Develop your ability to organise and conduct ecotourism services including tours and activities.

Learn to conduct guided tours, overnight walks and treks, or self guided interpretive walks. Ecotourism is an industry that has developed hugely in recent years. It reflects both of the aims of modern conservation: management of resources and protection of the environment. Modern ecotourism strives to be sustainable, so that the activities that are taking place can continue to do so. This course will introduce you to aspects of ecotourism such as guiding environmental awareness, planning tours,displays and interpretive aids, plant and animal interpretation.

There are 10 lessons in this course:

1. Ecotourism Basics
2. Interpretive Services in Ecotourism
3. Ecology and Conservation
4. Plant and Animal Classification and Identification
5. Geology/Geomorphology
6. Interpreting Aquatic Environments
7. Interpreting Land Environments
8. Planning an Ecotour
9. Ecotour Displays
10. Leading an Ecotour

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

• An ability to analyse the structure of interpretive ecotourism in your country.
• To recognise factors of the environment and their significance to ecotourism.
• To plan an ecotour.
• Create/develop interpretation aids for a selected ecotourism activity.
• Develop a display with an ecotourism theme.
• Determine the specific name of a range of natural features in a selected wilderness area including:
  • Birds
  • Fish
  • Shells
  • Other animals
  • Plants
• Lead an interpretive tour with an ecotourism theme.
• Develop innovative concepts in interpretation for a selected aquatic ecotourism activity.
• Identify geological and geomorphological factors of interest to ecotourists.

• With each assignment you will be required to prepare identification sheets, containing a preserved specimen, a photograph or a drawing; together with a description of the species/type of organism.
• This collection is designed to be the embryo of a resource which you may use as an ongoing aid when designing and conducting interpretive activities.
• You will research the legal and administrative background required to set up an ecotourism venture in your area. You will also look at the marketing and advertising possibilities for this venture.
• Visit a number of interpretive ecotourism facilities.
• Prepare an interpretive activities sheet for an ecotourism group.
• Visit a natural area and classify organisms sighted in a set time period.
• Identify points of interest in a natural area for an ecotourism group.
• Research the lifecycles of a number of plants and animals.
• Design a range of ecotours for ecotourists interested in various natural phenomena.