Extending Nature Preserves, The Way Forward

Natural resources are the source of our life. The exploitation of natural resources for our well being has rapidly increased with the advancement of technology. It has become unsustainable. The modern technologies have excelled in extraction of natural resources efficiently and rapidly. Ever since industrialization, materialism has become the motivating engine for growth. Mass consumption is propagated. Wasteful consumption has become part of lifestyles and symbol of progress. The population too is rising as also the aspirations of the people. The extent of production and consumption has become indicators of progress. On the other hand, the impact of this growth-oriented consumptive lifestyle has also led to environmental devastation. There is increased awareness of this crisis. We are also painfully aware f depletion of fossil fuels, global warming, climate change, rise in sea level, endangered species, species extinction, desertification, pollution, habitat destruction, soil erosion, waste and garbage accumulation, urban sprawl and sustainable development.

It is now acknowledged that we need to conserve whatever natural habitat that remains. The importance of protecting biodiversity is well understood. An area covering 2.4 million square kilometers was demarcated as protected areas in 1962. This amounted to 9,214 protected areas. But by 2003 this has risen to 102,102 sites covering 18.8 million square kilometers or 12.65 percent of the surface of the earth. Of this 11.5 percent is land while 0.5 percent is the ocean.

Nature is best appreciated when you live and experience nature as it is in its untouched form. The best way to do this is to go as a small group with minimum essential goods for your survival into a national park and camp there without causing any disturbance to the natural surroundings. Amongst the key items needed would be the camping tent and sleeping bag amongst others. These are available in camping equipment stores. Camping tents are crucial to make your stay comfortable. There are many companies that produce a variety of camping tents such as Marmot, Black Diamond, Kelty, Eureka, MSR, Sierra and many more. They manufacture various tents of different sizes and other features. MSR produces tents with different designs such as MSR Hubba Hubba, MSR Fury and MSR Hubba HP Tent.

It was in the United States that the first modern national park was established. The Yellowstone National Park came up in 1872. Canada set up its first national park in 1995 and named it The Rocky Mountain National Park. Australia came up with its first one in 1879 naming it The Royal National Park. It was in 1887 that New Zealand established its first national park. In Europe Sweden was the first to create a set of nine parks in the year 1909. South Africa’s Kruger National Park was set up in 1926. There are over a hundred national parks around the world in some hundred countries set up since the 1950s.

Reconnecting With Nature Through Camping

Camping holds a distinctive place amongst recreational activities. As a leisure time activity, camping does give pleasure to the campers. Much more than that is its impact on the well being of the body and mind. Over and above this, there is this important role of camping providing a possibility of establishing a symbiotic bond with nature. Nature has taken a heavy toll in the name of human progress. Pollution has spread wild over the land, air and water. The forests, rivers and valleys have been destroyed for development and progress. It is now asserted that this cannot go on indefinitely. Species survival, including human survival, is only possible if we change to ecologically sustainable development.

There are a number of essential things that require to be taken along for camping such as camping tent, sleeping bag, jacket, flashlight, first aid kit, matches, knife, food and water. If the camp site has no basic facilities, they you may need camping chair, camp table, hammock, fishing pole, camp stove or grill, towels, small backpack for day hikes  and swimsuits. A sweatshirt with a hood, cap, jacket, sleeping bag line and gloves would be useful in case the weather is cold. If it is hot, then a sunscreen, extra water, large hat to fend off the sun rays, a small battery powered fan and canopy for shade will be useful.

Creating a bare livable condition requires camping tent as a primary requirement.  Camping tents vary according to the climate. For summer there is the one-season tent which can withstand the light summer showers. The three-season tent is required to withstand heavy rains and light snow. It also offers protection from wind, moderate rain and insects. This tent is suitable for use in spring, summer and autumn. But this tent will not be able to hold out heavy snow. The four season tent can withstand heavy snow. It is also heavier of the tents. But it is not suitable if the climate is hot. Some of the four season tents can be transformed to three season tents by removing pole sections or unzipping a roof panel. Bibler Ahwahnee tent for instance is a four-season tent.

There is the potential in camping to initiate the process of reconnection with nature. One hopes that this experience will make people sensitive and committed to modify the relationship with and approach towards nature.

