To provide information and education about nature-based travel and recreation opportunities in Mendocino County. To promote a sustainable ecology for the responsible enjoyment of nature by fostering and supporting sound conservation practices.
Then we created a 5 Year Strategic Plan with 2 goals:
1. Assist organizations, businesses, and government agencies with the preservation and stewardship of Mendocino County’s natural recreation areas and ecological assets by providing research, education and information.
2. Foster and promote sustainable nature-based travel and recreation that supports the conservation and stewardship of the natural, ecological, scenic, cultural, and historic values found in Mendocino County.
Into the Wild With Wildlife Tourism
As if travelling to destination areas is not exciting enough, individuals became engrossed with the idea of travelling to see animals as well. Although every aspect of travelling almost always exposes humans to animals, people became highly specific and sought the chance of touring to visit places where animals are largely located, thus wildlife tourism became known.
The magnet to this kind of travelling is the intent to see a species of a wild animal in its natural habitat. All throughout history, the region that has benefited the most from this industry is Africa as it has in its territory a vast collection of exotic and wild animals. Although, many other territories like the Galapagos islands, New Zealand and the country of Bolivia has been catching up as the market for this kind of leisure activity is becoming more and more popular.
This sector of the tourism industry has been going on before it was even realized that it could offer more – the chance to educate people about the natural existence of animals as well as the noble idea of conserving their species. Wildlife then was just confined to game animals but has now expanded to include all vertebrate animals that remain undomesticated.
Wildlife tourism is largely based on the stimulus with which the visitor is interested to seek wildlife, for what purposes it may serve. Non-consumptive form of wildlife travel means that there is no intent to catch or kill the animal. The main idea of the encounter is to just watch. Furthermore, this type can either be characterized by how the encounter may be presented.
The interaction can either be wildlife dependent or wildlife independent. Wildlife dependent pursuit qualifies if a visitor specifically asks to see a wild animal then the situation is made to happen. While if it is a wildlife independent pursuit, there is no request from the client to see an animal, if it may happen it will solely be by chance.
Wildlife independent type of interaction usually includes people who would rather take pictures, videos or just desire to watch the animal from afar. Although the encounter is purely coincidental, it has been speculated that this type of wildlife endeavor causes more disruption than what is intended. Whale watching is also a famous recreational pursuit falling under this category. Studies have shown that the increasing numbers of tourists who involve themselves in this kind of recreation have become a factor in the declining number of whale “appearances”.
On the other hand, consumptive type of wildlife tourism seeks an encounter to either kill or catch a wildlife species. It can be hunting or fishing for recreational purposes or trophy hunting or fishing. This type of quest is highly regulated by governments and hunters are usually issued permits. The season as well as the type of which animal to hunt is specified in a set of rules evident to licensed hunters.
This sector of the tourism industry has always been the subject of debate as to who benefits the most. Pro animal groups claim that it is a form of exploitation and inhumane while advocates remain firm in saying that wildlife facilities do more good for the conservation of the animal species than what they are led to believe.
White Water Rafting
The travel industry is operated largely based on temptation. The attractiveness of the destination area is primary to both consumer and marketer. Campaign advertisements to lure tourists to visit Australia depicts a koala eating from a human hand, or a 4×4 jeep roughly riding the sand dunes will seduce tourists to soak in under the Arabian sun. These have all been proven effective marketing strategies urging people to book the next flight out or to save the next holiday for the activity.
Many outdoor recreational activities have been included in a list of what destination areas have to offer. Lately, the trend to travelling has shifted gears towards packaged tours. The airline, hotel accommodations as well as the activities that travellers will enjoy are all pre arranged of by an external firm. This has made travelling even more hassle free and family or group oriented. Fun-related and outdoor activities have been selling the tickets as they present glamour to the whole trip.
One famous recreational activity that has made trips worth your while is white water rafting. This wet and wild experience literally sits you through a course of rough waters and adventurers will find themselves screaming while silently praying for the rapids to end.
