By Melanie Jae Martin

If you want to see great apes in the wild, Sumatra’s rainforest is one of the most accessible places to do just that. However, you need to know how to visit them responsibly or you could introduce illnesses, since they share over 97 percent of our DNA. Less than 7,000 Sumatran orangutans live in the wild, and they’re an essential part of the rainforest ecosystem, helping seeds to germinate and even pruning the canopy.

By Melissa Lim

The quality of life of our future generation lies in our actions today. Borneo Eco Tours, through its work with the Borneo Ecotourism Solutions & Technologies (BEST) Society, has always put effort in not just promoting the conservation of Sabah’s mega biodiversity to tourists, but also in nurturing the young generation of the “River people” (Orang Sungai) of Kinabatangan emphasizing the importance of forest-regeneration and its impact on the biodiversity of flora and fauna in the Kinabatangan flood plan.

By Hollie Tu

Last month I headed out on a tiny plane into the interior of Borneo to spend 10 days with the Penan. The Penan are one of the indigenous peoples of Sarawak and were, until recently, the only people to live a nomadic lifestyle within the rainforest. Today, most Penan have settled in villages where they primarily cultivate the land yet still utilize their hunter-gatherer skills to supplement their diet.

During the month of April, Gap Adventures (TIES business member) is celebrating the International Year of Forests, focusing on rainforest conservation, awareness-building, and fundraising – through the the Planeterra Foundation – for reforestation and sustainable farming education in Brazil. In addition, the team at Gap Adventures Base Camp in Toronto, Canada is joining up with other residents to help tree-planting efforts to contribute to the health of one of Toronto’s biggest urban parks.

The Rainforest Alliance provides tourism entrepreneurs and community-based businesses in Latin America with the tools and training they need to become more environmentally and socially responsible, to compete in the marketplace and to contribute to the conservation of the local cultures and nature. Last year, we launched the Rainforest Alliance Verified program.

Part 1 – Ecotourism 20 Years Ago

In 1989, hundreds of thousands of acres were being added to park systems to conserve ecosystems around the world. International conservation was going into high gear, driven by the rude fact that development was accelerating in the most vulnerable and biodiverse regions of the planet. Conservationists were talking more about preserving the Amazonian rain forest, and less about “saving the panda.”

By Rafael Gallo, Co-Founder, Rios Tropicales – In 1985 Jimmy, Fernando and I started Rios Tropicales because we loved running rivers, we knew our small country of Costa Rica had some of the world’s best paddling in the world, and we wanted to share these rivers with others. It was natural to us to protect the rivers we were running, help the communities we were visiting and train fellow Costa Ricans to do what we were doing. From our years of international paddling experience we knew guide school best practices and started our own guide school right away.

Located on the banks of the majestic Amazon river in Yanamono’s Communal Reserve (80km/50 miles away from Iquitos City), Amazon River Expeditions’ Heliconia Amazon River Lodge is surrounded by an amazing collection of brilliant flowers such as heliconias, bromelias, and orchids. The nearby streams and lagoons full of wildlife make the lodge a wonderful place to relax, as well as enjoy exciting nature adventures. Heliconia Lodge, in association with the Rotary Club of Iquitos, has successfully coordinated the establishment of a new secondary school.

La Selva Jungle Lodge, located in the heart of the pristine Amazon Rainforest of Ecuador has created what they call The Indigenous Spa, offering rejuvenating treatment by two native Quichua Indigenous women. This unique 1 hour and 20 minute spa treatment features native plant-based “rainforest spa” products and is a spiritual and educational experience. The treatment, for instance, includes a magical dusting away of evil spirits with special leaves, a foot massage with special scented plants from the forest..

The island’s steep coastlines and lovely reefs offer excellent snorkeling and scuba diving. The rainforest preserves of St. Lucia’s mountainous interior are one of the Caribbean’s finest locales for hiking, bird-watching and canopy ride adventures. Fond Doux Holiday Plantation in St Lucia is a 19th century colonial plantation hotel set in nature amidst the lush, tropical foliage of St Lucia’s breadbasket, historical center and world heritage site, Soufriere. Luxurious, historical and architecturally intriguing the Fond Doux Holiday Plantation is a journey back in time and closer to nature.