Traveling with a Purpose

Travelers will soon be able to work the ground at a farming
settlement in Rio Grande do Sul. They are already able
to meet the turtles of the Tamar project and to explore
Fernando de Noronha, an archipelago that is a
National Marine Preserve.

Rebecca Orczeck

Brazil's cultured paradise, with its destination cities and tropical jungles, isn't new to the international jet-setter. Recently though, it has been coming into focus as a hot spot for family vacations, honeymoons, and adventure travel. A unique aspect of adventure travel is socio-ecological travel, a fast-growing trend. This travel with a purpose concentrates on education, respect, and preservation of a culture, living creature, or land—or any combination of the three.

Starting immediately, nontraditional travelers will be able to work the ground and steep themselves in tradition at a farming settlement in Brazil's southern state, Rio Grande do Sul. An affordable tour package will soon be offered through travel agencies in North and South America and Europe. No, it's not a new eco-tourist outfit. It's a Brazilian national movement, Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra(MST) or Landless Workers Movement.

Founded in 1984, MST is structured in 23 of Brazil's states—a number that may quickly increase with the country's growing movement. Their purpose is to take barren, unprofitable land parcels and estates and work them into successful agricultural settlements. Approximately 60 percent of Brazil's farmland is empty or unused, yet over 25 million citizens labor in temporary agriculture jobs with no promise of feeding their family in the days and weeks to come.

The MST's answer to this is to take land reform into their own hands, seizing land first, waiting for government-recognized deeds second. This mission is met with much controversy and sometimes bloodshed, but it is not without remarkable benefits to its members. Over 250,000 families now have stakes in MST-owned farming communities, thus enabling them to provide themselves with a steady supply of food and, not surprisingly, their own society.

In an effort to maximize the world community's awareness of their organization, MST members are expanding their settlements and preparing for dealing with tourists. Several thousand people already visit their communities, with reasons ranging from curiosity to education to political affiliations. These visitors have interfered with the farms daily operations, but given its leaders the valuable idea to market the tours.

In no way are the tours intended to provide funding for the entire organization, but they certainly will provide a welcome financial boost for their foundering profits. Or possibly the vacation of a lifetime!

Save the Turtles

Lining the coast of Brazil is an adventure awaiting animal lovers. The internationally known Tamar project, a sea turtle preservation program, has twenty-one stations in eight of the country's states. Several of the stations have Visitors Centers open to the public, offering tourist attractions, stores, museums, and, of course, the turtles themselves. The Tamar project's main reason for opening Visitors Centers is to educate people about the ever-present and growing threat to sea turtles.

One of the focal reasons Brazil's sea turtles are endangered is the use of fishing nets, both legal and illegal. If one of the creatures becomes caught in a net, it is prevented from surfacing for air, and perishes. Modern development is also a threat to sea turtles; artificial light and shadows from nearby buildings confuse them and upset the sand temperature crucial for proper nesting.

In 1980, a coastal survey of Brazil determined that enough was not being done to save the sea turtles. The Green, Loggerhead, Hawksbill, Olive Ridley, and Giant turtles were being exposed to pollution, fishing nets, development, and unnatural predators. Something had to be done. That's when Tamar stepped in and formed its conservation stations. They were a community effort; local residents thoroughly explored the issue and were educated on environmental concerns. The group got off to a slow start, but gradually won the public's trust, building a very successful preservation program. Today Tamar assists in the safe release of thousands of baby sea turtles.

Turtle lovers and environmental enthusiasts can go to the Visitors Centers to learn more about the history of Tamar and its ongoing environmental education and conservation programs.

Far from Civilization

Fernando de Noronha, or Island of the Forbidden, is for the traveler who wants to take in the sights and sounds of a remote tropical island that happens to be a National Marine Sanctuary. Just a little over two hundred miles from Brazil's coastal state of Rio Grande do Norte, the small vacation spot has little more to offer than sparkling, clear water perfect for diving and an elaborate marine ecosystem perfect for an educational family vacation.

Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago consisting of twenty-one small volcanic-matter islands. The islands are actually partially submerged mountains, part of the long Mid-Atlantic underwater mountain range. The main island, population approximately one-thousand, five hundred people, is diminutive at seven square miles. The limited space provides a calm, unhurried feeling. The island's capacity for tourists is restricted to four-hundred and twenty people daily. You won t be seeing rowdy groups of teenagers in sports-cars either; there are no rental cars on Fernando de Noronha—unless you count the dune buggies!

Aside from the tranquil atmosphere, the main draw to this little paradise is abundant marine life. Over two-hundred fish species, both native and migratory, swim the warm waters. They are not alone, though. As you explore the underwater caves and rock formations that house a wide variety of sharks, crustaceans, mollusks, and coral you will discover why most of the archipelago was declared a National Marine Preserve. Divers will usually encounter a huge group of playful spinner dolphins in the afternoon. If you choose to take a boat tour of the islets chances are good that you will have the opportunity to see the dolphins too. The Tamar project has a station here and you can watch baby sea turtles being released into their natural habitat. Any animal lover would have a great time here!

If splashing in the water isn't what attracts you, find beauty in the island itself. Following the volcanic landscape, hike the coastline to see the sparkling ocean shooting high into the air through blowholes and watch the many protected birds. Along the way you will find imported banana, guava, papaya, and tamarind trees. You might also come across an innocent—looking bush called burra leiteira, but don t touch! It has an acidic sap that can seriously burn your skin.

Fernando de Noronha is an idyllic cast-away island, with crystal waters, a rich ecosystem, and a slow, quiet lifestyle. This gem in the Atlantic isn't so much an activist's dream, but a great vacation with an eco-twist. For more information on traveling with a purpose, visit your favorite travel website and search for adventure travel. Have a great trip!

Rebecca Orczeck, a freelance writer and Internet content developer, creates her own adventure trips, kayaking rivers and hiking rainforests at her home in Hawaii. She can be reached at brcjo@prodigy.net 

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