Mother Nature Network has a slide show of eight eco-friendly beaches around the world.
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."
Ecotravel News was pleased to hear that the female panda from the Chiang Mai Zoo in Thailand gave birth.
Reuters reports on the coral reef protection commitment made by six Asia-Pacific nations at the World Ocean Conference last week. Indonesia, Malaysia, East Timor, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands border a stretch of reef known as the Coral Triangle, which contains 76 percent of all known coral species and is a vital tuna spawning ground.Read the full story: Asia coral protection pact seen as important step
The pact signed during the World Ocean Conference in Manado, Sulawesi, last week includes a commitment to crack down on illegal fishing and pollution, and enforcing new tuna fishing regulations to protect spawning grounds.
The Christian Science Monitor reports on six conservation efforts around the world and most in popular travel spots:
Tree Hugger reports on the Philippines government's ecotourism plan."That executive order lead to the development of the National Ecotourism Strategy. The outline of this strategy includes spreading the wealth to the very impoverished rural areas, the conservation of cultural sites, promotion of conservation awareness, educational programs and more."Read the full story: Ecotourism in the Philippines
Frommer's travel guide online highlights Brunei as an ecotourist destination."Almost 40% of the area is preserved as Ulu Temburong National Park and is considered one of the world's most diverse ecosystems with a range of wilderness habitats, from lowland forest and jungle rainforest to mountain forests and waterfalls."Temburong NP is easy to get to from the capital city Bandar Seri Begawan and organized tours can arrange multi-day stays.
U.S. News and World Report reports that large numbers of two endangered monkeys in Cambodia have been recorded."'Despite this good news in Cambodia, the [Seima Biodiversity Conservation Area] still remains at risk from conversion to agro-industrial plantations for crops, including biofuels, and commercial mining,' said Tom Clements, lead author of the WCS report."Read the full story: Threatened monkey populations surprisingly large
The Malaysia Sun reports on the seizure of over 200 endangered lizards believed to be bound for foreign restaurants. Malaysian wildlife officials found the lizards by chance when conducting a random check on an estate:"Two years ago, the state's wildlife officers seized 5,400 clouded monitor lizards bound for Hong Kong, [state wildlife director Saharudin Anan] said. Those caught for smuggling endangered species of animals face a fine of up to 5,000 ringgit ($1470) and three years in prison."Although the clouded monitor lizard is endangered it still is considered a delicious meal to some as well as having healing medicinal qualities.
