More Valuable Sunk than Sailing.

More Valuable Sunk than Sailing.

The Queensland Tourism Minister says the scuttling of HMAS Brisbane , off the Sunshine Coast has brought in a million dollars in tourism profits. The former Navy ship was scuttled on the 31st of July, 2005 to create an artificial reef for a dive site. Desley Boyle is quoted to have said

“There is also the amazing story of the artificial reef that has grown at a great rate around the wreck, very much faster than had been predicted,”

Though these artificial reefs enhance the diversity of marine life in the midst of barren sea beds, providing a venue for ecotourism, some environmentalist believe that the process is an interference in the natural order of things.

Image

Via: Yahoo News

Tags: Artificial Reef, Brisbane, Ecotourism, Queensland, Scuttling, Sunshine coast, Travel

Coral Cay Conservation takes the cake

Coral Cay Conservation takes the cake

Coral Cay Conservation, an award-winning non profit organization that has been running conservation expeditions since 1986. Their aim being to protect the world’s most endangered coral reefs, tropical forests and yet help people sustaining their livelihood. Peter Raines is the founder and CEO of Coral Cay Conservation (CCC).

According to Raines, Coral reefs can bring in a lot of trade for the tourism sector, reef-based tourism alone is estimated globally to be worth something like GBP 6bn (EUR 8.8bn) per annum. Economically the coral reefs can be used only for fishing and aquaculture, the only other source of revenue is Tourism. CCC makes sure that this kind of tourism does not take place at the cost of harming the ecology of the reef or making the fishermen loose their jobs.

In Fiji due to their recommendations about 20 Marine Protected Areas have come up. Because of their efforts Belize barrier reef was declared a heritage site.They are not so much for artificially created reefs the only help latest technology has been for them has been the accessibility of high resolution satellite images to help them in the work they do.

Image

Thanks: Peter Raines

Via: Eco Club

Tags: Belize, Coral Cay Conservation, Coral Reefs, Fiji, Peter Raines, Travel, World Heritage Site

Draw your Dream trip along Danube’s Delta

Draw your Dream trip along Danube’s Delta

Starting in Germany formed with the amalgation of Brigach and the Breg, river Danube crosses through various European countries to finally flow into the Black sea. It is here that it forms the second largest delta of Europe, a 1.6-million-acre World Biosphere Reserve. Preserved as a world heritage site this delta is home to varied varieties of birds and animals. It’s a bird watchers paradise where Birds from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Mediterranean come during the migration seasons. A dream trip would be to follow the river across northern Romania to its Black sea coast between Constanta and the Ukrainian border.

A good place to stay would be Diwaker Singh and Munteanu’s Delta Nature Resort opened in May 2005.

Image

Via: Los Angles Times

Tags: Bird Watchers, Black Sea, Danube, Delta, Delta Nature Resort, Europe, Travel, World Biosphere Reserve

Thrill and Chill at Killer Whale Safari

Thrill and Chill at Killer Whale Safari

Norwegian Coastal Voyage is introducing 7 days long Killer Whale Safaris to Norway’s rugged Lofoten Islands from October 22 to December 26. These islands have been made famous by the narrow inlet of Tysfjord where about 600 killer wales( also called orcas) migrate in the winters to feed on herrings. To get the early booking Specials log on to their website.

Image

Read

Tags: Herrings, Norway, Norwegian Coastal Voyage, Travel, Tysfjord, Whale Safaris

Sulphur Emissions to Reduce Global warming?

Sulphur Emissions to Reduce Global warming?

Paul Crutzen , Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry in 1995, of Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, suggests infusing the stratosphere (above the troposphere and directly below the mesosphere, it has a stratified temperature) with particles of Sulphur which could reflect back the Sun’s ray’s. His views are published in the journal Climate Change. Crutzen’s theory would work like the cooling effects of volcanic eruptions, which send large sulfur-rich clouds into the atmosphere.

Even with nation’s working towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, extreme measures like this may become necessary to give more time. But a lot of people disagree with touching the natural balance, skeptics abound towards Geo-Engineering . The scientist himself hopes such a stage would not arise. Positive end would be brilliant sunrises and sunsets on the horizon and negative might result in raining Sulphur.

