Cycling Ecotour for Youth - Ontario and Canada

Here's an enriching sustainable travel and group living & learning experience for adults 19-30 organized by non-profit group based in Ottawa, Otesha. They have organized for 2010 (March deadline for participant registration) some inspiring partnerships with organic farms and cycling routes both here in Ontario and across Canada. I've worked with a few alumni and past communities touched by the project in the ecotourism and education fields and found that they gained significantly from the volunteer experience.
~ Kara Mitchell of tOES

In Search of Change-Making Cycling Volunteers What is The Otesha Project? The Otesha Project is a Canadian non-profit organization. We organize bicycle tours which engage with communities through theatre, aiming to mobilize youth to make change in their communities, and the world. We believe that we can create a more sustainable future by building community, making conscious lifestyle choices, reducing consumption and having a really good time all the while. We'd like you to join us as a Tour Member on a challenging journey towards sustainability. The Vision The Otesha Project's vision is to see sustainable consumption and lifestyle choices enter the mainstream of Canadian culture. What does it mean to be a Tour Member? As a tour member you'll answer tough questions about how you want to live and through collaboration with other amazing, hopeful, energetic young people (your teammates!) you'll build a mobile sustainable community. Before you know it, your bicycle will become a vehicle of change. Ingredients include: leadership training, phenomenal bike touring, and a hilarious play that opens the conversation about environmental sustainability and social justice issues with thousands of Canadians. Visit our infopack for more info, including 'a day in the life of a tour member', and fundraising details. What tours could you go on? ...check them out, below. Tours of 2010 In 2010 the Otesha Project is offering three of the craziest cycling and performing tours it has cooked up since it started in 2003. The details are below - and frequently asked questions answered on our faq's page. If you apply before February 15th you will receive two books to go towards your fundraising efforts. Applications close on March 15th, 2010. You can apply online!

Ferocious Farm Tour Ottawa to Toronto and Back! May 3 - June 25 or Aug 28 (2-4 months) This tour will focus its performance route on farming based communities, providing an opportunity to connect to & understand the food landscape of Ontario. Tour members can extend their experience by working on small scale and/or organic Ontario farm for the months of July and August. Learning extravaganza! To learn more, go to FAQs. Coast to Capital Vancouver to Ottawa June 25 to Oct 20 (4 months) Ride through the Rockies, across the Prairies and skirt down the edge of the Great Lakes, ending up in our nation's capital. Watch the landscape change as you ride with the seasons, starting in the summer and rolling to a close as the leaves drop. Epic adventure! Physically Challenging! Highlands and Islands Fredericton to Halifax Sept 7 to Nov 2 (2 months) Ride with the tides, dance with the Scots and pull some red mud potatoes while you're at it! This route starts in New Brunswick and tours to each breathtaking corner of Prince Edward Island. Finally, it crosses the hills of Nova Scotia ending up in Halifax. Lots of Performing!

Ready to walk your talk? Apply. Or email us with questions at info@otesha.ca, follow us on Twitter, & add us on Facebook! To hear more from us, sign up to receive our monthly e-journal here. Peace & Bicycle Grease, The Otesha Project

How to list green travel experiences you offer in Ontario on Ontario Tourism Websites

Hey there green travel and ecotourism operators offering eco travel experiences in Ontario

If you haven't already taken advantage of free online listings available with Ontario Tourism, check out the how-to-page and / or learn more about marketing opportunities available with the OTMPC (Ontario Tourism and Marketing Partnership Corporation) at www.tourismpartners.com (deadlines for 2010 print advertising are listed here too)

For outdoor experiences you offer in Ontario, they have another website, www.ontariotravel.net/outdoor on which you can receive up to 6 listings / eco tour package descriptions. To do so, contact Heather Bot (heatherbot "at" vianet.ca) & she'll send a form.

Based in Northern Ontario? stay tuned for more info on being represented in a new marketing site being built to represent the north and how eco travel experiences you offer there will be represented. If you're intersted in helping tOES provide ecotourism specific content for that site, email us at getinvolved "at" toes.ca .

See tOES members listings to find leaders in green travel experiences in canada, the best eco tourism experiences our lands, waters and people have to offer.

Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership CorporationMarketing Information Sessions

Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership CorporationMarketing Information Sessions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OTMPC is offering a series of workshops across Ontario to informtourism stakeholdersabout their programs and how to align with their tourism marketing.All sessions are free and include lunch. Register directly with OTMPCby emailingevents@ontario.ca Learn about the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation(OTMPC) marketingplans for the coming year and how you can get involved in OTMPCprograms, partnershipopportunities, and leveraging of the Ontario brand.Interact with the OTMPC's in-house marketing, partnership, Ontariotravel information,and Ministry of Tourism staff.Register now [mailto:events@ontario.ca] for an engaging discussion onthese and other topics to learn how you can align your activities with OTMPC.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- Stratford -DATE: Wednesday, November 18, 2009TIME: 10:00am - 2:00pm (lunch is provided)LOCATION: Stratford Old City Hall AuditoriumMain Floor, Old City Hall1 Wellington Street, Stratford, ON N5A 6W1RSVP by Monday, November 16:

Kingston -DATE: Tuesday, November 24, 2009TIME: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm (lunch is provided)LOCATION: Old Fort Henry , Dining Room1 Fort Henry Drive, Back (East) Gate entranceRSVP by Monday, November 23:

