|
Last Updated
|
Planeta.com Presents 2005 Colibri Ecotourism Award
to Jennifer Morfín Morgan
Publication Date: June 5, 2005
|
 |
| MEXICO CITY -- As part of
the global celebration of World Environment Day, Planeta.com
presented the fifth annual Colibri Ecotourism Award to
Jennifer Morfín Morgan.
|
 |
|
Left to right: Ron Mader (planeta.com), Jorge
Chávez, Marlene Ehrenberg, Fernando Aguinaco, Jennifer
Morfín, Antonio ("Febo") Suárez, Emilio Kifuri
(president, Canyon Travel) |
ABOUT THE COLIBRI AWARD
First presented in 2001, the Colibri
Award is presented to a leading catalyst working toward
ecotourism in Mexico. |
 |
|
The winner of the Colibri Award is selected by Planeta.com
founder Ron
Mader with consultation from members of the Mexico
Ecotourism Network.
Jennifer was selected for her work with communities and in
making high tech tools useful for those developing ecotourism.
|
| 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. |
|
"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 at 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 strengthens 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 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. |
| Planeta.com submited our Declaration
on Urban Ecotourism (the theme of our recent online
conference) to the organizers of World Environment Day.
The declaration is a collective response to a common challenge
-- making urban spaces more liveable while protecting biodiversity.
If you wish to support this effort, sign
the declaration (login required). |
|
TIP -- To learn more about the Colibri winners, conduct
a search |
SEMINARS
Learning never ends. See if one of our seminars
is right for you. |
|
|
|
|
