ECOTOURISM AND ORGANICS: AN EASY FIT?

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ECOTOURISM AND ORGANICS: AN EASY FIT?

Ecotourism is an easy fit for smaller, mixed organic farms, at least in theory. Is it? Oliver Moore investigates.

Ecotourism is about learning and the outdoors, as well as the general sustainability of the experience.

Another positive with ecotourism is that the places ecotourists tend to come from - Germany and northern Europe - are not suffering as much economically at present.

As a category, ecotourism is also not weather or season dependent: if there's one thing this summer has taught us thus far, its that we can't reply on the summer being sunny.

(Photo: An Ti Glas, Leen Organic's eco accommodation)

All good so far for the isolated organic farm, but its also important to have a tourist infrastructure in the region. While much of the tourism marketing these days has moved on line, it is also the case that farms isolated from other tourism attractions will have to work much harder than those embedded in networks of tourism experiences.

One organic farm that has developed an ecotourism strand is Leen organics in Clare. Jason Horner of Leen is well known in organic horticulture circles, chairing the Organic Growers of Ireland, selling in Ennis and now Ennistymon farmers' markets, and occasionally hosting Teagasc demonstration organic farm walks.

The farm itself is a model of efficiency: just 2 hectares, but almost 1/4 of an acres in Horner's eight under polytunnels. Hens take up another part of the farm, as does the house Jason used to live in.

Two years ago, the 200 year old farmhouse Jason and his family once lived in, was transformed into a self catering cottage and apartment. The farmhouse has been renovated and finished to a very high and environmentally sound spec. There is a solar panel and wood pellet burner, while the site itself is just five miles form Ennis, and close to the Burren, Limerick and Galway.

“We used ot live in An Ti Glas- the Green House- oursleves, so we are quite attached to it” according to Jason. “Its right on the farm, so people who are staying are very much on a working organic farm. For some visitors, this is part of what makes this special”.

Currently, An Ti Glas offer two 'packages' or experiences for visitors. One is a bog walk called “Bugs, Butterflies and Bog experience”. This involves an investigative tour of Rathclooney bog which looking at the flora and fauna of the bog, as well as both the structure of the bog and the impact human intervention has had on the bog.

The second experience is a quite innovative version of volunteering. Horner offers reduced costs for accommodation in the Granary apartment in return for joining in on the work of the farm for three mornings.

Being close to the Burren, and an associate member of the Burren Ecotourism Network, is an important part of the growth strategy for An Ti Glas. The Burren is national park and officially now a geo park, so it attracts ecotourists. It has some very distinct flora fauna and of course the iconic landscape and heritage.

Importantly, it also has serious footfall, attractions such as the Aillwee Caves and marque attractions such as the nearby cliffs of Moher.

Being outside the geographical area of the Burren, however, means that An Ti Glas is associate member of the Burren Ecotourism Network.

Web promotion has had both positive and negative aspects for An Ti Glas thus far. While very affordable, it is both time consuming and difficult to do from a standing start: in other words, profile has to be built on numerous sites.

Jason has found Organicplacestostay.com good for internet traffic, but dedicated ecotourism websites in Germany and France have converted into actual visitors.

Twitter, facebook and Trip Adviser are social media sites that are part of the An Ti Glas plans for growth.

Another side of providing accommodation for visitors is that “we get to have people about the place” as Jason put it. With their own farmhouse to stay in visitors are close enough to feel part of the farm but also far enough away for everyone's privacy.

So as he was in the early days of organic market gardening, Jason finds himself to be a pioneer in a new area.

That's our discussion regarding ECOTOURISM AND ORGANICS: AN EASY FIT?

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