The New Nation - Internet Edition

WP Reporter

Forest Department's Nishorgo Support Project (NSP) has started professional Eco-tour guide certification process at its five pilot sites to ensure quality eco-tour guiding facilities for the nature tourists.

Nishorgo Program is developing sustainable eco-tourism in protected forests areas to provide economic incentives to local population to reduce their dependency on forest. Forest Department's Protected Area Management Program is called Nishorgo, which aims to conserve biodiversity through collaborative management with local stakeholders. As a part of ecotourism development and alternative income generation, NSP has trained local youths to operate as Eco Tour Guides, developed trails for forest hiking and others. Nishorgo Program receives financial assistance from the USAID through the NSP.

Till now to generate alternative income to reduce pressure on forests, the NSP has imparted training to 74 young men and women for eco-tour guiding who lives near the five pilot protected forest areas. Most of them are now self-employed as eco-tour guides. These guides are providing eco-tour guiding service at the five pilot sites, which are Lawarchara National Park, Satchari National Park, Rema Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary, Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary and Teknaf Game Reserve.

To ensure that all the tourists receive the same standard quality guiding services, the NSP took examination for the trained guides for eco-tour guide certification. To evaluate and certify the trained eco tour guides, a board was formed consisting of Elisabeth Fahrni Mansur, CEO of Guide Tours and Mamun, CEO of Green Tours, representing Tour Operator's Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), Modinul Ahsan and Kazi Nurul Karim, Assistant Conservator of Forests of Forest Department and Kazi M A Hashem of the NSP.

The two day long certification course included written test and field examination. The board assessed the service quality of the trained eco-tour guides and determined the eligible guides. The eligible guides are divided into two grades. The best guides with advanced interpretation skills are labelled as green and the ones with basic guiding skills are labelled blue. The guides will charge for their services based on their grades. Now the tourists will be able to choose their desired level of guiding facilities or the one that would match their budget. This certification process was held at Mochoni Nature Park, Teknaf Game Reserve on February 13 to 14 this year for the Teknaf and Chunati Site and on February 17 to 18 at Srimongal for Lawachara and Satchari National Park and Rema Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary. Some 43 eco-tour guides from five sites participated in the certification examination.

While trail hiking within the protected forest areas, the nature tourists are encouraged to hire a eco-tour guide. The tour guides are available at the entry areas of the park. Otherwise, a tourist can directly call an eco-tour guide whose contact numbers are listed at the NSP's website.

The certified eco-tour guides will serve in their respective protected areas as conservation ambassador and will help the tourists to enjoy their time in the forest and disseminate the essence of conservation of biodiversity.