After the Tour:
How Ecotourists can Help Indigenous Communities Protect Biologically Diverse Ecosystems

After the excitement of that once-in-a-lifetime trip wears off a bit, many ecotourists would like to continue contributing to the local communities they visited. Perhaps those now far-away voices echo: "Don't forget us! We are connected now. Join our struggles to sustain our families and protect the ecosystems we depend on." Global Response, an environmental action and education organization, offers ecotourists an effective way to 'give back' to indigenous communities and protect biologically diverse ecosystems like the ones they encountered while on vacation. In many places Global Response's indigenous partners seek to develop ecotourism as an alternative to oil development and other external threats to their lands.

Tourists may or may not see the destructive forces that threaten the ancient forests, fragile coral islands, pristine, wild rivers, and other places that they visit. Often, local populations are fighting David vs. Goliath battles to protect their natural resources. Many communities courageously stand up to powerful multinational corporations and repressive or corrupt governments whose 'development' projects would spell disaster to fragile environments and endangered species. Yet local protests are often ignored by decision makers far away in national capitals.

In these situations, people who have visited the regions (and those who would like to visit) can bring effective pressure on governments and corporations that may be very sensitive to world public opinion and the tourist dollar. By organizing international letter-writing campaigns on behalf of local communities, Global Response greatly increases the chance that they will succeed in their efforts to protect precious ecosystems. Global Response letter-writers in over 100 countries have already helped win victories in 42 percent of Global Response campaigns since 1990.

For example, in 2001, letters from children, teens and adults helped convince the Mexican government to revoke a permit for luxury hotel construction on X'cacel beach, Mexico's most important nesting beach for green and loggerhead sea turtles. As a result, X'cacel now offers permanent protection for nesting female turtles and hatchlings, as well as 30 other protected species, including boa constrictors, marsh crocodiles, manatees, margays, jaguarundis and mangroves.

In 2002, when the Costa Rican government granted concessions along the Caribbean coast to US oil companies, coastal communities organized to protect their coral reefs, beaches and marine life from industrial contamination. A Global Response letter-writing campaign helped them persuade the Ministry of Environment to reject the oil companies' Environmental Impact Studies, calling oil development 'environmentally unviable.' Subsequently, a new President cancelled all oil development in Costa Rica's coastal waters.

Now (Sept. 2004) in Ecuador, the Shuar and Achuar people are under siege for trying to stop oil exploration on their traditional lands. For thousands of years they have lived in the ancient tropical rainforest where the Amazon lowlands meet the Andes. The Achuar, who only came into contact with the outside world in the late 1960s, live by hunting, gathering and subsistence agriculture, conserving the forest that blankets 97 percent of their traditional territory. With their Shuar neighbors, they protect one of Ecuador's last remaining large tracts of ancient tropical rainforest, extraordinarily rich in species diversity.

Ecuadorian officials repeatedly threaten to use military force if necessary to open indigenous territories for oil exploration. This is a critical fight for rainforest protection and indigenous peoples' rights. Global Response members are writing to urge Burlington Resources and the Ecuadorian government to recognize the right of the Shuar and Achuar peoples to say 'no' to oil. These are just a few of their many, critically important campaigns across the globe.

A low-budget, lean and efficient non-profit organization based in Boulder CO, Global Response plays David to the Goliaths of the global economy with the support of local volunteers and 6,000 current members in over 100 countries. Members receive action alerts by regular mail and/or email, and keep abreast of campaign news by visiting the website at www.globalresponse.org.

Only by expanding its committed letter-writing membership can Global Response continue to amplify the voices of indigenous communities and speak up to protect such endangered species as the Western Gray Whale, Tucuxi dolphin, Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle, Bengal tiger and snow leopard. By joining, ecotravelers can keep alive their treasured memories of fascinating people and fabulous adventures in far-flung places by taking vital, effective, yet simple action at home. Contact Director Paula Palmer at 303-444-0306 or visit the website for more information on how to join and/or donate.

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