Driving South
Personally, I've favored small planes and large buses for travel in Latin
America. But if I ever get behind the wheel, I'll take along the Driving
Packet from the South American Explorer's Club. Packed with hand-drawn maps,
travel reports, 1996 South American fuel prices, good advice and a panoply
of resources, this a wanderlust mosaic of practical hints and suggestions.
This is a wonderful packet and a terrible temptation for those of us who are
unsure if we're actually heading south. The cost? $25 for SAEC members, $30
for non-members + P&H. Contact the U.S. office at (607) 277-0488. Web site:
http://www.samexplo.org; Email: explorer@samexplo.org
Fly, Fly Away
Become an Air Travel Courier. The best advice on traveling on the cheap and
seeing countries throughout the world can be found in the Shoestring
Traveler and Air Courier Bulletin, published by the International
Association of Air Travel Couriers for members. Contact the Byron Lutz at PO
Box 1349, Lake Worth, FL 33460; Phone: 561-582-8320.
Paseo Pantera/Path of the Panther
Although the formal Paseo Pantera project ended last September, the goal of
a creating a nine country green corridor from southern Mexico to the Choco
in Colombia lives on and is a stronger movement every day. The Wildlife
Conservation Society is assisting the Global Environmental Facility and the
U.N. Development Program in detailed national and regional corridor mapping
for each of the Central American nations. Want to see what it's all about?
Request a video and information from Proyecto Paseo Pantera/Wildlife
Conservation Society, 4424 N.W. 13th Street, Suite A-2, Gainesville,
Florida, 32609; Phone: 352-371-1713; Fax: 352-373-6443, Email: wcsfl@afn.org
Selva Maya Map
In August 1995 a Regional Conservation Assessment Workshop for the Maya
Tropical Forest took place at San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico.
The meeting was convened by the US Man and the Biosphere Program,
Conservation International, ECOSUR and MAYAFOR. A beautiful, color map of
the Selva Maya has been released by Conservation International. It depicts
biological resources and corridors, socioeconomic resources and information
on conservation law (see below). Contact: Conservation Planning and
Technical Cooperation Department, CI, 1015 18th Street, NW, Suite 1000,
Washington, DC 20036; Phone: 202-429-5660; Email: ?
Conservation Law
Kudos to the Tom Ankersen and the Mesoamerican Environmental Law Program.
Several weeks ago Tom gave me a the brand-new copy of the Selva Maya map. He
was equally enthusiastic about the new website the law program has on the
Internet. Kudos to Ken Tinkler on creating a fine website! You can find out
more about the program at
http://nersp.nerdc.ufl.edu:80/~lawinfo/college/CGR/mesoam/mesoam.html.
Email: ANKERSEN@LAW.UFL.EDU
April Ecotourism Conference
Just a reminder that Working Notes from the conference on Ecotourism and
Conservation in Honduras are online via the Eco Travels in Latin America
website - http://www.planeta.com.
Honduras Rivers
Exceptional views of the Pico Bonito National Park can be found from your
raft in the Rio Cangregal. Rios de Honduras provided a fantastic one-day
trip from La Ceiba. Phone: 43-0780 or 43-1360; U.S. Phone: 800-255-5784.
Honduras Crafts
After the ecotourism conference, I ambled to San Pedro Sula to await my
flight back to Houston and Miami. There I stopped in at a must-see craft
store, Casa del Sol run by Rosibel Janania and her family. The Casa is
located at 6 Calle, 8 y 9 Ave, N.O. Fte. Mercado Guamilito, San Pedro Sula,
Honduras. Phone: 57-9321.
Greening Haiti
Operation Green Leaves is a non-profit, non-political organization dedicated
to the reforestation of Haiti. This group was created in 1991 by a group of
Haitians and Americans to answer Jacques Cousteau's call to save Haiti's
environment before it's too late. There are few green areas left, most
notably Pic Macaya and other lush areas in the southern portion of the
country. Operation Green Leaves plans to coordinate ecotours and
environmental tours to acquire the support needed to restore degraded areas.
For information, call 305-858-7110.
WorldViews
One of my favorite clearinghouses for Latin American resources was and is
the Third World Resources, now known as WorldViews. This California-based
organization has a public access library, a quarterly magazine and search
and document delivery services. Contact WorldViews, c/o The DataCenter, 464
19th Street, Oakland, CA 94612-2297; Phone: 510-835-4692; Email:
worldviews@igc.apc.org. Also see the web site at
http://www.igc.apc.org/worldviews/
The InterpEdge
While in Honduras, Leon Watson (who works with Sostenible Por Naturaleza in
Costa Rica) handed me this interesting journal... on "innovation, technology
and cutting edge through for interpretive communications." InterpEdge is a
fantastic tool for educators, park planners and anyone designing nature
paths, exhibits and environmental education. Contact: PO Box 398, North
Stonington, CT 06359; Phone: 800-328-4772; Fax: 860-599-3107
Earth Work
Advance your conservation career by reading this monthly magazine at $3.95 a
copy. Information includes both permanent (what does that mean in the 90s?)
and seasonal employment. Contact Earth Work, PO Box 550, Charlestown, NH
03603-0550.
Outside
Perhaps I should be wary of promoting any undiscovered place. That is the
lesson from Randy Wayne White, who returns to "the best place on earth" -
ruined by tourism development in Costa Rica. Read his critique of what
happened to La Hacienda on the Playa Tambor in the June 1996 issue of
Outside magazine.
