Ecotourism Travel in Canada

Instead of flying to a green destination overseas, and spewing tons of CO2 into the upper atmosphere, enjoy a green holiday right here in Canada. There are plenty of things to do in Canada that are only a couple hours away from any major city.

Your carbon foot print will be kept to a minimum and the Canadian scenery will entertrain & thrill you at the same time. A green holiday is nothing new to Canadians; after all we started promoting nature tours in 1885, well ahead of the rest of the world.

For a holiday to be considered green, it must:

1. Minimize the negative impacts of travel. Sure you'll use fuel to get from place to place, after all, Canada is a huge country. But a family uses less fuel when packed into a vehicle instead of hurtling through the sky in a big metal container to a far-away destination.
2. Promote and embrace the preservation of the natural environment for future generations. Responsible development must be balanced with the needs of wildlife, plant-life and the fragility of the ecosystem.

Canada officially offered green holidays in 1885 with the creation of Banff National Park, over 125 years ago. It was the first national park in the country and the third in the world!

The early proprietors didn't realize that they were pioneering ecotourism holidays but their efforts laid the groundwork for the largest national park system in the world. By offering people an opportunity to connect with Canadian scenery & nature, everyday citizens became the proponents of protected places across the country.

Millions of people have been drawn to the pristine beauty and spectacular wildlife of the Canadian Rockies (5 million last year to Banff alone). The park allows people to see how the environment can thrive with minimal human development.

Most people leave with a sense of appreciation and the desire for future preservation. In addition, money spent by vacationers help to fund the less-travelled, but equally important, wildlife reserves in Canada.

Canada has been blessed with abundant natural beauty. It's easy to reconnect with nature since it doesn't require a large amount of fuel or money to get around. Here are some suggestions from the guys at Scenic Travel Canada for ecotourism hot-spots and adventurous things to do in Canada:

• Victoria, BC - Surrounding the city are undisturbed parks covered in thick, temperate rain-forest. Just beyond the city borders are East Sooke Park and Pacific Rim National Park. Hike the West Coast Trail or stroll along the the hidden Roche Cove on the shores of the Sooke Basin. An offshore playground awaits in the newly created Gulf Islands National Park.
• Vancouver, BC - the Coast Mountain range is scenic & magnificent. Whistler is just 2 hours aways. Offshore is an ocean playground for anglers, sailors, divers & kayakers. For a nature tour, head into the Fraser Valley for waterfalls and placid lake scenery.
• Calgary, Alberta - Located in the foothills, visitors can hike a mountain in the morning and then discover dinosaurs in the afternoon. The Rocky Mountain Parks are to the west; Dinosaur Provincial Park and the Tyrell Museum are to the east.
• Edmonton, Alberta - Edmonton is surrounded by the great boreal forest of Canada. Jasper National Park is 4 hours to the west and the Tyrrell Museum in Drummerheller is 2 hours away to the southeast. Elk Island National Park and its wild herd of buffalo is just outside the city (mmmmmmmm mmmm mmm - bison is delicious but not available in the park).

• Regina, Saskatchewan - Hidden just east of the city is the scenic Qu'Appelle river valley and lakes. This is a oasis for boating, fishing and even hang-gliding.
• Winnipeg, Manitoba - North of Gimli (made famous by the Gimli Glider) is Hecla/Grindstone Provincial Park. It's located on a peninsula jutting into Lake Winnipeg where visitors can enjoy sailing amongst the many small islands, birdwatching or fishing.
• Southern Ontario - Head south to the Niagara region to enjoy the local fruits and wines or head north into cottage country around Bracebridge and Huntsville. Algonquin Provincial Park is home to quintessential Canada scenery. Romantic sunsets can be witnessed in cottage country.
• Ottawa, Ontario - Find solitude in the forests of the Gatineau Hills at one of the romantic getaways around Ottawa. A few hours south awaits a playground in the Thousand Islands set in the scenic St. Lawrence Seaway.
• Montreal, Quebec - When it's time to escaping this historic city, head to the Laurentians or to Mont Tremblay for a nature tour.
• New Brunswick - The beauty and power of the Atlantic Ocean is in full display along the Bay of Fundy, where the world's largest tides ebb and flow (over 50 feet in some places)!
• Halifax, Nova Scotia - Head out along the Atlantic coast and experience the beauty of the forests and hills of Cape Breton.
• Newfoundland - This place is all about the Atlantic Ocean. Venture to the edge of the continent in Gros Moraine National Park and then experience a Newfoundland whale watching tour.
• Whitehorse, Yukon - Sitting on top of the world is a wild and scenic oasis. Kluane National Park is in the southwestern corner next to the Pacific Ocean. Rugged & wild beauty awaits.
• Northwest Territory - Ragging rivers and wildlife abound in a mostly undeveloped northern world. This is raw nature at its best.

Remember, you're in bear country. Learn how to avoid a bear attack when venturing into the back-country.

Unknowingly, most Canadians have been practicing ecotourism travel since they were children. Everyone remembers the family camping trips to the boonies.

Maybe, at the time, our parents were being more frugal than environmentally conscience, but the outcome was the same – we grew up with an appreciation for nature and the great outdoors despite:

• being eaten alive by bugs,
• inhaling smoke from the campfire,
• waking up in the middle of the night in a flooded tent,
• boiling in the car during the day and then freezing at night,
• almost drowning in the lake...but that's a different topic all-together.

You don't have to travel around the world to support environment-friendly holidays. There are plenty of ecotourism travels and Canadian adventures available right here at home. Look around your local area because taking an ecotourism trip in Canada is easier and closer than you may think.