While exploring different locations that represent ideal places for ecotourism, Palau proves to be just that, but in a tropical atmosphere. Ecotourism is defined as responsible travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people. It creates knowledge and understanding through interpretation and education of all involved and is sustainable travel through educational locations. Although there are countless places to explore around Palau, it is of utmost importance to preserve the island. To do so, Blue Planet United has begun “The Palau Project”. This project encourages ecotourists to explore the land while also supporting the organisms and ecosystem they are immersing themselves within. The Palau Project, among other initiatives, will help the tropical island paradise sustain its natural beauty while also ecotourists of its natural beauty and social systems.
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| Birds Eye View of Palau |
While Palau isn’t the first location ecotourists may think of when it comes to ecotourism, Palau is “located in the continent of Oceania” and “covered 459 square kilometers of land, making it 202nd largest nation in terms of land area”(WorldAtlas). The island “became an independent state in 1994, after gaining its sovereignty from The United States of America”(WorldAtlas). On the island, “they use the U.S. dollar [and] everyone speaks English and Palauan...there are about 25,000 Palauns and almost all like in Koror” (BeginnersGuide). Because of the vibrant ecosystem tham Palau offers, it creates the perfect environment for ecotourists looking for their next adventure.
While visiting Palau can bring new opportunities, “Palau is the first nation on earth to change its immigration laws for the cause of environmental protection. Upon entry, visitors need to sign a passport pledge to act in an ecologically responsible way on the island, for the sake of Palau’s children and future generations of Palauans” (PalauPledge). When traveling on the island, “every tourist who takes the pledge needs to follow this sustainable tourism checklist or risk a fine” (PalauPledge). Not only do tourists of Palau have to take the pledge, but “Palauans have also taken the pledge, from the preseident, the first pledgee, to traditional chiefs and residents. Education will place an important part in supporting the pledge as locals commit to protecting and celebrating the uniqueness of their sacred home. A new curriculum for primary and secondary school students and other programs will help build eco-awareness in tomorrow’s leaders and conscious business principles within the tourist sector” (PalauPledge). Knowing that not only are tourists are to sign the Palau Pledge as well as people of the island signing it makes it that much more effective.
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| What The Palau Pledge States |
The Palau Pledge tells visitors; “don’t collect marine life souvenirs, do support local businesses and communities, don’t feed the fish and sharks, don’t drag fins over coral when swimming, do get others to respect the customs, don’t touch or step on coral, don’t take fruit or flowers from gardens, do learn about the culture and people, don’t touch or chase wildlife, don’t litter, don’t smoke in restricted areas” (PalauPledge). The people of Palau have put forth a system that works to preserve the island that they have grown and built lives on. The Palau Pledge ensures that the island will continue to host ecotourists while also sustaining its beauty.
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| A Natural Arch in Palau |
Blue Planet United is an organization that “promotes integrative thinking and action on local, regionals, national, and global challenges of sustainability, as they relate to human population growth, per capita consumption patterns, and the enjoyment and protection of wild places. We divide our programs and projects into five focus areas: Sustainable Futures, Population & Consumption, Preserving Wild Places, Ocean Literacy, and Educating Future Leaders. These focus areas are addressed through three educational outreach units: The Population Press, Blue Planet Films, and a web-based Resource Center” (AboutBluePlanet). This organization has put in place a plan to help the island of Palau to improve is sustainability while also allowing ecotourists to become educated on the tropical paradise. Blue Planet United has started the Palau Project which is dedicated to sustaining cultural and biological diversity on the island.
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| Palau Underwater |
The Palau Project holds three different parts, the Palau expedition, Blue Planet Films, and Eco-economy. The Palau Expedition is adventuring with an educational purpose. Every “year, ten students form the University of Redlands trade their classrooms for kayaks and set off to explore one of the world’s most enchanting Edens - the 340 islands of Palau”(PalauProject). The tours are “led by Monty and Marilyn Hempel, they learn about coral reefs, rainforests, traditional culture, and the future sustainability of this island republic”(PalauProject). During their traveled they visit “more than a dozen islands during a three-week expedition, they experience a wide range of environments — both underwater and on spectacular islands, many of which are uninhabited. In the process, they develop important insights about their own country and about themselves” (PalauProject). Being able to bring ecotourist students to explore these islands allow outsiders to learn about them and spread their knowledge while doing it in a sustainable way.
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The second thing that the Palau Project does focuses on Blue Planet Films with a documentary called The Coral Corollary which tells a complex tale about how humans transform nature just as much as nature transforms us. It provides a story about how “the southern Palauan island of Peleliu was a paradise that was nearly destroyed in 1944, during one of the bloodiest battles of World War II” (PalauProject). After 60 years, “the restored island faces a new enemy, this time threatening its spectacular underwater coral ecosystem. Using Peleliu and other islands of Palau as a microcosm, this film examines the influence of innocence, war, eauty, death and hope in a changing world, wavering between economic prosperity and environmental ruin” (PalauProject). Being able to explore the different aspects of life that have an affect on the island of Palau allows the viewer as well as the tourist to see how they can make changes to sustain such a fragile ecosystem.