Cobourg -DATE: Wednesday, November 25, 2009TIME: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm (lunch is provided)LOCATION: Northumberland Heights, Birch Room795 Northumberland Heights Road, Cobourg, ON K9A 4J8RSVP by November 18:

Burlington -DATE: Thursday, November 26, 2009TIME: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm (lunch is provided)LOCATION: Royal Botanical Gardens, Café Annex680 Plains Rd W, Burlington, ON L7T 4H4RSVP by November 23:

Vaughan -DATE: Tuesday, December 1, 2009TIME: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm (lunch is provided)LOCATION: Holiday Inn Express, 6100 Highway 7Vaughan West II RoomVaughan, ON L4H 0R2RSVP by November 25:

Gravenhurst -DATE: Wednesday, December 2, 2009TIME: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm (lunch is provided)LOCATION: Muskoka Boat & Heritage Centre, Ditchburn Room275 Steamship Bay RoadGravenhurst, ON P1P 1Z0RSVP by November 30:

Collingwood -DATE: Thursday, December 3, 2009TIME: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm (lunch is provided)LOCATION: Blue Mountain Village Conference CentreNippising Room242 Jozo Weider Blvd.Blue Mountains, ON L9Y 3Z2RSVP by November 30:

Windsor -DATE: Friday, December 11, 2009TIME: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm (lunch is provided)LOCATION: Holiday Inn Select Windsor1855 Huron Church RoadWindsor, ON N9C 2L6RSVP by December 4:

Cornwall -DATE: Tuesday, December 15, 2009TIME: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm (lunch is provided)LOCATION: Ramada Hotel & Conference CentreAdirondack Room, 805 Brookdale AvenueCornwall, ON K6J 4P3RSVP by December 4:

Environmental Tourism starts with you.

How can you make a difference you ask? You can start be asking when you call to book a hotel room whether they have a recycling program. You can take that further by asking if they have an environmental program before you make a reservation.
Small steps. You may find that some hotels do not have such a program. But I invite you to consider what would happen if hotels, inns, B&B’s, resorts got these sorts of questions from 85% of the people who called to book a room.
These businesses would know that it was on the minds of their clients and would be far more likely to take action.
Small steps lead to giant leaps. Take that small step next time you travel.

Career Opportunity for an Outdoor Educator/Coordinator

Position Task: Coordinate the delivery of outdoor, environmental and experiential education programs at Haliburton Forest.

Responsibilities:

• development and planning of programs for client groups;
• promoting and marketing of programs and activities;
• administration of group bookings;
• scheduling of delivery staff and groups;
• coordination of special events;
• ensure a safe environment for clients;
• facilitate, teach and lead group activities and programs as needed;

Selection Criteria:

• creative, energetic and able to participate fully in active programs;
• well developed communication, presentation and administrative skills to effectively market and support Haliburton Forest's programs and services;
• a broad base of experience teaching and leading outdoor and group focused activities;
• demonstrated supervisory experience;
• ability to provide quality customer service working with groups, general public and Haliburton Forest staff;
• ability to work independently in a dynamic environment;

Qualifications:

• completed an undergraduate University Degree or College diploma with related field experience;
• current first aid and CPR certificates;
• computer literacy-Microsoft office
• Second language is an asset.

Please send letter and resume to:

Human Resources

Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve Ltd.

1095 Redkenn Road, Haliburton, Ontario, K0M 1S0

Email: hr@haliburtonforest.com

www.haliburtonforest.com

Closing Date: September 25, 2009

Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve Ltd. The "Forest" or "Wildlife" as it is known locally, represents the largest private land holding in Central Ontario. Over 60,000 acres of forests, lakes, streams and wildlife form the back drop for this world renowned property. Operating as a multi-use facility, the Forest has gained international recognition for its resource management policies and practices. With the natural beauty of the forests and lakes set to last in perpetuity, Haliburton Forest has created a wide range of attractions and activities permitting visitors to enjoy this unique wilderness. Entwined throughout the operation is an extensive and very unique outdoor, environmental and experiential education program.

Haliburton Forest is dedicated to provide quality education programs to both youth and adults in a variety of settings.

Dining with the Stars

The Nolalu Eco Centre's last workshop for this year is coming up soon: on september 26th they will be offering the opportunity to be "Dining with the Stars". As one of their more popular workshops sells out fast, and no wonder: it includes a brief house tour of North Ontario's Eco-friendliest house, after which astronomer Randy McAllister will take us through deep space, using high-definition slides and videos projected on a big screen. Drinks and refreshments will be provided.

This is followed by an informal dinner & dessert, and an opportunity to chat with Randy and fellow workshop participants.

After dinner participants visit the Thunder Bay observatory, North America's second-largest privately owned observatory. Participants will see and experience first hand the housing and equipment involved with astronomy and photographing deep space objects. Depending on the sky conditions they'll also have the opportunity to do some serious star gazing.

For more information please visit http://www.nolaluecocentre.org or email info@nolaluecocentre.org

nolaluecocentre.blogspot.com

TIES Travel Green Guide 2009

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) has just released their Travel Green Guide 2009. It can be viewed online and is also available for download. This guide is now available for free. Ecotourism operators can now join TIES as a professional level member and be listed in the guide as a prefered Travel Green choice. You can also learn more about the guide and spread the word...with an option to embed the Guide in your blog, send to your facebook friends,or share through your website.

For more information on the Travel Green Guide 2009 go to www.ecotourism.org/TravelGreenGuide