This presentation was presented at the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference 2011 (ESTC 2011), held in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA, from September 19th-21st. Organized by The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), the

ESTC is a unique annual conference providing practical solutions to advance sustainability goals for the tourism industry.

Learn more about the ESTC: http://www.ecotourismconference.org ESTC on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ESTC_Tourism

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The International Ecotourism Society | web www.ecotourism.org email info@ecotourism.org | tel +1 202 506 5033

tell us what you want to do for the ocean,

we will take care of the rest!

www.oceanfdn.org

We Are Drawn to the Coasts

• over 50% of the world’s population lives within 40 miles of the coast

• in 2025, it will be 75%

• 80% of all tourism takes place in coastal areas, particularly beaches and reefs

But this creates challenges...

• managing community stability in an unstable global economy

• mitigating the effects of climate change on coastal ecosystems

• limiting anthropogenic impacts like invasive species, on-shore pollution and over-fishing

Does Tourism Help or Hurt?

• can be focused on short-term gains and short term visitor interest

• can affect local culture and history

• can distort local job and housing markets

• can lead to degradation and overuse of natural resources

Sustainability: Key to Success

• meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future

• sustainability reduces costs and increases efficiencies, and thus enhances profitability

• long-term protection of natural and community resources helps ensure the viability of the tourism operation

Sustainable Development

• preserves the natural environment

• works to achieve a balance in the social equity of the community

• embraces the intrinsic aesthetic beauty of a location, builds loyalty to place

• achieves economic gains for all stakeholders

What We Do

•empowering new donors

•supporting great organizations

•hosting meaningful projects

•fostering leadership capacity

Our Lines of Business

• advised funds

• field of interest funds

• fiscal sponsorship funds

• “friends of” funds

• consulting services

Our Resort Partnership Model

• create an autonomous, named foundation that is funded by the development and managed by TOF

• this long-term funding protects and enhances the ecology, society and economy of the community – and thus, the resort itself

• mechanism leverages independence into credibility and effectiveness

The Role of The Foundation

• Grantmaker – supporting local charitable activities

• Facilitator – an independent 3rd party to convene stakeholders

• Advisor – help the developer to meet sustainability commitments

• Observer – inspect, evaluate and verify the principles of the resort

Our Coastal Sustainable Development Standards

• developed in partnership with Sherwood Design Engineers

• adopted as a guide for developers by the state of Baja California Sur

• named one of the three “Best Sustainable Codes, Standards and Policies” in 2010 by the American Society of Landscape Architects

Topics from CSD Standards

• project siting• wastewater• access &

transport• landscape &

irrigation• grading &

drainage• solid waste

management

• energy needs• potable water• construction

procedures• watershed

restoration• golf course

design• marina design &

construction

An Example: Loreto Bay

• over US$1 million in grants made since 2004

• partners include developer, local businesses, government agencies, local and international NGOs

love this placeand its people

Successes from Loreto Bay

• renovated the local school

• constructed the town hospital and veterinary clinic

• staffed the local marine park

• established the community environmental center

• facilitated disaster relief and aid after a hurricane

"The environmental crises we face provide us with the most singular opportunity for greatness ever offered to any generation in any civilization.”

- Roger Payne