There Is A Lot To Sleeping Bag

It is very thrilling to sleep in the open. A homely bed, a pillow, bed sheets and blankets is all that you need but the difficulty is in transporting them to the place. That is where sleeping bag comes in useful as it is light weight and can be taken along with your backpack. Sleeping bag is just like a bed but zipped up. It has all the comforts of the bed, provides you the warmth and insulation. Campers and travelers find them very easy to take it along while traveling. The cold does not creep in and it keeps you warmth. It protects you from the outside keeping away insects and the wind. Synthetic fill as PrimaLoft, cotton or wool or down are the materials used to manufacture the sleeping bags. The down or synthetic fill sleeping bags are usually preferred by campers as they insulate well and the absorption of water is minimal. It can also be folded. The heat is retained better with the down fill bag which can also be compressed. The synthetic bags are however cheaper.

Sleeping bags are of two shapes, namely the rectangular shaped ones and the mummy shaped ones. The rectangular shaped sleeping bag looks like a zipped up folded blanket. This are easily foldable and are tied tight using the straps or the cords. The mummy bags are shaped to look typically like a mummy with the head end broader slowly tapering as it goes to the leg end and closing fully. It retains the heat better than the rectangular shaped bags but it is cannot be folded but instead rolled yup and tied tight with cords or straps.

There are many manufacturers that manufacture different types of sleeping bags such as Marmot. The company also manufactures Marmot tents, camping clothing and backpacks besides sleeping bags. It manufactures both synthetic sleeping Bags as well as down sleeping bags. The synthetic sleeping bags that it manufactures include Marmot EcoPro 40 sleeping bag, Marmot EcoPro 30 sleeping bag, Marmot Pounder sleeping bag, Marmot Trestles 15 sleeping bag and Marmot Trestles 30 sleeping bag. The down sleeping Bags includes  Marmot Col EQ sleeping bag, Marmot CWM EQ sleeping bag , Marmot Down Yurt sleeping bag, Marmot Never Winter sleeping bag, Marmot Arroyo sleeping bag, Marmot Synthetic Yurt sleeping bag, Marmot Atom sleeping bag, Marmot Lithium sleeping bag  and Marmot Helium EQ sleeping bag.

It is necessary to consider a variety of factors to decide what sleeping bag suits your need. The major factor is of course the budget. Most sleeping bags are suitable in both hot and cold weather. All one has to do is to unzip when it is warmer and zip it up fully when is colder. But this will not suit in extreme cold conditions. There are sleeping bags specifically to handle extreme cold. When it is wet, the synthetic bags are better endowed than the down bag. But the down bag is better in dry weather.

Camping in the Great Outdoors

The white ghost of winter is fading away. Spring is in the air. The air is fragrant and it is the perfect time to set out with your family for a camping trip up in the hills or near a lake. A camping trip is a great way to welcome the spring.

I decided to take my two kids out for camping during the coming weekend. It would be a great experience and I would get a chance to bond with my two kids, who were growing up real fast. I decided on a location and then brought out my camping gear from the attic. I took an inventory and checked my fishing gear, tents, sleeping backs, rucksacks and trusty old portable stove. Building a fire is pretty tough when it is raining and the trusted old stove would come in handy.

I checked the local weather reports of our camping site. Even if there was a slight chance of rain or hail, I would postpone until next week. I surprised my kids on Thursday morning and told them that tomorrow afternoon we would set out on a camping and fishing trip. The look of anticipation on their faces was very rewarding.

We set out on a perfect balmy spring afternoon. The weather was perfect and it seemed that the sun would be shining throughout our trip. We made good time to the site and the rangers guided us to our designated location. We setup tent and I cooked hot dogs and warmed a can of beans over a fire that I had built.

I tucked in my kids and they fell asleep soon afterwards. I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of growling skies and sight of lightening. As is often the case in the out of doors, it started to rain heavily. I checked up on my kids. Each of the two kids were warm and snug in their mountain hardwear ghost sleeping bag. There was a nip in the air when we woke up. But the sleeping bags had kept us warm and cozy throughout the night.

The weather was excellent over the next two days. We went hiking and fishing and had lots of fun. It was a ritual that we would repeat a number of times over the years.

Camping, A Means To Reconnect With Nature

As a recreational activity, camping has a unique place. It is not just about taking pleasure from the activity during leisure periods. It is also much more than about physical and mental well-being. It is about connecting to the need of establishing a symbiotic relationship with nature. Human progress has taken a heavy toll of nature. The land, water and air have been subject to heavy pollution. The rivers, forests and valleys have been ravaged in the name of human progress. There is a growing consensus that an ecologically sustainable development alone will allow species survival, both human and non-human.

