Unit 10: Environmental tourism in Canada

(Holly Innes and Alfred Hecht)

Environmental tourism or ecotourism is the responsible travel to natural areas, which conserves the environment and sustains the well being of local people. It is purposeful travel that creates an understanding of cultural and natural history, while safeguarding the integrity of the ecosystem and producing economic benefits that encourage preservation. Ecotourism infers a scientific, aesthetic or philosophical approach with a high level of interpretation [1].

The following are some ecotourism guidelines: staying on the trails; packing out any garbage brought in; taking out all food; leaving everything as is; leaving all animal species alone; keeping a distance from wild animals; choosing visiting time carefully so as to not interfere with breeding times; keeping pets leashed in wilderness areas; purchasing only those goods and souvenirs made in environmentally sensitive processes; choosing accommodation providers carefully [2]; and while camping, burning small campfires.

From the great variety of ecotourism only a few examples can be presented. In Ontario, ecotourism opportunities abound in the Hamilton area. The city advertises a special set of environmental tours [3] on the Internet including the Niagara Escarpment Bruce Trial system. In 1990, the United Nations proclaimed the Niagara Escarpment a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve [4]. It is a haven for wildlife and nature enthusiasts. One spot to visit in this area is the Devil's Punch Bowl [5]. The focal point of this 25 hectare passive conservation area is a dramatic waterfall, the product of a process that began about 450 million years ago. Known worldwide among geologists for its exposed rock strata, Devil's Punch Bowl also provides a spectacular view. Another example from Southern Ontario is the Grand River Conservation Authority [6]. This non-profit organization has developed a wide range of ecotours in the watershed area of the Grand River.

Manitoba offers unique outdoor experiences through different companies. One such company is the Travel Manitoba [7]. Their 1999 program [8] consists of recreational activities including low-impact camping, hiking, nature viewing and canoeing, and cultural learning through the enjoyment of local cuisine, participation in Aboriginal and rural community events and visits to heritage sites. The most popular ecotours in Manitoba include trips to Churchill [9] on the shores of Hudson Bay, the self defined "Polar bear capital of the world", where one can ride on special tundra buggies [10] to watch the polar bears [11].

Alberta offers a great variety of adventure tours [12]. Bordering the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks [13] are landscapes, more spectacular and wilder than the much-visited sites. During this type of tour one does not rely on official trails [14], instead hiking is done through the remote mountain wilderness, using passes not listed in any guide books. Visitors can also ride through the alpine meadows and wide valleys, using the ancient trails of the bears and bighorn sheep. For the final days one can paddle a canoe down a swift river, and camp on the islands. Ecotourism is often combined with nature museums, as can be seen from the Kalyna Country Ecomuseum [15] in Alberta. In southern Alberta, the badlands [16] are of special geographical and biological interest. Surrounded by the scary landscapes and the famous hodoos is the Tyrell Museum [17] near Drumheller, one of the most outstanding museums of the world featuring prehistoric fauna and wildlife, especially the dinosaurs.

Adventure tours and ecotours abound in British Columbia. Coastal Ecosystems Research Foundation [18] (CERF) is a Canadian non-profit organization that funds research on whales, dolphins, and their environment through an ecotourism program. CERF conducts research [19] on the biology and ecology of gray whales [20], humpback whales and white-sided dolphins in Canadian waters. For the first time in 1999 they have been focussing their research on a group of resident gray whales and their environment. They are looking at the whales' use of the habitat, how long they spend feeding, what they are feeding on and how they interact with one another. Research will be carried out from a pair of reconverted fishing boats, following the whales as unobtrusively as possible. Whale enthusiasts are invited to be a part of this project by accompanying CERF biologists on a seven-day gray whale research expedition, with the chance to learn field techniques first hand from the research biologists. It is a wilderness adventure, working along a remote stretch of British Columbia, camping between the rainforest and the waves [21]. Particularly whale watching [22] is a very popular way of exploring the coastal waters of the Pacific, offered by a great many agencies.

In Quebec, there are similar opportunities. A wide range of ecotours is offered by Ecomertours [23]. An interesting tour is "Les Escapades Nord Cotieres". It can be reached by travelling north to Labrador and east up to Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon. Here one will reach the wildest natural site of the Quebec North East and Labrador region, as the Internet advertisement emphasizes:

Especially in the Lower St. Lawrence region and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence [25], whale watching is a very widespread form of ecotourism, similar to the situation on the coast of the Pacific.

An interesting example of ecotourism is the East Coast Trail [26] in Newfoundland. It is a 360 km long hiking trail following North America's easternmost coastline. It begins at Topsail Beach, Conception Bay and when complete, will run to Cape Race on the southeastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula. The trail was begun in 1994 by a small band of hiking enthusiasts who devoted weekends and evenings to the task of linking existing hunting paths and coastal rights of way into a single system that can be accessed from any one of the 30 communities along the way. It follows a complex, constantly changing shoreline noteworthy for its wide range of cultural and natural attractions [27]. Some trail sections are easy rambles along sheltered shorelines. Other sections lead the hiker deep into a wilderness setting of formidable cliffs, towering sea stacks, deep fjords, and 200 meter high headlands.

Of particular interest to adventurers and ecotourists are the Northwest Territories. Whether travelling by dog sled in the spring or by boat in the late summer, visitors to Broughton Island can experience the hazards and rewards of Arctic travel. Many agencies have specialized in adventure tours to the Arctic [28] and offer programs of all kinds [29]. Winter visitors who want to travel in traditional Inuit style, can spend a day learning the ancient art of building an Igloo. They can then spend a night in their igloo wrapped in caribou skin robes. Dog sled trips [30] of several days in duration are also available. Once the ice breaks up in late July, one can travel by boat to see the whales, icebergs, glaciers and towering fjords with 900 meter cliffs and sparkling waterfalls. True an unforgettable experience from the North is the observation of the northern lights [31] (aurora borealis).