We have been reading Mike Tidwell’s Bayou Farewell over the last couple of weeks.  Published in 2003, it’s Mike’s journey through Louisiana Cajun country, getting to know the many different groups of people, immersing himself in the Cajun/Southern/French/Vietnamese/Houma Indian/etc. cultures he finds there.  It’s a fascinating inside look at the people, the land, but most of all, the water.  That’s because what he finds is that coastal land in Louisiana is being washed away in enormous proportions due to various manmade barriers that have been introduced over the years.  In fact, incredibly, a land mass the size of Manhattan disappears each year.  This means that the cultures along the bayou are dying out.  For generations, people along the bayou have made their living through shrimping, crabbing, and just generally living off the water. 

Now the ecosystem is changing in ways that will see major changes in the animals’ habitats and ability to stay in the area.  In addition to their livelihood disappearing, the people who live here also see the landscape changing before their eyes.  Tidwell describes seeing entire graveyards now under water and maps out of date within two years because of the land disappearing so quickly.  It’s a fascinating read made even more so because of the clearly deep connections that Tidwell makes with the local people he writes about.  Reading this story after the damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina is a little eerie since the author makes reference to a major hurricane having the potential to wipe through New Orleans just as Katrina did a couple years after the book was published.

Clearly, Tidwell developed a unique sense of purpose after researching and writing this book, later founding the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, a grassroots organization dedicated to fighting global warming in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.  He also wrote The Ravaging Tide: Strange Weather, Future Katrinas, and the Coming Death of America’s Coastal Cities, and created the recent documentary film, We Are All Smith Islanders.

As this is primarily a blog about socially conscious and eco-friendly travel, we’re wondering if tourism can play a part in these major problems that environmental groups are struggling with.  We think the answer is yes.  Tourism and tourists can help be a force for change.  For example, hotels, museums, and heritage society-type organizations can organize and offer short talks for travelers on the environmental realities of their tourist destinations.  This type of education can be a first step to getting the word out beyond the affected communities.  The education should include action steps, like letters to Congress or online petitions.  There could be ways to help the tourists bring the messages back home to their friends – through handouts, videos, etc.  This type of effort incorporates two target populations: the tourists (obvi) but also the hotels, businesses, and organizations that will host the events.  Environmentalists are constantly trying to educate folks in their own community.  In this way, the education becomes a possible way to attract new tourists so businesses may pay more attention than they otherwise would have.

Of course, destinations can and do offer eco-friendly, socially conscious tours highlighting the environmentally affected areas.  These may not be what tourists would typically be attracted to but depending on the format and guides could end up being very successful as a business model, but even more importantly, as an introduction to the issue and potential advocacy tourists could be involved with.  For example, in addition to going to Ocean City, Maryland’s boardwalk and stuffing yourself with Fisher’s popcorn, you could sign up for a flatbottom boat tour of the Chesapeake Watershed that highlights the runoff problems and impact they have on local fish and other animals and plants. 

As ecotourists, we strive to have a neutral impact on our destinations.  How can we go one step further and in fact, contribute to a positive impact on these same destinations?

Tags: bayou farewell, chesapeake climate action network, louisiana, mike tidwell, new orleans, ravaging tide, we are all smith islanders

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 at 6:43 pm and is filed under Books, Ecotourism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.