There are a number of essential things that require to be taken along for camping such as camping tent, sleeping bag, jacket, flashlight, first aid kit, matches, knife, food and water. If the camp site has no basic facilities, they you may need camping chair, camp table, hammock, fishing pole, camp stove or grill, towels, small backpack for day hikes  and swimsuits. A sweatshirt with a hood, cap, jacket, sleeping bag line and gloves would be useful in case the weather is cold. If it is hot, then a sunscreen, extra water, large hat to fend off the sun rays, a small battery powered fan and canopy for shade will be useful.

Camping tent is probably the most important in terms of creating a temporary living abode. Camping tents are varied according to the climate. The one-season tent is used in summer. It can endure light summer rains. The three-season tent can endure heavy rains as well as light snow. This tent is used in spring, summer and autumn and can also offer ventilation, and protection from insects, moderate rain and wind. However, it will not be able to withstand heavy snow. The four season tent is heavier and can withstand winter and heavy snow but is difficult if the climate is hot. There are four season tents that can be converted to three season tents by unzipping a roof panel or removing pole sections. Bibler Ahwahnee tent for instance is a four-season tent.

Camping has the tremendous potential as an activity to reconnect the campers with nature. The experience is expected to make people think and be sensitive towards our relationship with nature.

It Is Just As Your Bed, The Sleeping Bag

Sleeping in the open is very enticing. All one need is a cozy bed, blankets, bed sheets and a pillow. But while going camping, lugging all of them is a nightmare. But this is easily solved with a sleeping bag. Sleeping bag resembles a zipped up bed. It provides insulation, comfort and the warmth. The main attraction is that this is something that anyone can take along while traveling. It prevents the chill from creeping in. It protects from the wind. It protects the user from the outside. It is easily transportable along with your backpack. Sleeping bags are made of insulating materials such as synthetic fill such as PrimaLoft, or down, cotton or wool. Campers usually prefer the synthetic or down sleeping bag. The insulation is good and water absorption is minimal. It can be folded. The down fill bag can be compressed and retain heat better, but synthetic bags are cheaper.

Sleeping bags are of two shapes, namely the rectangular shaped ones and the mummy shaped ones. The rectangular shaped sleeping bag looks like a zipped up folded blanket. This are easily foldable and are tied tight using the straps or the cords. The mummy bags are shaped to look typically like a mummy with the head end broader slowly tapering as it goes to the leg end and closing fully. It retains the heat better than the rectangular shaped bags but it is cannot be folded but instead rolled yup and tied tight with cords or straps.

There are a number of reputed firms that produces and sells sleeping bags. Marmot, a firm that sells sleeping bags, also manufactures Marmot tents, backpacks and clothing. It manufactures both Synthetic Bags and Down Sleeping Bags as well. The synthetic sleeping bags of Marmot includes Marmot EcoPro 30 sleeping bag, Marmot Pounder sleeping bag, Marmot EcoPro 40 sleeping bag, Marmot Trestles 15 sleeping bag and Marmot Trestles 30 sleeping bag. The down sleeping Bags consists of Marmot CWM sleeping bag, Marmot Helium EQ sleeping bag, Marmot Never Winter sleeping bag, Marmot Col EQ sleeping bag, Marmot Synthetic Yurt sleeping bag, Marmot Down Yurt sleeping bag, Marmot Atom sleeping bag,  Marmot Lithium sleeping bag an Marmot Arroyo sleeping bag, besides others.

It is necessary to consider a variety of factors to decide what sleeping bag suits your need. The major factor is of course the budget. Most sleeping bags are suitable in both hot and cold weather. All one has to do is to unzip when it is warmer and zip it up fully when is colder. But this will not suit in extreme cold conditions. There are sleeping bags specifically to handle extreme cold. When it is wet, the synthetic bags are better endowed than the down bag. But the down bag is better in dry weather.

Developing A Symbiotic Relationship With Forests

The progress that we have made since industrialization has been impressive. But then we have had to pay a heavy price in the destruction of environment. The natural resources of the world, be it the waters from the rivers, the minerals from below or the oil from the sea bed, environment has been a casualty. The adverse effects of this unthinking march of progress have been quick to be felt. The current discussions are around loss of biodiversity, climate change, global warming, pollution of air, water and land, and the fresh water crisis. The crisis felt everywhere has also made the world to grapple with environmental crisis. The awareness and concerns are palpable. Public interest, private support and government initiatives have since grown. The first major initiative has been to conserve the remaining natural habitat.

