Eco-tourism

Eco-tourism is conservation-oriented travel that seeks to preserve the local environment and culture. The United Nations declared 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism and the New York Times called “eco-tourism” the buzzword of the year in 2006. Since then, eco-tourism has gained widespread popularity as more travelers choose this alternative type of vacation. Travelers can choose to go to exotic places and interact with the local people, which can foster better understanding and support for the preservation of unique ecosystems. 


Each year, Panama attracts thousands of travelers to one of the largest tropical rainforests in the Western Hemisphere.  Furthermore, travelers seek to visit Panama’s pristine coastlines, beautiful beaches, and the Panama Canal. Eco-tours allow travelers to explore the jungles and encounter the diverse flora and fauna in Panama. Many of the tours also include a visit to one of the indigenous groups like the Embera or Wounaan.  Spending the day with the Embera is one of the most popular tours to do in Panama.


To Learn More Visit:

World Heritage Alliance
http://www.worldheritagealliance.org/

Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria
http://www.sustainabletourismcriteria.org/

National Geographic – Adventure Blog:
http://ngadventure.typepad.com/blog/ecotourism/

Ecotourism: Traveling the World to Save It:
http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/12/17/travel/17journeys.html

The Nature Conservancy:
http://www.nature.org/

United Nations World Tourism Organization:
http://www.unwto.org/index.php

River Health

Rivers are especially important in Panama due to the Panama Canal.  The Panama Canal allows huge ships to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.  It consists of a series of channels, lakes, and locks that have to be filled with water each time a ship passes through.  The Charges Basin in Charges National Park provides the 52 million gallons of water that are needed for one ship to pass through the Panama Canal. Considering on average 38 ships pass through each day, the constant demand for water puts a strain on the rivers in Charges National Park and on the people that need these rivers to survive.  With drastic water level changes each year, the people who rely on these rivers for transportation, food, water, and other aspects of their survival see notable differences in the rivers and surrounding environment. The rivers are crucial to the survival of the indigenous peoples that live alongside them.  Without clean and flowing rivers, these people would have to seek out other places to live and may have to give up the traditional lifestyle they prefer and move into the very poor and dangerous areas in the nearby cities.

The Panama Canal is not the only threat to these rivers.  The rivers in Charges National Park are threatened by urban and industrial development from cities that are constantly growing, agriculture and cattle ranching which produce run-off that contaminates the rivers, and deforestation, which results in soil erosion and river sedimentation. 

To Learn More Visit:

The Nature Conservancy:
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/centralamerica/panama/

SN Encarta Encyclopedia:
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761577478/panama.html

Parks in Peril:
http://www.parksinperil.org/wherewework/centralamerica/panama/protectedarea/chagres.html