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Ecotourism Tours Add Adventure
To Your Florida Keys Vacations

Ecotourism through educational and fun venues, teaches conservation & encourages those on a Florida Keys vacation to participate in voluntourism programs.

By their very nature, the Florida Keys are one of the more popular eco tourism destinations.

The reason is the vast combination of water and land activities available which revolve around nature.

A nature that is fragile and often endangered, found in a region that still harbors tracts of unspoiled, raw beauty.

For the land masses of the Florida Keys to stay intact, they are reliant upon mother nature's protectionist measures, the coral reefs, to keep erosion in check.

The life sustaining coral reefs act as a protective barrier to the ribbon of islands running from Key Largo to Key West. The Florida Keys coral reefs are also a food source and safe harbor for a variety of juvenile fish and a diverse array of marine life.

Eco Tour Viewing of Roosting Pelicans in Mangroves


Eco Tours Spot Pelicans Roosting In Mangroves


They're also major eco adventure vacation destinations, bringing in tourists from around the world. People interested in Florida Keys snorkeling and diving who are attracted to the activities and underwater photography opportunities these reefs encourage.

With 4 national wildlife refuges, city parks, state parks, a national park, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, 2 ecological reserves, fish hatcheries, hiking, biking and kayaking trails, it's no wonder the Florida Keys are the naturally perfect ecotourism adventure locale.

The fact that life on land and sea, the physical makeup of the islands, and the economy of the Florida Keys are dependent upon conservation, explains why so many local organizations promote nature conservancy.

Key Largo EcoTours


Key Largo EcoTour Boat


There are also a number of organizations you can get involved in, which is why volunteer vacations are becoming so popular.

Through voluntourism, vacationers are educated and through their efforts, are able to make a worthwhile difference to a variety of needy causes.

This link to voluntourism opportunities gives you information on a number of conservation programs you can help with, benefiting them, the wildlife they seek to help, and yourself in the process.

There are also a variety of educational programs offered at the Newfound Harbor Marine Institute which is associated with Seacamp.

The Big Pine Key facility phone number is 305-872-2331 and they're located at 1300 Big Pine Key, FL 33043. The Marine Institute accommodates people of all ages and students can select from a number of predesigned programs which take place over a few days.

Also available are customizable and international programs. These educational experiences have a longer duration and are held over the course of several weeks.




Types Of Ecotourism Adventure Tours

People often ask what is ecotourism, and why is it so important?

Ecotourism focuses on unusual and typically endangered species and environments, encouraging observation rather than disruptive behavior, with the overall intent of educating and aiding vital conservation measures.

The different Florida Keys tour guide groups are big supporters of ecotourism and sustainable tourism. They're home and their livelihood depend upon it.

These tour guides include boat charters, flora and fauna programs, bird watching programs, dive charters, and backcountry kayak guides.

Through their services they're able to help educate those traveling to the Keys, providing information on the Florida wildlife and flora they encounter, and the environment in general.

Eco Tour Dolphin Watch


Dolphin Watches Are A Popular Ecotourism Activity


Popular eco tourism tours include boat trips out to the numerous, small uninhabited islands that make up the Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge and the Key West National Wildlife Refuge.

Skirting the mangrove lined banks, and cruising through channels, ecotourists are able to view numerous species of birds, safely isolated from man and predatory animals. Surrounded by water, these Refuges have allowed both endangered and non-threatened species of birds to repopulate and increase in number.

Paddling adventure tours and boat tours out to Coupon Bight, Newfound Harbor Keys or the peaceful Florida Keys backcountry, provide glimpses of birds, manatee, sea turtles, dolphin, and different species of Florida fish. Shark, barracuda, permit, bonefish, and tarpon are just some of the more commonly spotted game fish found on Florida Keys ecotours.

Group Of Pelicans Spotted On Eco Trip


Large Group Of Pelicans Spotted On An Eco Tour


Florida hiking and biking tours are also a great way to discover other interesting and often endangered species of Florida wildlife. Frequently encountered are various species of heron and egret, osprey, ibis, anhingas, spoonbills, pelicans, bald eagles, kingfishers, and the rare white crowned pigeon, painted by John James Audubon.

You can also expect to spot a variety of local and migratory butterflies, alligators, crocodiles, the tiny key deer, and with some luck, the very endangered and rare Lower Keys marsh rabbit.

Eco adventure expeditions out to the Dry Tortugas National Park and the Marquesas Keys are other popular, longer day adventure trips. These green travel adventures can include snorkeling and diving trips, or kayaking tours. Either of these ecotravel trips provide a glimpse of nature located in remote and magnificent regions, both located miles offshore from Key West FL.

The following links provide information on the different eco tour adventure vacations available. These tours are broken down by region and identify the different tour companies.





Ecotourism, along with conservation and sustainable tourism programs educate the public while conserving wildlife and the environment. Through hands on programs, as well as informative tours, conservation efforts are spreading.

Through their beneficial efforts, and the volunteering of proactive ecotourists on Florida Keys vacations, a positive environmental and economical impact is resulting in the region, all part of ecotourism.






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Local Weather Zip Codes

Key Largo - 33037
Marathon - 33050
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