Ecotourism seeks a greener path in AlbertaSomewhere on the road to utopia, ecotourism took a bumpy detour. Whether it was unscrupulous operators, bloated claims, unrealistic expectations or simply confusion over exactly what ecotourism meant, the concept hasn't yet lived up to its promise as a low-impact sector of the global industry. Within Alberta, Aurum Lodge would seem a perfect candidate as an ecotourism operator (see related story). Not connected to the power grid, the lodge meets nearly all its energy needs from a combination of solar power, excellent insulation and conservation practices. Its operators encourage nature appreciation and low-impact activities in the surrounding Rocky Mountains and donate a portion of gross revenues to various environmental causes. Indeed in 2001, it won the first Alberta ALTO Award for sustainable tourism and is the only Alberta lodging to receive a five-leaf rating from the Audubon Green Leaf Eco-Rating Program.
Yet Aurum Lodge owner Alan Ernst remains ambivalent about using the ecotourism label. "There's no scientific definition of what constitutes ecotourism or even sustainable tourism," he says. "The term has also definitely been abused. There's been a lot of green-washing, a lot of people selling themselves as green or environmentally friendly, even though their intent is to bring in more visitors rather than truly protect the environment." Still, there are a growing number of Alberta tourism operators who appear to meet the International Ecotourism Society's definition of ecotourism as "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and sustains the well-being of local people." For example, Inside Out Experience leads visitors on low-impact activities such as rafting and hiking and mountain biking (on established trails) from its base in Bragg Creek near Kananaskis Country; the company often picks clients up in a shuttle bus rather than have them all arrive in separate vehicles. During excursions, guides educate clients about the natural surroundings, outdoor etiquette (such as low-impact camping) and environmental impacts such as nearby logging. Inside Out Experience also gets as many goods and services as possible from Bragg Creek businesses, and it supports local aboriginal youth. "We're training 12 kids from the Stoney Reserve to become hiking, biking and rafting guides this summer," says company owner Andrew Pratt. "That also allows clients to learn about local history from an aboriginal perspective." In the Porcupine Hills of southwest Alberta, Shaunere and Brian Lane have won a national environmental stewardship award for reducing grazing pressures, reviving native grasses and restoring creeks on their Brown Creek Ranch. Their rambling property is also a guest ranch to one family or couple at a time. "The guests get a chance to see a quiet working ranch and wildlife, too," says Shaunere. "It's nice to show people that their food begins on a family ranch in a clean, healthy atmosphere. It's also important to be a steward, because a lot of good agricultural land is being bought up and turned into shopping centres."
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