Dear everyone, and Chris Dahlberg,
> Birdwatching tourism, an ideal "eco" pursuit, would not represent 1%
>of "Ecotourism" and would only be about 0.25% of general tourism. This is
>not only Australia but would hold true around the world. Presently in
>Australia the birdwatching tour operators that I know are participating in
>the biggest conservation exercise ever undertaken here, the Bird Atlas. etc.
>
May I add my own dismay? I work on a bird project at the Sunshine Coast
University, Qld, which offers a degree in Environmental Science. Aside from
my work, I spend as much time as I can trying to pass my birdwatching
experience to students, and I haven't yet encountered an experienced
birdwatcher among them. (My end goal is to get graduates on the coast who
are bird-experienced, and aware on the conservation problems.) The vast
majority of them will come out with a degree without the slightest idea of
how to identify a bird. I know it's not the only reason they're there, but
I never cease to be amazed at the total bird ignorance I encounter. These
are surely the people you would expect to have a bit of bird knowledge or
interest?
It's little wonder that the figures quoted above by Chris are so low.
So I keep trying. In the morning I am taking a group out to try to teach
them about how to watch birds. Not individual identification, but general
approach. When I asked Bob James, another subscriber to this list, if he
would join us, he agreed, saying incredulously, "You want to teach them
everything in two hours?"
See you at 6am, Bob.
Cheers,
Jill
Jill Dening
Sunshine Coast, Qld
26º 51' 152º 56'
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