|
Organization type: Contractor
Profile:
AED is an independent, nonprofit organization committed to solving critical social problems and building the capacity of individuals, communities, and institutions to become more self-sufficient. AED works in all the major areas of human development, with a focus on improving education, health, and economic opportunities for the least advantaged in the United States and developing countries throughout the world. AED works with many partners to improve how people impact the health of the planet, using their expertise in social marketing, education, communications, and advocacy to reach a wide variety of audiences in order to influence behaviors and policies affecting the environment.
Areas of Sustainable Tourism (ST) expertise:
- Ecotourism, with special expertise in coastal and watershed zones.
- Community-based natural resource management in buffer zones around parks and protected areas.
- Cultural tourism, with an emphasis in history and local/indigenous cultures.
In all three of these areas, AED applies its special expertise in social marketing, environmental and cultural interpretation, policy development, strategic communication, social/community mobilization, and advocacy. They work at local, municipal, national, regional, and international levels.
Particular tourism niches:
- Developing interpretive programs for parks and protected areas, including training interpretive guides and creating interpretive signage and trails.
- Engaging a wide range of stakeholders (tour operators and tourists, government officials, park rangers, community members, students, etc.) in actions to mitigate the negative effects of tourism on terrestrial and marine ecosystems and the natural resource base.
- Conducting background research on historical and cultural attractions and developing creative approaches to communicating that information through tourism.
- Building public-private partnerships for income generation and management in national parks.
Regions worked:
- Africa:
- Asia and the Near East:
- Latin America and the Caribbean:
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Peru
USAID projects:
Task orders under the GreenCOM II IQC:
- Panama (2001-2006)
- Egypt (2001-2004)
- Guatemala (2002-2004)
- Tanzania (2001-2005)
Task orders under the GreenCOM I IQC:
- Nicaragua (1996-1998)
- El Salvador (1994-1999)
Peru Strengthened Environmental Management (STEM) Project, 2003-2006
Recent ST partnerships and collaborations:
- Ministries of Environment and Natural Resources
- Ministries of Tourism
- National Park Services
- Environmental NGOs
- Tourism operators
- Universities and vocational schools
- Hotels and the hospitality industries
- Private tourism consulting firms
Contact:
Richard P. Bossi
Vice President and Director, Center for Environmental Strategies
Academy for Educational Development
1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20009 USA
Phone: (202) 884-8898
www.aed.org
|
