Pat Ganase encourages Trinbagonians to enjoy nature in these retreats on our islands.
“Tobago has always had ecotourism,” says one environmentalist engaged in tourism.
And Trinidad? The country’s best known ecotourism destination prides itself on attracting visitors from all over the world for close to 60 years.
Who are these ecotourists that come from elsewhere, to be charmed by where we live here: the nature of forests and seashores and the animals and plants there? Do they always need to be foreigners?
The best thing about eco-tourism is that everyone can enjoy it, learn from it and become better citizen stewards of our own country. It does not require massive infrastructure, but does depend on strategic investments in long-term management of natural resources.
Perhaps the most important foundation is respect for natural spaces. Any vision of individual or community can only be enhanced and supported through policy, conscious use and the reliability of necessary systems.
[caption id="attachment_1071789" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Hacienda Jacana is a former citrus estate on the forest edge in Talparo. -[/caption]
The returns at the start may be slow, but over time can grow exponentially in outreach and returning visitors.
Over the last few years – and especially since covid – the most loyal visitors to Tobago have come from Trinidad. In fact, many Trinidadians return regularly to Tobago. And perhaps it is timely to start a groundswell of home ecotourism.
This column over the years has provided information to make us more eco-conscious. Is it working?
Today, we encourage you to visit some of the places that have attracted visitors over the years, places of which we can be proud for their quality of service, for their locations and for their conscious conservation of nature.
How to become an ecotourist at home
Start by enjoying what is near. In Trinidad, that means excursions to the beach. Check out La Brea. Feel the wind on top of Paramin at La Vigie. Take your children to the Caroni Swamp. Go to Grande Riviere and spend a night on the beach with the guides and protectors of leatherback turtles. Take a National Trust tour of our Western Isles.
Visit the Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust and have lunch at the Freebird restaurant. Respect and observe the simplest rules: no littering; no taking (plants or animals). Leave it as you find it.
The Asa Wright Nature Centre has welcomed international visitors for over 60 years: first when it was the private home and estate of Asa Wright, the Icelandic woman who came with her British husband Henry Newcome Wright to settle on a cocoa and coffee plantation. Over the years, it attracted birders from all over the world and became a “bucket-list” destination for many.
Today, the visitor centre is run by the Hadco Group. Major renovations were undertaken to update accommodation and provide a comfortable experience.
[caption id="attachment_1071792" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Entrance to Asa Wright Nature Centre on the Arima-Blanchisseuse R