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| Scuba Diving in Palau |
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| Rock Islands Southern Lagoon |
To stimulate with eco-economy Blue Planet United works with Dolphin Bay Resort. The organization, “is assisting this family-run resort on the island of Peleliu in its quest to provide eco-friendly experiences for its guests while improving the local economy” (PalauProject). Dolphin Bay Resort “uses traditional island architecture and materials, cooks tasty meals using local foods, and provides a crafts shop for island artists” (PalauProject). Over the course of the years, Blue Planet United brings “ American university students to Dolphin Bay to experience high quality sustainable development, first hand” (PalauProject). They “also provide assistance with promoting the resort to other visitors who value environmental sensetivity in the design and operation of tourist facilities” (PalauProject). By doing so, no only is Blue Planet United educating students on the environment and the animals within it but also teaching them how to support local businesses.
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| Aerial View of the Milky Way Lagoon |
Although there are many exciting locations to explore on the island of Palau, Rock Islands Southern Lagoon, Milky Way, and Jellyfish Lake are large tourist destinations. Rock islands southern lagoon features” over 385 coral species and different types of habitat” and sustains “a large diversity of plants, birds, and marine life including dugong and at least thirteen shark species” (RockIslands). The features that this location has to offer makes it a popular ecotourism destination due to the amount that they are able to learn in the area.
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| Swimming in Jellyfish Lake |
As well as there being beautiful places to explore, “The Milky Way is famous for its being a natural spa treatment. Locals and tourists alike look forward to apply the white mud from the lagoon all over their body” (MilkyWay). Because of the natural beauty and and resources The Milky Way has to offer, the only “amount you will have to pay to have an adventure at The Milky Way Lagoon is basically for your boat ride and your tour guide” (MilkyWay). Having such a natural and giving location that is basically free makes the Milky Way that much more appealing to tourists.
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| Coral Bleaching |
Swimming in Jellyfish Lake has been added to the list of many tourists in Palau, however, this “experience may be in jeopardy, scientists warn, as these famous jellyfish have all but disappeared” (JellyfishLake). Although “the area is home to several marine lakes, each holding what may be its own species of golden jellyfish. Jellyfish lake is the most famous of the bunch” (JellyfishLake). Unfortunately, this precious saltwater lake is at risk for its long term survival. Because of the amount of tourists going into the lake, “jellyfish numbers have plummeted from 8 million to less than 600,000, forcing tourism operators to cancel trips to the lake” (Jellyfish Statistic). After the number of jellyfish has decreased, the number of tourists have as well.
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| Fish of Palau |
Jellyfish Lake isn’t the only location at risk, “in the last decade, major environmental problems and threats related to climate change have dramatically increased in Palau” (PacificRISA). Because “of warming sea and surface temperature in 1997 and 1998, a mass coral bleaching event occurred” (PacificRISA). This had such an impact that “approximately one-third of Palau’s corals died” (PacificRISA). Due to the warming of sea and surface temperatures, “this had severe, adverse impacts on the nation’s important marine tourism industry. Sea level rise in low-lying areas is a threat to coastal vegetation, agriculture, and the purity of the nation’s water supply” (PacificRISA).
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Because of these environmental issues having a major impact on tourism “Palau has taken proactive conservation measures to protect coastal and marine resources, including implementing permit fees and visitor limits for frequented areas, placing a moratorium on mangrove clearing to protect coastal habitat, and developing marine protected areas to preserve fisheries habitat and resources” (PacificRISA). Since these measures have been taken, there is hope that the land can continue to be preserved as much as possible.
Ecotourism as a whole makes it possible for people to explore and take in some of the most amazing places that this world has to offer. To continue travel to locations like Palau, it is crucial that as a society, everyone makes an effort to preserve these locations to the best of their ability. Without efforts put in place such as The Palau Pledge, it makes it difficult to conserve the lands that mother earth has worked so hard to create. Ecotourism involves responsibility as well as education and giving back and without those key items, it's not the same. When traveling to locations that allow total immersion, it's vital to create knowledge and understanding through interpretations and education of everyone involved.
Citations:
“ABOUT.” Blue Planet United, 13 Sept. 2017, blueplanetunited.org/about/.
Admin. “The Milky Way Lagoon – Palau.” Tourist Spots Around the World, Tourist Spots Around the World, 19 Apr. 2012, www.touristspots.org/the-milky-way-lagoon-palau/.
Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. “Rock Islands Southern Lagoon.” UNESCO World Heritage Centre, whc.unesco.org/en/list/1386.
“El Nino Decimates Inhabitants of Palau's Treasured Jellyfish Lake.” Nuku'alofa Times, 6 May 2016, nukualofatimes.tbu.to/?p=3301.
“Palau.” Pacific RISA - Managing Climate Risk in the Pacific, 13 Nov. 2015, www.pacificrisa.org/places/republic-of-palau/.
“Palau Pledge.” PALAUPLEDGE.COM, palaupledge.com/.
“The Famous Jellyfish Lake Is Running Out of Jellyfish.” National Geographic, National Geographic Society, 4 May 2016, news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/05/160504-golden-jellyfish-disappear-from-palau-lake/.
“Where Is Palau?” WorldAtlas, 2 Oct. 2015, www.worldatlas.com/oc/pw/where-is-palau.html.
“Where Is Palau?” Alex Sheshunoff, www.abeginnersguidetoparadise.com/blog/2015/5/27/where-is-palau.
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