White water rafting has six different grades of difficulty. The difficulty is based on the roughness of the course and is highly dependent on the skills of the tourist once in the water. Grade 1 usually involves very basic skills, as the rapids require minimal maneuvering. Grades 2 and 3 require paddling skills as twists, turns and small drops may be encountered on the river.
Grade 4 and 5 are river courses, which have medium to big waves, more frequent drops and skilled maneuvering is necessary. Most experienced white water rafters enjoy finishing a course of either grade 4 or 5. A course that is rated as a Grade 6 is highly hazardous and people who come out of the rapids alive is considered more lucky than experienced.
Usual facilities that offer this type of extreme interest only have grades 1 to 5 to offer. Children are allowed to join in on the fun as the cut off age for the experience begins at the age of 5. Also, because it is typically unchallenging, grade 1 rivers are reserved for social value rafting only.
This pursuit is highly dangerous but because it has become a favorite pastime, it has been developed into a safer indulgence. Safety precautions always accompany the riders as professional guides often sits in with the team to ensure that passengers follow the rules throughout the duration of the ride. Most accidents have been known to occur because of the misbehavior of people than as a direct result of the raging rivers. As a matter of fact, many mishaps have been met in calmer waters than in the white water sections.
All in all, the recognition that the whole experience is treacherous and requires a high level of discipline will surely keep you safe to run another course of white water rafting.
Protecting Nature Reserves
Due to the impact of supporting the rapid population growth, man has resorted to various activities that involved a lot of land clearing. Rice paddies have continuously been paved for agriculture and farming purposes while logging and deforestation are industries that support the rise of infrastructures.
Sadly, in mans quest to seek better future for himself, a lot of the mother nature’s resources have been exploited if not diminished. Because of such, governments found the need to develop rules and regulations that will disallow if not control man’s disruptive behavior. Areas of importance have been subjected to government protection.
Depending on the size of the area, governments can grant protection to an area of ecological importance. It can either be a wildlife reserve, ecological reserve, sanctuary and alike. Areas that are designated as nature reserves serve the ultimate purpose of guardianship for the wildlife, animals, plants and geological sites that are deemed important to the conservation of biodiversity.
These areas are protected therefore development of any size is strictly prohibited. Like ecological reserves, these areas are for the benefit of scientific research, the educational community and for appreciation of the beauty of nature.
A great effort from the local community is needed in order to recognize the need to protect these areas. Seeing the potential for profit, many of these areas can easily be used for mining, logging, forestry or any activities done by man, which can endanger the diverse ecosystem and other special features of the area.
Nature reserves has no restriction in the size of land area unlike that of ecological reserves which are areas less than 1000 km2 and are generally smaller than wilderness reserves. The designation of the total area for this type of facility usually depends on land ownership as well as the expanse of the area that needs protecting. A facility is not largely owned by the government and on private properties; the permission of the landowner is always sought.
Maintenance of the quality of animal and plant life in nature reserves must involve a vigilant action from the local residents. These areas are easily destructible and sometimes even if already protected cannot be given full security by the government.
In several cases, the recognition of their importance is not discovered until an active member of the community reports disruptive efforts to the government. Because of such, the government on its part recognizes the need for information dissemination and believes that public awareness holds the key.
This is the reason why these protected areas are open to the public. But still it must be put to mind that some sections contain vulnerable animals, plants or ecosystems and are not advised for viewing. Also, it must be noted that entrance to the facility can be granted by the government alone and must also be sought from the owner of the land. Low impact outdoor recreational activities are allowed in the area just as long it does not alter nor any way damage the site.
Keeping areas protected has become a difficult task nowadays. The illegal acts of man have been overlooked for so long that it comes as second nature to many. But still, with shared interest of protecting and preserving the environment, the good deeds of man can still prevail.
Why Choose Nature Based Tourism
The travel industry has been centralized in marketing international destinations. Many airlines have capitalized their campaign on low cost airfares while others have enticed tourists with their exotic advertising strategies. These and many other gimmicks have worked as the tourism industry finds its way on top of all other businesses. But surely, a travelling does not have to be miles away to be fun, nor it has to foreign to be considered a destination.
