Exploring Open Spaces and Protecting Natural Places

Abstract

This paper explores how Australia's largest conservation volunteering organisation uses tourism as one mechanism to help protect our environment. Conservation Volunteers Australia through its range of programmes currently achieves 45,000 annual volunteer days, which is equivalent to over five million dollars worth of conservation work. The 1200 international volunteers who annually participate in a conservation holiday experience are one of the major contributors to this output. Whether it be building a 25 km fence to help save bilbies from extinction, assisting researchers to track and monitor endangered yellow footed rock wallabies, or removing litter during a coastal clean-up project, these volunteers make a considerable contribution to the enhancement of our natural environment. To expand on the current success of these tourism activities Conservation Volunteers Australia is now developing a series of ecotour programmes. The ecotours will provide a unique touring experience, while attracting a greater diversity of people to be involved in meaningful conservation experiences, and enhancing the organisation's financial capacity to support further conservation activities.