Brown bear tracking in Northern Greece

Environment

This trip is all about the concept "Tourism as a Tool for Nature Conservation", a concept we believe in with all our heart. The following principles and practices show that:

• Wildlife species are not harvested, consumed, displayed, sold, or traded, except as part of a regulated activity that ensures that their utilization is sustainable, and in compliance with local to international laws.
• No captive wildlife is held, except for properly regulated activities, in compliance with local to international law. Living specimens of protected and wildlife species are only kept by those authorized and suitably equipped to house and care for them humanely.
• The trip supports and contributes to biodiversity conservation, including natural protected areas and areas of high biodiversity value. You make a donation to wildlife charity Callisto. They use it to support their Bear Emergency Team. A vet and assistant travel to places where they are needed, e.g. road accident with a bear involved, damage done by bears.
• Interactions with wildlife, taking into account cumulative impacts, do not produce adverse effects on the viability and behaviour of populations in the wild. Any disturbance of natural ecosystems is minimized, rehabilitated, and there is a compensatory contribution to conservation management!
• Information about and interpretation of the natural surroundings is provided to travellers, as well as explaining appropriate behaviour while visiting natural areas.

Community

The trip is all about supporting the local economy. It will benefit financially much more local communities as opposed to booking via the "traditional sales channel" = a Tour Operator that is located in your country and that will send a tour leader from your country. Furthermore it supports local culture and communities in the following ways:

• Information about and interpretation of the local culture, and cultural heritage is provided to travellers.
• Local services and goods are purchased and offered, following fair-trade principles.
• Supporting local small entrepreneurs to develop and sell sustainable products that are based on the area’s nature, history and culture (including food and beverages, crafts, performance arts, agricultural products, etc.).
• Purchasing policies favour locally appropriate and ecologically sustainable products, including building materials, capital goods, food, beverages and consumables.
• Transportation methods in Greece are limited to group transportation with small buses and hiking.
• The accommodation used on this trip are family-owned and family-run. This is an area in Greece that has been hit hard by the economic crisis and your visit has a positive impact on the local economy.