft adventure" tour guide focusing on camping, canoeing, hiking, biking and birding and is being developed. Another guide highlighting the artistry of the sculptures and monuments in the VNMP is also in the works.

Read the full story: Beyond battlefields

Photo by Chad Purser 2006

Volunteer vacations good for the Earth

2010-03-19T07:46:00.003-04:00

Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports on the appeal of vacationing for the good of the environment:

Volunteer vacations strike a balance between giving and getting, feeding a participant’s sense of adventure as well as a desire to improve the planet and the lives of its inhabitants. This pairing of volunteerism and travel, which the Sierra Club first introduced in 1958 in the form of service trips, is an old concept enjoying new life. More than 3.5 million Americans traveled at least 120 miles to volunteer their services in 2007, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Read the full story: Take a vacation, and help save the planet

Photo by Sarah Stout / Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Egypt desert tourism: eco or not?

2010-03-18T14:15:00.008-04:00

Global Post reports on the effects of "ecotourism" to Egypt's western desert region near the town of Bawati.

Desert ecotourism is becoming a popular alternative to the usual Pyramids and Red Sea lures of this North African nation. But the country's economic dependence on tourism is leading to a need to balance out development versus the overrun of ecosystems.

The White Desert - that features otherworldly landscapes (picture right) - is a prime tourist spot that fills up at sunset with snap happy foreigners.

The Bahariya Oasis just north of the White Desert has also seen a rise in visitors to the extent where one-third of the residents now work in tourism.

But the industry isn't regulated well and environmentalists say the economic interests outweigh minimizing impact on the environment. Others in the tourism industry welcome the rise in tourists and want more to come.

Read the full story: Desert ecotourism, what's in it for Egypt?

Photo from A-1 Safari Egypt

Save orcas or salmon?

2010-03-17T10:16:00.008-04:00

McClatchy reports on the dilemma of endangered species eating another endangered species.

A new study on endangered animals shows that killer whales, also called orcas, in the Pacific Northwest are primarily eating endangered Chinook salmon in Canada.

Though the dietary habits of killer whales may not seem like a big deal, the orcas and various salmon species are protected on both sides of the border. Efforts to revive endangered species that share the same ecosystem can become intertwined.

"It is fascinating the whales specialize in a particular species, and the species they focus on is one of the rarer ones and in some case protected," said Michael Ford, the director of the conservation biology division at the National Marine Fisheries Science Center in Seattle. "Recovery of the whales could be dependent on the recovery of salmon. It is all related."

Read the full story: Wildlife dilemma: protect killer whales or the fish they eat?

Photo by Jeff Lorton / West Coast Wildlife Adventures

High-speed rail "coming to America"

2010-03-16T08:23:00.005-04:00

The Wall Street Journal's Middle Seat blog reports on reactions to $8 billion of federal stimulus money going to high-speed rail development.

Airlines were upset because high-speed rail could signal competition and "further erode their customer bases."

In two or three decades, Transportation Sec. Ray LaHood said at the FAA annual forecasting conference, U.S. cities will be connected by high-speed rail – whether airlines like it or not.

"Let me give you a little bit of political advice: Don’t be against high-speed rail," Sec. LaHood said. "It’s coming to America. This is the president’s vision, this is the vice president’s vision, this is America’s vision…. We’re going to get into the high-speed rail business."

European and Asian countries such as Taiwan (picture right) already have high-speed rail lines.

Read the full story: LaHood to airlines: get onboard the high-speed train

Photo from Stephen Fung.net

Green travel tips

2010-03-15T11:54:00.005-04:00

Go Green Travel Green gives seven tips on how to choose an eco-friendly travel destination.

Among the tips are: check public transport options, green accommodation options, and "walkability."

Read the full story: 7 tips for choosing a green travel destination

Photo from Frommers

Arizona hotel offers "EcoRooms"

2010-03-12T10:56:00.008-05:00

Terra Curve reports on the eco-upgrade at Arizona hotel Kings Ransom Sedona.

After the success of offering environmentally-friendly rooms at the Kings other property, the hotel chain now has 95 at this property.

The EcoRooms offer natural soaps, lotions and shampoos along with energy-efficient lighting, low-flow shower heads, use nontoxic cleaning products and reuse linen.

"Our housekeeping staff is also enthusiastic as we now use earth-friendly cleaning products which they love," said Amy Bertorelli, president of the Kings Ransom Sedona Hotel. "We believe it is vitally important for individuals and businesses to be mindful of our planet’s health and contribute to sustaining that health by implementing green practices daily."

Read the full story: Sedona hotel comes equipped with eco-ammenities

Photo from Terra Curve.com

Delaware park makes maple sugar

2010-03-11T07:24:00.005-05:00

National Parks Traveler reports on this weekend's maple sugaring demonstration in Delaware Water Gap Recreation Area.

National Park Service rangers and Millbrook Village Society volunteers will demonstrate the sugaring process from “tree to table.” Visitors will learn about tapping maple trees, collecting sap and boiling it down to make syrup and sugar. Recipes for maple-based foods will be available. In addition, some village buildings will be open for tours and craft demonstrations.

Read the full story: 'Maple sugaring' demonstration in Delaware

Photo by National Parks Service