younchem
Lafayette, LA
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Joined: 03/02/2006
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Our family vacations have been to National Parks and practically nowhere else. The kids have each earned 35 National Park Junior Ranger badges in programs throughout the nation. These programs ask little of them but it is important to them: pick-up trash while in the park; clean up a campsite; draw flora and fauna; learning geology, geography and heritage; learning about air and water pollution; learning what we can do to reduce the amount of trash making it to landfills. My family did the same when I was young and I know that my career in the Geosciences today is because of this exposure as a child.
Our friends have asked, "Why are you always taking educational trips?" in an almost incredulous manner. After spending a few summers in the mountains the kids were asked about going to the beach or Disney but it was always back to the same formula each summer by concensus. And I have found that many of my fellow campers have been of the same mind.
Now we find that some people are trying to rebrand this as "ecotourism". We called it RVing and Vacation. We called it fun. It is interesting because it seems now that we were ecotourists for many decades and didn't know it! Or, perhaps, are those who embrace the ecotourism idea simply discovering something that many of us have known about for our entire lives? Perhaps. Or, are they trying to package it to sell? I think the latter.
Each time I hear the word ecotourism it comes with a price tag from some tour service or outdoor adventure company or guide service.
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mockturtle
Northwest
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Joined: 05/31/2005
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I agree--it's become an 'industry' now. I have to chuckle when an organization wants me to pay them money to go out and clean up trash or look at birds!
Glad you're bringing your children up to respect their environment and, as I was taught to do long ago, pick up other people's trash and minimize solid waste. I'm no extremist, but just try to use common sense and courtesy. Thank you for sharing your choice of RV lifestyle with us.
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jim87vette
Arizona
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Joined: 07/25/2008
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I think its great that the kids are learning about the National Parks.And I agree that society seems to try and brand and sell anything-remember water!
I feel kinda bad sometimes when I find a great place to camp or boondock and that I become very protective of that spot and not tell anyone.Reason being is that when you return the place is full of people and trash!This is part of the reason I go to out of the way places to get way from these things.Anyways happy camping to you.
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TXcampingfamily
San Antonio, TX
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Joined: 07/04/2008
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Our family also visits the National Parks. Our boys do the Junior Ranger program at every park we visit. We do it not only to see all the natural beauty of parks, but also to educate them on our countries history through all the many forts and other historical sights. When I was a kid my family visited any National Park on our military travels. I have great memories of all our travels and hope my kids will too!!
P.S. Fort Frederica in Georgia has the best Junior Ranger Program we have ever seen. The kids were loaned tricorner hats and a haversack. Inside the haversack was all sorts of tools (compass, period items, etc.) for the kids to use to earn their badge. If you're ever in the area check it out!
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10tca01
Columbia Missouri
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Joined: 02/25/2008
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Never done the Junior Ranger thing, but I do love the national parks!
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sdaly
Southern California
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Joined: 08/16/2005
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Our trips are educational trips too. Our trips are almost always to remote, dry-camping locations, where there are few people, to teach our children hunting and fishing. Because these activities require spending a lot of time in the field, the kids learn a lot. They understand how to look at wind, weather, and seasonal patterns and how it affects the animals and the environment. They learn how to track and stalk animals, and they can "read" the various types of scat for tracking and learning about various species patterns. They understand the necessity of hunting and fishing in managing a balanced ecosystem. Our kids get more first-hand experience with the intricacies of the environment than most environmentalists will ever get.
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younchem
Lafayette, LA
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Joined: 03/02/2006
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We had not considered our trips "educational" until we were asked about it; now we joke about it.
We do not hunt but we do fish. I just find that there are a lot more places to fish than hunt so I just don't bother anymore.
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