Belize
Belize First, the quarterly guide to "Travel and Life on the Caribbean
Coast" returns with a beautiful new issue. A special report by Richard
Mahler and Steele Wotkyns describes the Cayo District and editor Lan Sluder
provides both a "Best Books" section and an update on regional news.
Subscriptions are $29/year in North America and Belize. Contact Lan Sluder
at Equator Travel Publications, 280 Beaverdam Road, Candler, NC 28715;
Email: LSluder374@aol.com
Wisconsin!
U.S.-based environmental tourism is the forte of Explorer's Guide Publishing
with titles such as Campground Cookery, Visitor's Guide to Chequamegon
National Forest and Wisconsin Outdoor Recreation. Contact Gary Kulibert,
Explorer's Guide Publishing, 4843 Apperson Drive, Rhinelander, WI 54501;
Phone: 715-362-6029; Email: explore@newnorth.net
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Environmental Travel Opportunities
compiled by Ron Mader
May 1996
Si, Ecuador!
Space available for fun-loving, adventurous people who want to explore
Ecuador. Includes language school homestay in Quito, a 5-day Galapagos
cruise, train ride to Riobamba and more! Aug. 18-Sept.1, $1995. pp/dbl (air
not included). Also "Discover Peru" features an overflight of Nazca Lines,
Lima, Cuzco, Machu Picchu. Sept.1-Sept.8, $1675., pp/dbl (air not included).
Contact: Savvy Travel - Phone: 1-800-276-8328; Email: savvytravl@aol.com.
World Congress
The 1996 World Congress on Adventure Travel and Ecotourism will be held in
Chile's beautiful lake country resort city, Puerto Varas, at the beginning
of the Southern Hemisphere's summer from November 20 through 24, 1996. The
Adventure Travel Society (ATS) will sponsor the congress, its sixth global
forum. Sernatur, the National Tourism Board of Chile will be the official
host for this year's event.
There will be more than 80 premier adventure travel operators from Chile,
South America and around the world showcasing their trips to wholesalers,
national and regional tourism boards and travel agents from over 45
countries.
As the host country, Chile is making every effort to ensure a memorable
visit for delegates. Providing special transportation arrangements are Lan
Chile and Ladeco, the two Chilean national airlines. Upon registration,
delegates qualify for up to 50 per cent discounts from the U.S. gateway
cities of Miami, Los Angeles and New York. Select international cities are
also included.
Founded in 1990, the Adventure Travel Society is a professional corporation
that provides ecotourism consulting and marketing seminars in addition to
producing the World Congress.ATS has a special early bird registration of
$290 and is available to delegates worldwide until March 15, 1996. For more
information on the 1996 World Congress on Adventure Travel and Ecotourism,
the Adventure Travel Society can be reached by phone (303) 649-9016, fax
(303) 649-9017 or E-mail: ats@adventuretravel.com.
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Amazon Education Tour
Research, Education and Ecotourism Trip
14 Day Excursion in the Brazilian Rainforest
JULY 6 - 20, 1996
PURPOSE: To experience, understand and explore conservation, research,
education and ecotourism opportunities in the Brazilian Amazon. This trip is
designed to people interested in knowing first hand what is happening in the
Brazilian Amazon Basin today in terms of conservation perspectives and
ongoing research, to students and scholars interested in conducting research
in the tropical rain forest in Brazil, and also to those individuals
interested in having an unforgetable educational experience.
This project is sponsored by Conservation Education, Human Adaptability and
Biodiversity in Amazonia (CEHAB), an Ohio State University based
not-for-profit Organization and by Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi
(MPEG-Brazil) a 130 years old Federal research institution in the Amazon
Basin (The host Institution in Brazil).
The trip will be guided by Hilton P. da Silva, M.S., M.D. a native from the
Amazon Basin currently finishing his Ph.D. in Medical Anthropology/Public
Health at The Ohio State University (OSU), and an expert in Amazon
conservation and biodiversity. Other scholars and scientists from Brazil
will join us along the trip.
Destinations:
- The Ferreira Penna Research Station, a pristine tropical rain forest area
preserved by the MPEG exclusively for research, the Station is located 300
miles from Belem the capital of the State of Para and accessible only by
MPEG boats. The Station receives only invited researchers, and special
guests such as our group.
- A Native Caboclo settlement, where we will have the opportunity to
interact with the local population, visit their houses and understand their
tradtional lifestyle
- Belem, the oldest city in Northern Brazil and the gateway to the Amazon
River.
- The Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi (MPEG) one of the oldest and most
respected Federal research institutions in Brazil.
Costs:
Since this is a not-for-profit activity the trip's price is only $2,890.00
(DBO) per person for the entire fourteen days period. The price includes
roundtrip airfare from Miami, Florida, to Belem, all hotels, all guided
tours, all ground, river and airplane transportation inside Brazil, all
anthropological and ecological presentations and most meals.
For further details please contact Dr. Hilton P. da Silva
(Phone: 614 - 294-5875, Fax: 614 - 292-4155, or
E-mail: HSILVA@MAGNUS.ACS.OHIO-STATE.EDU.
Please check our Web Site (Courtesy of Dr. David Newman, UK):
http://www.qub.ac.uk/f&info/staff/dave/brasil/ecotour.html
Information is also available at the OSU Anthropology site:
http://www.sbs.ohio-state.edu/anthro/home.html.
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--Ron E. Mader, Publisher El Planeta Platica: Eco Travels in Latin America WWW http://www.planeta.com Ron@txinfinet.com ------------------------------------------------------------ InfiNet - an online community for progressive information BBS 512.462.0633 Telnet: shakti.txinfinet.com 3000 WWW http://www.greenbuilder.com