Principles of Eco-Tourism

1. It must promote positive environmental ethics - fostering preferred behavior in its participants.
2. It does not degrade the resource.
3. It concentrates on intrinsic (belonging to a person’s or thing’s basic nature) rather than extrinsic (extraneous, not belonging to) values.
4. It is biocentric (naturally centred) rather than homocentric (humanly centred) in philosophy.
5. It must benefit the wildlife and environment.
6. It is a first-hand experience with the natural environment.
7. It has an "expectation of gratification" that is measured if terms of education and/or physical achievement.
8. It has a high cognitive (personal, of the mind) and effective experiential dimension.

Principles of Low-Impact Wilderness Recreation

1. In popular places, concentrate use and impact.
2. In pristine places, disperse use and impact.
3. Stay off places that are lightly impacted or just beginning to show effects.
4. Minimize noise and visual intrusion.
5. Pack out everything brought into the wilderness.
6. Properly dispose of anything that can't be packed out.
7. Leave things as they were or in better condition.

   from Western Wildlands Spring 1992 - David N. Cole, Edwin E. Krumpe