Andros prepares to lead Ecotourism (Nassau Guardian]

http://www.thenassauguardian.com/full_article.cfm?page_ID=5450&category_ID=1&newspaper_ID=3
> --
>
> [Local News] Andros prepares to lead
> [Image] Ecotourism
> [Editorials]
> [Image] Health Public [Image]
> [Sports] Analyst, Anthony
> [Image] Ryan, makes an Ecotourism
> [Social Life] presentation to students
> [Image] of Staniard Creek Primary
> [Business News] School during a recent
> [Image] educational tour of
> Andros.
> [resources]
> [travel] October 26th. 2000
> [Image] Andros took another step
> [banking] toward becoming the
> [Image] country's leader in
> [insurance] ecotourism recently with
> [Image] an education blitz that
> [realestate] taught more than 400
> [Image] students about
> [classifieds] preservation of the
> [Image] environment.
> Ministry of Tourism and
> [advertise here] Environmental Health
> officials toured Andros
> [Image] from Nicholls Town to The
> Bluff, teaching primary
> and secondary school
> students about ecotourism
> and protection of the
> environment. Educating
> young Androsians is an
> important step toward
> securing environmental
> health and firmly
> establishing Andros as The
> Bahamas' ecotourism
> leader, said Peter
> Douglas, manager of the
> Andros Tourism Office.
> "Andros can fit in as the
> number one Ecotourism
> destination in The Bahamas
> because it has 42 percent
> of the land mass of this
> country, the third largest
> barrier reef in the world,
> and the most blue holes
> per square inch than any
> place in the world," Mr.
> Douglas said.
> Many islands are exploring
> Ecotourism opportunities.
> Fifteen of The Bahamas' 24
> bonefish lodges have been
> built in The Bahamas in
> the last three years.
> However, Andros still has
> the greatest potential for
> Ecotourism and
> bonefishing, Mr. Douglas
> believes.
> "The bonefishig in Andros
> has a special flavour to
> it," he said.
> "You have the first
> Bahamian-owned bonefish
> lodge (Charlie's Haven)
> here in Andros and the
> most Bahamian bonefishing
> lodges in The Bahamas."
> Andros' legendary
> bonefishermen include
> Charlie Smith, inventor of
> the Crazy Charlie fishing
> fly.
> His invention is the basis
> of other fishing flies
> that are selling by the
> millions around the world.
> But Andros needs more than
> its natural resources and
> famous fishermen to
> solidify its ecotourism,
> Mr. Douglas said.
> He added that protected
> areas, parks and proper
> signage for Ecotourism
> sites are needed.
> "For this to happen, local
> and central government
> need to play a role in the
> preparation and promotion
> of the ecotourism
> product," he said.
> "The product is here, but
> the promotion is not here.
> That's what we need."
> Meanwhile, the Ministry of
> Tourism and Department of
> Environmental Health
> carried out its
> educational programme for
> Andros' students.
> Health Public Analyst
> Anthony Ryan made
> presentations to schools
> throughout Andros.
> School administrators and
> teachers selected 20
> students to serve their
> community as Environmental
> Marshals.
> Ministry of Tourism and
> Department of
> Environmental Health use
> the Environmental Marshals
> programme to encourage
> students to keep their
> community clean.
> They participate in
> cleanup projects and urge
> their peers to keep school
> grounds clean.
> "At the Ministry of
> Tourism, we have found a
> way to fight all those
> environmental monsters who
> destroy our environment,"
> Mr. Ryan told Andros
> students. "We are going to
> make you Environmental
> Marshals, almost like
> policemen.
> "From this day forward,
> you will look out for your
> school mates and keep your
> school clean." Mr. Ryan
> has lectured students in
> New Providence and Bimini
> on environmental
> protection as well.
> Working with the Ministry
> of Tourism, he will make
> presentations in other
> islands and return to the
> islands for follow-up
> visits.
Received on Thu Oct 26 14:27:44 2000