Planeta.com - As part of the global celebration of World Environment Day, Planeta.com presents the fifth annual Colibri Ecotourism Achievement Award to Jennifer Morfín Morgan
About the Colibri Award
First presented in 2001, the Colibri Ecotourism Achievement Award is presented to a leading catalyst working toward ecotourism in Mexico.
Colibri means "Hummingbird" in Spanish and the Colibri Award is celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2005. The winner of the annual award receives a trophy, diploma and a $ 1,000 cash award from Emilio Kifuri, president of Canyon Travel.
The winner of the Colibri Award is selected by Planeta.com founder Ron Mader with consultation from members of the Mexico Ecotourism Network.
"Ecotourism depends on the leadership of individuals who are resourceful and innovative and who are bold enough to bridge the traditional divisions between tourism and the environment," said Planeta.com founder Ron Mader.
"Mexico is one of the world's mega diverse countries with one of the most successful tourism industries," said Emilio Kifuri. "If ecotourism is ever to overtake the senseless destruction of the world's natural areas, it certainly has to develop at a much faster pace. We feel fortunate to be in a position to demonstrate to the tourism industry that ecotourism can be more profitable than mainstream tourism. It is this potential for profit that has the greatest ability to cause the most profound changes."
Planeta.com will participate in several environmental events in Mexico City during the World Environment Day weekend and will present the Colibri on the waters of the Xochimilco Gardens.
"If we desire to make our cities greener, making tourism greener is a great step forward," said Mader, adding that urban ecotourism is a reality in Mexico City with such pioneering projects as the ciclovia (bike path) and the hiking and biking trails in the Ajusco mountains.
Planeta.com is no stranger to city-based nature tourism, having hosted the 2004 Conference on Urban Ecotourism. Participants at that event agreed upon the Urban Ecotourism Declaration, a collective response to a common challenge - making urban spaces more livable while protecting biodiversity.
Winner
Jennifer Morfín Morgan's interest in ecotourism began when she began working at the Mexican Nature Conservation Fund (FMCN) and took part in several online conferences hosted by Planeta.com to see whether tourism could benefit conservation.
Jennifer's work with communities goes back 10 years. She received her bachelor's degree in International Affairs at Mexico City's Universidad Iberoamericana and recently received a masters degree in Sustainable Tourism Management from the International Cooperation University of Costa Rica.
Her tenure at the FMCN began in 2000 and she was part of a team that created the Mexican Conservation Learning Network (IMAC). Jennifer's work at IMAC is that of a web-savvy training manager specializing in sustainable tourism and wildfire management.
Jennifer describes her work as a way that connects conservation in the natural world with improving communication using a variety of media:
"I believe that promoting communication among institutions and communities links people with similar interests in a way that encourages transparency and sustainable development," she said. "Sustainable development has renewed purpose when we use current technology to improve not only what we know, but how we collaborate and learn new things that improve our quality of life."
Jennifer's interest in sustainable tourism and ecotourism continues as IMAC strengths its coverage and Jennifer continues to work face-to-face with community leaders.
Feedback
Jenny is one of the most dedicated people I know in the conservation field, besides being one of the most efficient people I have worked with! Certainly she deserves it!
Edna Aguinaga
Totalmente de acuerdo con que Jennifer sea este año la ganadora del Premio Colibrí. Me entusiasma la idea. Más allá de que sea una amiga. Poca gente hay en iniciativas ligadas a gobierno que hayan favorecido al ecoturismo, Jennifer es una de ellas, quien además tiene un gran entusiasmo.
Fernando Garcia Aguinaco
I completely agree with Jennifer's designation as a recipient of the 2005 Colibri Award. Her work in IMAC has been outstanding and she fully deserves this award.
Hector Ceballos-Lascurain
Of course Jennifer has all the qualifications for the Colibri Award. She has done a marvelous work and, as you say, her dedication to the "cause" is remarkable.
Verena Gerber
Excelente la propuesta para que Jennifer sea acreedora al Premio Colibrí 2005.
Angel Nieva
About World Environment Day
The United Nations General Assembly established the first World Environment Day in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. 2005 spotlights green cities.
Planeta.com is submitting our Declaration on Urban Ecotourism (the theme of our 2004 online conference) to the organizers of WED 2005. The declaration is a collective response to a common challenge -- making urban spaces more livable while protecting biodiversity.
Organizers
Planeta.com
http://www.planeta.com
Canyon Travel
http://www.canyontravel.com
References
Colibri Award
http://www.planeta.com/colibri.html
World Environment Day
http://www.unep.org/wed
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