Ecotourism: New tool for participatory soil and environmental education.

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The objective of this study was to develop the method of soil and environmental education introducing ecotourism. Critical evaluation of the currently operated eco-tours revealed that continuous and further effort is necessary for building up a simple story containing appropriate scientific information and philosophical message for sustaining society. We developed two eco-tours for global- and local-environmental education, i.e. "Enjoy desert and learn desertification" in Niger and "Where the Aral Sea was gone and what was left behind" in Kazakhstan, with supplemental tool such as promotion DVD and guidebook for assisting people in understanding and self-learning the relevant issues. Based on the tour monitored by the voluntary participants, we concluded that the tour operated and guided by the appropriate interpreters with high expertise is able to inspire deeper consideration and further actions in the participants for establishing sustainable society.