National Parks are the most captivating areas amongst the areas that have become protected areas. These areas are declared National Park by law by respective national governments. The primary intention of notifying the area thus is to ensure that the area is not subject to human interference and development, and the resultant pollution and destruction. By 2006 there were already 6,555 National Parks in the world. The number has risen since then dramatically.

National Parks are great locations for anyone to camp. The experience can be enthralling and educative. Small groups of people take off from their busy life during their vacations to go camping. They pitch their tent amidst the serene but wild surroundings. They have to withstand the various life forms that inhabit the area as well as the weather. They also need to meet their basic necessities. They bring with them what they want in their backpacks. Camping tent is one of the main camping equipment that they need to carry with them. Many firms like Marmot, Sierra, MSR, Kelty, Eureka and Black Diamond manufacture camping tents in different sizes. The number of people who can be accommodated could range from one to ten people. For instance, Marmot Aeros 3 person tent accommodates three.

The national parks are open for scientific studies, educative and recreational purpose. Visitors are allowed to such areas for these restricted purposes and in a regulated manner. The government or other authorities as the park authorities are allotted staff and substantial funds to protect the national parks. Campers should be responsible tourists.

Ensure You Enjoy Your Camp-Out

The white ghost of winter is fading away. Spring is in the air. The air is fragrant and it is the perfect time to set out with your family for a camping trip up in the hills or near a lake. A camping trip is a great way to welcome the spring.

The coming weekend seemed to be the right time for taking my two kids out for a camping trip. It would give the three of us a chance to bond. I took out my camping gear from the attic and checked if the fishing gear, tents, sleeping bags, rucksacks and my butane stove were in good condition. The old stove was very durable and it helped to warm up food during a camp out if there was rain.

The local weather reports promised sunshine during the weekend. I was worried about the chances of rain. Thankfully there were little chances of rain. Everything seemed to be just fine, so I told my kids. They were pleasantly surprised and were eager with anticipation.

It was a perfect spring afternoon when we set out to our camping site. We were able to reach the camping site, well in time. The rangers guided us to our location and we set up our tents. We roasted hot dogs over a campfire and I warmed up a can of beans. Dinner made us feel drowsy and we were ready to retire for the night.

I tucked my kids in to their sleeping bags and before I knew it, they were fast asleep. I woke up to the sound of thunder and saw flashes of lighting. Before I could get over my amazement, it started to rain. I checked my kids to make sure that they were comfortable. They were snug and warm in their mountain hardwear ghost sl sleeping bags. It rained during the night and we woke up to a very chilly morning. But my kids slept through the night warm, snug and dry in their lightweight and well insulated sleeping bags.

It was a great trip. The weather for the next two days was fantastic. We had great fun. We fished and went on a long hike. After having enjoyed ourselves so thoroughly we decided to have such trips more often.

Limits To Nature, Harmonious Development Is The Key

The tourism business is worth about US$900 billion now and has a growth of 4 percent every year. Ecotourism has an impressive annual growth of 15 percent within the tourism sector. The pristine and uninhabited habitats are the major targets of ecotourism. These habitats are the coasts, estuaries, the plains and the hills. Educating the traveler, promoting conservation and organizing support to conservation are the major objectives of ecotourism. Ecotourism however faces a number of problems. Conservation areas are officially demarcated by governments and notified with the intention of regulating in order to protect them. But this has been facing difficulties with local communities alleging that their customary and traditional rights are being denied with the areas being notified as conservation areas. They maintain that their livelihood rights are violated with the area progressively being denied access to them. At the same time, these areas are let open for commercial interests to organize tourism. Often this is also justified with conservation as its interest. This has resulted in infrastructural development along with large hotels, lodges and resorts with modern facilities. The peace of these serene areas is invaded by waves of vehicles carrying the tourists. The local community life is disturbed as they are progressively displaced. The wildlife finds their habitat disturbed that they too have to withdraw into deeper parts. Maintaining the costly facilities mean getting more visitors to make use of them. This means more garbage, waste and pollution.

On the contrary the impact on ecology is low or minimal when ecotourism is conducted responsibly. Environmental awareness with the aim of supporting conservation is the basis of responsible ecotourism. Small groups frequent a location which has either no facilities or minimal facilities. Such tourists typically camp in the location amidst the natural surroundings. They come with camping equipments that they can carry with them in their backpack. Camping tent is important for campers’ safety. You can get details of camping tents by checking in on the review of the tents such as MSR Fury review .

Conservation requires that the ecosystem is protected by sustainable use of its biodiversity. The cultures of the local communities should be valued. Ecotourism should also benefit the local communities.

« Previous Page