Democrat:
Jake Hines, 28, never thought he could make a career out of taking people camping and hiking until Tallahassee Community College recently began its ‘green guide’ educational program.
Hines, an electrician, now hopes to begin a career as a full-time guide next year. But he said he wouldn’t have launched his new career had he not enrolled in the program and learned more about the geology, history and wildlife in the region - as well as marketing his service.
‘To me, it’s not OK to call yourself a guide and take people on trips if you are not certified, if you didn’t have the knowledge to do it responsibly,’ Hines said.
Hines and the green-guide program are part of a continuing push toward nature-based tourism in Wakulla County and other parts of North Florida.
Nature-based tourism isn’t the same as ‘eco-tourism.’ Nature-based tourism is a broader term that includes hunting and fishing while eco-tourism excludes those activities, said Steve Holland, chairman of the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management at the University of Florida. Read more.
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