"Good practices" in Tourism

Vitalideas has signed an agreement with one of our Vital Partners: Surtrek Tour Operator, for the implementation of Good Environmental and Social Practices in “Las Cascadas Jungle Lodge”, a process being carried out since October 2008.

Las Cascadas Jungle Lodge is located in the Community of Cajabamba II, in the canton of Santa Clara, Province of Pastaza, Ecuador, at the beginning of the Amazon Jungle. Las Cascadas received its name from the waterfalls located on the territory of the Jungle Lodge. The most spectacular of them is a approximately 35-meter high waterfall, which falls down into a semicircular steep waste similar to an amphitheater that can be used as a wonderful bath pool in the middle of the unaffected rainforest, listening to the birds and feeling tropical breeze. The Lodge has a property of 300 hectares of secondary forests and untouched primary forests.

The main objective of this agreement is to implement good practices to avoid that tourism operations in Cajabamba II affect natural habitat, to promote the recuperation of secondary forests and the conservation of primary forests. Moreover, it stimulates the support of local communities to give an incentive to sustainable development based on environmental friendly alternatives.

With the support of Vitalideas, Las Cascadas Jungle Lodge received the SMART VOYAGER Certification in "Conservation and Development" in March 2009. Smart Voyager is a sustainable tourism program in South America, which aims to reduce environmental impacts that a tourism operation might cause; under strict environmental, social and security norms. Las Cascadas Jungle Lodge meets a set of conservation standards for protecting the environment, wildlife and the well being of workers and local communities.

 

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