Recently, a number of interested villagers have formed a group to explore the potential of community-based tourism to assist with conservation and to provide an additional source of income.

The villagers are becoming increasingly aware of the ecological value of their island, thanks to the ongoing efforts of Naucrates and the Mangrove Action Project. Projects include sea turtle conservation, post-tsunami mangrove restoration, and sea grass monitoring.

 

Naucrates and MAP have been granted two tsunami houses in Lion Village by the Lion Foundation to be used as Coastal Conservation Resource Centres (CCRCs) and staff house base for conservation work. Starting in early 2009 MAP and Naucrates started a small two year project based at Ban Lion called: "Community natural resource conservation and management project" The project focus is on greening the community through tree planting and introducing good environmental practices like composting. The project also involves implementing Environmental Education in the schools and starting to look at alternative livelihoods including a home stay program for visitors.

 

In June 2009, a Capacity Building Community-based Tourism Training program for members of the community-based tourism group was organized by the Mangrove Action Project and Andaman Discoveries, with financial assistance from the Ecumenical Coalition on Tourism. The two-day training and pilot tour were designed to enable the group to learn how to manage and develop tourism activities that were environmentally sensitive, informative and enjoyable for guests. The focus of the pilot tour was to maximize knowledge for the group through first-hand practice. The group worked together to coordinate program set-up, guiding and hosting tourists.