Image

Thanks: Kate Ravilious

Via : National Geographic

Tags: Atmosphere, Chemistry, Geo-Engineering, Global Warming, Paul Crutzen, Stratosphere, Sulphur, Travel, Volcanic Eruptions

Dead Waters of Oregon

Dead Waters of Oregon

Waters low in Oxygen have created a death trap for aquatic life off the coast of Oregon. This has been occurring since the summer of 2002. Deep sea fish and crabs that don’t move away from these waters die out. If the situation continues it might extend unto the Washington shores. Jane Lubchenco, a marine biologist at Oregon State University in Corvallis said :

“This is the first year we’ve seen the dead zone expand,”

It’s something unusual triggering this unnatural, deadly phenomenon the answer is upwelling, a natural process of moving ocean currents that might result in Dead Zones. Some experts think the shifting winds are changing the timing of the upwelling, and in turn, the size of the dead zone.

One theory is that bacteria feeding on dead plankton(that sank due to early upwelling) used up the oxygen. These oxygen depleted waters then end up next to the shores due to upwelling. Oregon’s oxygen-poor area is one of nearly 150 dead zones that pop up around the world.

Another might nitrogen and phosphorous dumped as industrial wastes by human activities into the sea.

Either way all attempts should be made to bring alive these dead zones.

Still others think that all this is a result of Global Warming.

Image

Thanks: Cameron Walker

Via: National Geographic

Tags: Dead Waters, Dead Zone, Global Warming, Nitrogen, Ocean Currents, Oregon, Phosphorous, Travel, Upwelling

Shark Safari

Shark Safari

The Audubon Society of Rhode Island is planning a shark safari for 4 days in August and September. The participants will get to see sharks in their natural environment. The trip will be coordinated to watch the tagging of sharks by the National Marine Fisheries Service research study.

It is scheduled for 21st and 28th August, 6th and 13th of September. From 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. Tickets are priced at $78 for members of the Audubon society, $88 for non-members. To further information, call 949-5454, ext. 3041, or e-mail programs@asri.org. Book your tickets soon for seats are limited.

Image

Via: The Jamestown Press

Tags: Audubon Society, environment, National Marine Fisheries Service, Rhode Island, Shark Safari, Travel

Village Tourism in Zambia

Village Tourism in Zambia

A new tourism concept called ‘village tourism‘ has been introduced by Thorn Tree Safaris. The concept cannot be truly regarded as new as it has been explored under “agritourism” The concept means living with the villagers getting a feel of their culture and food habits .

According to Stephanie Gabriel, it is aimed at showcasing the hospitality of Zambians. It’s a two way process in which the villagers are also helped and the guests entertained. Thorn Tree has aligned with Miyamba and Chipwa villages. The Zambia National Tourist Board (ZNTB) will this year be promoting Luapula and Northern provinces through the ‘Visit Zambia 2006′ campaign.

Image

Thanks: David Silwamba

Via: All Africa

Tags: Africa, Culture, Food habits, Hospitality, Thorn Tree Safaris, Travel, Village Tourism, Z.N.T.B, Zambia

Melting Ice , Rising Oceans

Melting Ice , Rising Oceans

As per a study recently conducted the Greenland ice sheets are melting 3 times faster. This further strengthens the fact that global warming has increased in the recent years. Greenland ice loss now amounts to more than 48 cubic miles (200 cubic kilometers) each year. Global sea levels have risen by about 0.1 inch (2.8 millimeters) a year over the past decade.

The new study is based on an analysis of gravity measurements collected by satellites that orbit the Earth. The satellites are part of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), which was launched in March 2002 and is run by a team of experts in the U.S. and Germany. Melted Greenland would result in the rise of global oceans by about 21.3 feet (6.5 meters). The question is how long global warming is going to take to waste the island ?

Image

Thanks: John Roach

Via: National Geographic News

Tags: Decade, Germany, Global Warming, Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment, Greenland, Ice Sheets, Melting, Travel, U.S

Poland not complying by “Natura 2000”?

Poland not complying by “Natura 2000”?

Natura 2000 is a European Union programmed to preserve the 25-nation bloc’s most important wildlife areas and species. According to World Wildlife Fund (WWF), half of Europe’s mammal species, one-third of reptile, amphibian and fish species, as well as one-third of plant species are threatened with extinction.

European Commission biodiversity expert Agata Zdanowicz has described the situation as being serious stating that Poland has failed to protect 85% of its designated 72 sites. Poland defended itself through its tourism minister Mr. Mazurek who said

“Some areas have been appointed without a detailed knowledge of what is in them. Local governments do not agree on many of those areas,”

Natura 2000 protects 18% of land in the 15 countries that formed the EU before its growth in 2004.

Image

Via: BBC News

Tags: European Union, Mammals, Natura 2000, Poland, Species, Tourism, Travel, Wildlife