Nature based tourism has been steadily gaining ground amidst all the other more popular sectors of the industry. This type of travelling connects the tourist with nature to a more personal level. With several of natural activities to try, no wonder more and more people are talking about it. Popular activities associated with this type of tourism are bird watching, fishing and camping. Advocates believe that this type of leisure activity is not only economically affordable but also more family oriented as well.
In this age and time when there is little time to pamper oneself, when all people want to do is get on with their lives and finish work, this offers a quick escape from all of that. It is an efficient way of letting go as this kind of tourism lets you a full access to mother nature yet remarkably situated just near the city. Allowing a sigh of relief for professionals who may need a quick return to their offices.
Another advantage of engaging yourself in this kind of outdoor activity is the entitlement of spending quality time with the older members of your family. A simple drive up to a farm with your grandmother, listen in on the mooing of the cows or watch the swaying of the trees is leisure enough especially when enjoyed with the company of loved ones. Sometimes, people get more relaxed just by sitting on the grass doing nothing than by travelling far and wide just to have fun.
Nature based tourism is not just a way of travelling small but rather a big way of helping out with sustainability. Most activities associated with this type of tourism are non- consumptive, meaning there is not much need to shell out money or is there even a need to build facilities that may disrupt the natural habitat of the animals and plants. By encouraging friends to bike around the watershed or trek up the mountains are little steps that actually help big in helping conserve what is left of mother earth.
Schools and its pupils may also benefit from nature based tourism as some farms or ranches open their gates for immersion classes. This would allow city dwellers and alike the exposure to what rural life has to offer. Activities like milking a goat, processing cheese or just the plain adventure of waking up on the countryside are activities that renders man closest to nature.
Travelling does not always have to be expensive, distant or exclusive. It can be as close as the park in your city or as dark as the caves of bats, no matter, nature and all its beauty is never a step too far.
Ecological Reserves 101
Ecological reserves are the modern day Noah’s Ark. These places have been assigned to specifically preserve and nurture representative of each and every known animal or plant species that man has ever encountered. The idea was conceptualized around the late 1960s when nations have agreed upon that there is a need to collect, use and store a portion of each living creature for the purpose of conservation. Since then, countries have complied and thousands of facilities have spread through out the world.
These sites are protected areas that serve the main purpose of reinforcing education and the scientific community by allowing both institutions the access to its collection from time to time. Though these facilities are open to the public, its primary purpose is for the propagation and protection of all forms of life and must not in anyway be exploited. No mining, logging or any type of development shall be made on such protected area.
Though such facilities may provide a low level form of recreation like walking, sight seeing and others like a venue for nature photography, it must not be confused with recreational parks or zoological gardens. These areas have strict rules implemented and compliance is of high standard.
Another very important purpose of this type of facility is to provide an area for which control can be established once when changes in and around the environment occurred. It is for such specific reason that it has become a testament to how humans take their guardianship of all other living creatures to a serious level.
In house or student researches can also be conducted in ecological reserves facility. Not only because it has extensive data bank but more so because it provides a secure location for time based studies. The facility remains undisturbed and is optimum for data gathering.
The idea of creating or assigning an area as a place for preserving animal or plant life is not exclusive to anyone. In fact, ecological reserves are established by a nomination, which can be made by any individual who finds a certain location fit to deserve protection and deemed as ecologically significant. All nominations will be reviewed by an assigned committee and will then be forwarded to higher office, which will act on the nomination. In the form, the nominating individual will have the opportunity to propose their desired name for the site.
Other questions about the area are also asked like the total area, access, location and jurisdiction. Outstanding features such as a brief description of what can be seen in the site, the degree of disturbance, any existing activity occurring on the area are also asked under status summary. Several more detailed questions inquiring about the beauty of the area and the points by which it can be assessed follow.
In any case that the answers to the questions cannot be provided, the committee assures that location and short description of the area will suffice providing that a map be included upon submission.
All things considered, the main purpose of such facilities is the perpetuation of biological life forms so that in time, when man has become extinct, the possibility that other living creatures may subsist does not die with them.