They criss-cross the globe in an effort to protect the planet’s wild places, so World Wildlife Fund (WWF) experts know how to travel responsibly.
Here are 10 conservation-minded travel tips from members of the WWF team.
“Keep your boots clean! Seeds, insect egg, and other living material can hitchhike on your boots and shoes as you explore the remarkable places on your trip. You may inadvertently carry these plants and critters to new locations, where they just might become invasive species that end up fouling the places we want to protect.”
– Dave Aplin, Senior Program Officer, Arctic Program
“Plastic bottles are one of the biggest pollution problems in natural spaces I have visited. Bring your own water bottle with you when you travel.”
– Sybille Klenzendorf, Managing Director, Species Conservation
“Don’t encourage local people to keep wild animals as pets by paying to have your picture taken with them. This may actually provide incentive for them to hunt endangered species in order to obtain pets to display for tourists.”
– Meg Symington, Managing Director, Amazon
“Choosing a fuel efficient aircraft such as the Boeing 777 or Airbus 345 is one of the ways to reduce your carbon footprint on your next trip. Soon, the Boeing 787 aircraft will be the best option since its fuel consumption will be 27 percent less than other similarly sized aircraft.”
– Jim Sano, Vice President, Travel, Tourism & Conservation
“I love to travel using my own power or non-polluting power sources (like wind). That has led my husband and me to go kayaking, biking, hiking, backpacking and sailing around the world. I can get away from the hustle and bustle of city life and visit amazingly remote and peaceful places.”
– Wendy Goyert, Senior Program Officer, Oceans
“Eat local. Find a farmer’s market or street stall and eat what the locals eat. You’ll get to know the culture, and more than likely the food will be locally grown and sourced. And you get to support local communities and their needs–in this case, paying the vendor directly instead of paying up a chain of command.”
– Alex MacLennan, Editorial Director
“I try to do business only with people engaged in tourism in responsible ways. Sure, I may pay a little more for lodging and other services, but I feel good knowing that my patronage may be directly helping local people and protecting their immediate surroundings.”
– Lee Poston, Communications Director, Greater Mekong Program
“If you bring a trash bag with you, you may get a chance to do at least a partial cleanup of a beach or two.”
– John Morrison, Director, Strategies & Measures
“Remember to treat the local people with as much respect as you would the wildlife. You have much to learn from them, and they are often the key to saving those animals and habitats you care so much about.”
– Jay Sherman, Lead Specialist, Freshwater Program
“When you encounter animals in the wild, blend into their world. Don’t feed them, don’t taunt them, and most importantly don’t try to take them home with you. If you come across people selling wildlife or wildlife products, be aware that those ‘souvenirs’ could very well be endangered species that have been poached from the wild and are being sold illegally.”
– Will Gartshore, Senior Policy Officer, U.S. Government Relations
WWF Deputy Director, Marketing & Communications Elissa Leibowitz Poma compiled these conservation travel tips on behalf of the WWF Travel Program.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.