GREEN TOURISM. THE BEST SOURCE OF FINANCING AGAINST THE CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH THE PROTECTION OF TROPICAL FORESTS.

GREEN TOURISM. THE BEST SOURCE OF FINANCING AGAINST THE CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH THE PROTECTION OF TROPICAL FORESTS.

By:  César Augusto Angel Valencia

Interpretespatrimoniocolombia.blogspot.com

Fuente fotografías WWF - autor

Febrero 2012

While the political world has spent decades precious in interminable discussions on reducing the effects of climate change, and scientists around the world use immense economic resources, some to demonstrate that climate change exists and others to deny it, in various parts of the world there are many other people, communities, activists, representatives of NGO's, servants of means and operational levels, Ranger, conservacionistas….., in general, people who are aware that the solution is not achieved only with political discussions, great forums and conferences, if not on the contrary actions specific tropical forests threatened by various productive or extractive activities in favour of the conservation of natural resources, many of them.

In this scenario of tension, conservation or risk of loss of our natural heritage tourism plays a significant role, since the large flow of visitors to these natural areas enable income generation to the chain of actors is involved in a range of tourist, which is no doubt based on greater protection and conservation of the cogestor, motivator and natural appeal of the longed tourist experience by those who move in search of pristine places or to the least in excellent condition.

The impact of this activity on the natural environment – minimum!, the benefits certainly for ecosystems and human populations living in areas of influence of the same, when compared with any other extractive or productive proposal today encouraging towards forests, especially tropical.  Mining, farming, extensive agriculture, logging.

While the world sees the results of the last Summit in Durban, which away from the look at the adoption of a global mechanism for reducing emissions from deforestation through the generation of carbon credits, at least until 2020, you, as a tourist, nature lover can do something with disappointment.

Waiting to find resources for protecting forests through an ineffective mechanism such as the REDD+, initiatives to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, as well as the conservation of stocks of carbon, which continue to be seeking markets financing volunteers and without large corporations that are enriched at the expense of carbon emissions are forced to at least financially compensate the damage caused for decades; You now can do something.

You can do something fun, exciting, enriching and edifying for her life. Visit natural areas, support initiatives for conservation, nature reserves, national parks in countries of development, indigenous reservations, rural with small peasant communities, which depend on the resources of tourism as an alternate and complementary to their traditional activities productive alternatives, is in itself is a real contribution, direct and with effects in the short term.

Itself increasingly more people make the decision to travel to destinations in nature, be channelled resources to protect forests, so these will not only be protected, if that will not also motivate the creation of new natural areas that would safeguard vulnerable ecosystems.

You who always wondered what I can do?, choose a destination for nature, check their contribution to conservation and the participation of communities in the same. At the end, amazing photos, unique memories, new friends and the satisfaction that you if you do something in the Woods will be the sum which will ensure that the experience of trip you wanted for your holidays.

Montezuma Rain Forest Reserve. Pueblo Rico - Risaralda - Colombia