COURSE STRUCTURE AND CONTENT
There are 10 lessons as follows:
- Ecotourism Basics
- Definition of ecotourism
- Negative ecotourism
- Ecotourist profile
- Administrative concerns
- Safety
- Interpretive Services in Ecotourism
- Interpretation as a key element of ecotourism
- Interpretation techniques
- Sign design
- Ecology and Conservation
- Definition of ecology
- Ecosystem function
- The web of life
- Habitat and niche
- Humans in the environment
- Plant and Animal Classification and Identification
- Classification of organisms
- Basic taxonomy
- Using keys for identification
- Other methods of identification
- Geology/Geomorphology
- Types of rocks
- Types of minerals
- Soils
- Soil formation
- Soil classification
- Interpreting Aquatic Environments
- Marine environments
- Freshwater environments
- Fish
- Shells
- Crustaceans
- Interpreting Land Environments
- Introduction to interpreting land environments
- Relevance of interpreting land environments
- Planning an Ecotour
- Destination
- Transportation
- Accommodation
- Ecotour Displays
- Design concepts
- Zoo design techniques
- Leading an Ecotour
- Advertising
- Group preparation
- Planning the tour
- Group surveys for feedback
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
AIMS
On successful completion of the course you should be able to do the following:
- Analyse the structure of interpretive ecotourism in your country.
- Explain aspects of the environment and their significance to ecotourism.
- Construct an ecotourism plan.
- Create/develop interpretation aids for a selected ecotourism activity.
- Develop a display with an ecotourism theme.
- Determine the specific name of a range of natural features in a selected wilderness area including:
- Birds
- Fish
- Shells
- Other animals
- Plants
- Create an interpretive tour with an ecotourism theme.
- Develop innovative concepts in interpretation for a selected aquatic ecotourism activity.
- Develop innovative concepts in interpretation for a selected ecotourism activity in a land environment.
- Determine the specific name of a range of natural features in a selected wilderness area including, where appropriate:
- Fossils
- Rocks
- Land formations
- Soil types
- Geothermal features
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What will I do on the course?
Here are just some of the things you may be doing:
- With each assignment you will be required to prepare identification sheets, containing a preserved specimen, a photograph or a drawing; together with a description of the species/type of organism.
This collection is designed to be the embryo of a resource which you may use as an ongoing aid when designing and conducting interpretive activities.
- You will research the legal and administrative background required to set up an ecotourism venture in your area. You will also look at the marketing and advertising possibilities for this venture.
- Visit a number of interpretive ecotourism facilities.
- Prepare an interpretive activities sheet for an ecotourism group.
- Visit a natural area and classify organisms sighted in a set time period.
- Identify points of interest in a natural area for an ecotourism group.
- Research the lifecycles of a number of plants and animals.
- Design a range of ecotours for ecotourists interested in various natural phenomena.
- Visit an aquatic environment and make observations on the organisms there and any pollution present.
- Identify potential ecotourism activities for a marine area.
- Develop interpretive techniques for minimal environmental impact.
- Attend an ecotour to assess the quantity and quality of information provided.
- Plan an ecotour including the destination, accommodation, transport, catering.
- Construct an ecotour display.
- Plan and lead an ecotour to a group of ecotourists or acquaintances
What do ecotour guides do?
In the field of ecotourism; tour guides may lead many different types of tours, including:
- Short tours (maybe only an hour or two) or long tours (many days or weeks)
- Tours that involve seeing natural attractions (eg. A tour through a cave system; to view wildlife, to explore a rainforest, desert or seashore)
- Tours that involve some special participation by the participant (eg. rowing a canoe, snorkelling, abseiling, climbing steep inclines).
- Tours on foot, on bikes, in motor vehicles, in boats, in helicopters)
A tour guide needs to know something about the environment and ecology of the area in which the tour is conducted -that is what makes it an ecotour. More than this though; they need to have the skills, knowledge and equipment that is relevant to the particular tour they are leading.
What is Ecotourism?
The term ecotourism first popularised in the early 1980’s by Hector Cebellos Lascurain, a Mexican conservationist, since then it has been commonly used to describe many tourism ventures. However, many do not really understand the definition and what nature of activities it actually defines. The very definition of ecotourism has evolved from what is essentially nature-based tourism with a responsible attitude, to a definition that includes as one of its main aims the education of the participant that encourages understanding and appreciation of the natural environment and its cultural context.
The first World Ecotourism Summit defined the principles of Ecotourism -
"... that ecotourism embraces the principles of sustainable tourism, concerning the economic, social and environmental impacts of tourism. It also embraces the following specific principles which distinguish it from the wider concept of sustainable tourism:
- Contributes actively to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage.
- Includes local and indigenous communities in its planning, development and operation, and contributing to their well-being,
- Interprets the natural and cultural heritage of the destination to visitors,
- Lends itself better to independent travellers, as well as to organized tours for small size groups."
Is Nature Based Tourism Ecotourism?
Essentially any tourism that has as its basis natural attractions can be considered nature based tourism. This category is fairly wide and covers many areas, many of which overlap, however ecotourism is really the only area that requires the educational emphasis as well sustainable practice. Areas that can be included under nature based tourism can be generally divided up as:
- Captive – viewing aquariums, zoos, wildlife parks, botanical gardens.
- Extractive – hunting, fishing, fossicking, picking.
- Adventure – climbing, mountaineering, rafting, caving.
- Health – nature retreats/spas.
- Ecotourism – birdwatching, outdoor education, outdoor research, whale watching, riding, nature observation.
- 3S (Sun, Sea, Surf) – surfing, swimming, boating, sailing.
As an example, adventure tourism usually involves an element of risk, physical exertion and knowledge and use of special skills in order to safely participate. Of course what constitutes risk and physical exertion will be a matter of an individual's experience and physical ability. Ecotourism and adventure tourism can overlap, however not all adventure tourism can be strictly considered ecotourism.
Examples of poor nature based tourism abound. Unfortunately the very practice of bringing tourists however well intentioned to any natural environment will have a negative impact without proper management. For example, anyone who has been high altitude trekking in Nepal where there are few resources for the multitude of trekkers will remember seeing ubiquitous pink toilet paper strewn around the countryside. Additional rubbish includes water bottles, food wrappers and in mountaineering areas gas cylinders, rubbish and oxygen containers are. While many of these tourists are actually seeking an authentic ecotourism experience, the reality is somewhat short of expectations. Not only are there environmental consequences but the unfavourable experience is also going to negatively affect of their own perception of the place and thus diminish word-of-mouth and return visitors.
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If you have any questions about studying with ACS, or want to know more about any of our courses, get in touch with our specialist tutors today. They will be happy to answer your questions and look at different study options to fit in with your goals.