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| Ecotourism travels to Coastside establishments By Greg Thomas [ greg@hmbreview.com ] Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, November 26, 2008 1:16 PM PST The potential for California to take the lead in the country’s ecotourism industry has always lingered, and in the past six years some Coastsiders have been working to kick eco-friendly recreation up a notch. Few have dedicated more time and effort to the cause than Charise McHugh, Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber of Commerce and Visitors’ Bureau president and CEO. She began pushing for ecotourism on the coast in 2002 after returning from a vacation in France. One night overseas she enjoyed a gourmet dinner at a farm overlooking the French Riviera and something clicked. “It was like a light bulb,” she said of the revelation to bring the quality of her experience to Coastside visitors. “I realized we can do this on the coast. It’s a natural fit.” Hikes through redwood forests, trips to the tide pools, kayaking excursions, hands-on dirt work at organic farms and horseback rides on the beach only scratch the surface of the possibilities McHugh recognized on the Coastside once she adopted the lens of a visiting eco-tourist. “We have an abundance of ecotourism activities right here in our backyard,” she said. “We just didn’t think of them as ecotourism.” With her guidance, local farmers, fishermen and business owners have been upping the ante of eco-friendly activities on the Coastside. Venues that qualify as ecotourism-friendly get an emblematic “e” logo to put in their window, which McHugh designed. The symbol has since spread to other cities in California, including Mendocino and Lake Tahoe. A popular spot for tourists and locals alike, Harley Farms in Pescadero, with its own genuine charm, is at the top of the list of establishments that have benefited from McHugh’s initiative. Owner Dee Harley says McHugh’s initiative has helped satisfy a subtle but unquestionable desire within people to reconnect with their natural environment. She has opened up tours that give people the inside scoop on real farm life. “People want to know about (farm operations),” Harley said. “And at the end of our tours we always say, ‘Now you’ve been here, go somewhere else.’ This is something that builds on itself.” The great thing about the Coastside, McHugh says, is that it encompasses a broad range of eco-activities and people can plan weekend adventures to various unique locations. Once day-trippers have had their fill of goat cheese in the backcountry with Harley, a half-hour drive up the coast will bring them to Pillar Point Harbor, where captains like William Smith can charter expeditions for fishing and whale-watching. “We saw more than a hundred humpback whales when I was out the other day,” Smith said. “We have a wilderness at our doorstep. I see this as a tremendous way to educate people about what their natural environment is.” That’s the goal McHugh is pushing toward with each new business she’s indoctrinated into the program. More than 30 currently display her “e,” a number of which, she said, have reported more business and higher profits. But for at least some of the program participants, the “e” status signifies a commitment to the environment and education, beyond economics or earnings. “Bottom line,” McHugh said, “people want an interactive experience. I think we’re way ahead of the curve.” |