WHEN NATURE ADVENTURES HARM NATURE
Many outdoor adventure activities have been held, but never before with an international flavor like the Elf Authentic Adventure.
Ironically, this competition has divided the mountaineering community. Some welcomed the event as a great opportunity to observe, compete and interact with world-class adventurers. But others are supporting the protest led by the Environmental Legal Assistance Center on behalf of the local government and communities in Samar-Leyte where the competition will take place on April 15-May 1.
Their main concern is that the eco-challenge, which involves trekking, caving, rollerblading, kayaking and sailing from Catarman to Tacloban, will disturb protected areas that is home of endangered species like the Philippine Eagle.
Twenty-five teams of various nationalities are participating. Each team is comprised by four competitors and three members of the logistical party.
The Department of Tourism is co-sponsoring and promoting this competition as an eco-tourism event. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources formed a committee to provide technical assistance.
On the other hand, the governor of Northern Samar and the president of the Mayors League of Samar have joined local residents, community organizers, scientists and teachers of UP, Ateneo, USC, Silliman and De la Salle in opposing the event. E-mail is spreading the protest all over the world.
The Paris-based organizers have not accomplished an environmental impact assessment nor have they offered specific counter-measures to prevent or mitigate the probable adverse impacts.
Elf organiser Gerard Fusil insisted that their activity will not endanger a protected area. “No trails will be cut, no shortcuts will be (made) … we will not touch the caves … there is no clearing of forests … we just pass like villagers on the usual trails.” He added that “in the rules of the event there (are) major penalties if somebody does not respect (the) environment and people.”
ELAC refuted these statements by pointing out passages from the Elf Authentic Adventure brochure and press kits that state: “In many places, it is pristine. To advance more than a few kilometers is often to go where the locals themselves never dare go. It is here, both above ground and below it – in caves that are dry or overflowing with water – when rivers must be swum or a route hacked through the treacherous jungle, that contestants will find themselves continuously growing in total independence …”
Members of Green Earth Mountaineers believe there is cause for concern. From their point of view and experience, contestants of this race will take the quickest route to the finish line. This will entail blazing new trails and in the wilderness who will keep an eye on the 100 participants of 25 independent teams?
The controversy raised two disturbing issues. One is that environmentalists are perceived as obstructionists, and publicity-seeking killjoys. The other is that nature trekking does more harm than good to the natural environment.
During the Holy Week in 1996 over 700 climbers joined the national climb in Mt. Apo damaging the trails and leaving tons of garbage. The Mountaineering Federation of the Phils., Inc. noted that climbers also peed, bathed, and used soap and shampoo on the waterways. Henceforth, the MFPI organized last year’s national gathering in Camotes Island, and in Kalinga, Apayao next week with multiple activities to disperse participants where they do least damage to the environment.
DENR and CRMP’s Dick Melana did a study in Mt. Kitanglad years ago and found out that 12 is the maximum safe load of climbers in the forest. “Disruption to the natural environment is minimal,” he explained, “provided they follow existing trails and not make new ones.” If there are more people, they should split up and travel at least 15 minutes apart from each other, he added.
That trekkers are destroying the environment is a growing concern. In 1996 Depthnews reported that ecotourism and its main patrons, the “nature lovers,” are ironically causing much of the destruction of the environment in developing countries.
The Washington-based Worldwatch Institute on Ecotourism in Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands also reported that “flocks of hikers, mostly Americans, Europeans and Japanese, trample vegetation and erode trails.”
Here local communities around national parks seem to share that view. Last Holy Week mountaineers were barred by town and barangay officials from climbing Mt. Canlaon.
If trekkers will not discipline themselves and others to behave responsibly, their adventure activities will be highly suspect, just like Elf’s. And for that we shouldn’t blame environmentalists.
April 9, 1999