Pha Tad Ke: where botanical gardens and health meet with responsible tourism
French-Dutch Rick Gadella is the frontman of this project that aims to bring together tourism, education, community development and academic research. The aim of Pha Tad Ke Botanical Gardens is to research on the rich flora of Laos, and to serve educational and environmental-awareness purposes for both locals and visitors.
Education materials have been designed for Lao villagers to adopt environmental gardening practices. Clients of Exotissimo Laos are offered to support this operation through the ‘Bucks of Books ‘activity that allows them to visit a village in a meaningful manner by handing out books to families or sponsoring a training to develop a medicinal organic garden.
Mr. Gadella has been working for five years employing 30 local people and with the support from world famous botanical gardens -such as the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (U.K.), or the Singapore Botanic Gardens, which assist him on research, construction and horticulture.
By linking the project to tourism and health services, Pha Tad Ke Gardens help spreading the word on biodiversity’s natural and medicinal values, but also contribute to sustainable development generating employment among local gardeners and farmers and reviving pride of their ancestral activities, while contributing to the preservation of the local natural heritage.
Pha Tad Ke Botanical Gardens are expected to open their doors to the public in 2017 and is a project supported by the EXO Foundation, for more info click here.
