About the Institute

The Institute offers:

Certificate Program in Ecotourism Planning & Management offered by the Office of Extended Education at HSU; 

Education and training consultation; and,

Ecotourism Program Development Planning consultation.

Michael Sweeney, Director of the Institute for Ecological Tourism, is an active ecotourist, having traveled to national parks and protect areas in Mexico, Central and South America, Africa, Alaska, and the Continental United States.  

Mr. Sweeney worked with the City of Arcata in developing "Godwit Days," an annual migratory bird festival designed to attract birding enthusiasts to the area; and, the Yurok Tribe in developing a destination ecolodge celebrating the coastal redwoods, Klamath River, and the Yurok culture.

He has worked with Conservation International on an evaluation of the "Scarlet Macaw Trail," a community-based ecotourism project in northern Guatemala and provided training in strategic planning and ethical guidelines to ecotourism and adventure travel specialists in Guatemala.

The Institute works with the faculty and graduate students of the university, federal and state natural resource management agencies, local economic development and community groups and private businesses in in identifying and addressing ecological tourism-related issues.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Institute is to foster a better understanding of the potentials and limitations of ecology-based and destination-oriented tourism as a means for enhancing the quality of life (social, economic, and environmental) among the coast and interior counties of Northern California by:

fostering cooperation and collaboration among the faculty and graduated students of the university, natural resources management agencies, local economic development and community groups, and private businesses;

providing an interdisciplinary forum for identifying and addressing ecological tourism issues;

performing research on ecological tourism issues and disseminating knowledge through courses, workshops, publications, and symposia;

preparing environmental education and natural resource interpretation material about "ecological tourism" and for "ecological tourists."

Statement of Philosophy

The philosophy of the Institute for Ecological Tourism embraces the following principles:

1. Ecological tourism is a form of tourism inspired primarily by the natural history of an area, including its indigenous cultures.

2. The ecological tourist visits relatively undeveloped areas in the spirit of appreciation, participation and sensitivity.

3. The ecological tourist practices a use of natural resources that contributes to the visited areas through labor or financial means aimed at directly benefiting the conservation of the site and the economic well-being of the local residents.

4. Education and awareness campaigns should strengthen the ecological tourist's appreciation and dedication to conservation issues.

5. Ecological tourism implies a managed approach by the host community or region which commits itself to establishing and maintaining protected natural areas with the participation of local residents, marketing them appropriately, enforcing regulations, and using the proceeds of the enterprise to fund the area's land management as well as community development.

For more information contact: 

Michael Sweeney, Director 

Institute for Ecological Tourism, NRPI
Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA  95521    

phone:  707/826-4147
email: ecotour@humboldt.edu

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