Ecotourism involves environmentally responsible travel to natural areas that promotes conservation and benefits local communities. It contains educational and interpretive features for small groups to minimize negative impacts. Achieving balance between conservation and development requires managing development density and local participation. The Jiuzhaigou Biosphere Reserve in China benefits from ecotourism by involving local communities and reducing farming/hunting to focus on the ecotourism business. Community-based ecotourism empowers local communities by involving them in conservation and giving them control over development. Ecotourism can fund environmental protection and education/development of local populations through tourism dollars.

1. ECOTOURISM

2. OVERVIEW

7. BALANCE BETWEEN ALLOWING TRAVELLERS ACCESS TO WILDLIFE & PRESERVATION OF THEIR ECOLOGICAL INTERGRITY

10. ©2009 Michael Yamashita / National Geographic

11. ENDANGERED SPECIES

15. MANAGING THE POPULARITY: THE CONFLICT IN ECOTOURISM BETWEEN ECONOMIC VIABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

17. MAN VERSUS NATURE: WHO’S NEEDS DO WE PROTECT?

18. MAN VS. NATURE: ECOTOURISM AS A SOLUTION

19. UNLIMITED ECOTOURISM

20. COMMUNITY BASED ECOTOURISM

29. TOURISM DOLLARS & EDUCATION OF LOCAL COMMUNITY