Adventure sports operator eyes ecotourism to save forests

CEBU, Philippines - K33 agreenadventure, operator of the zipline in barangay Ga-as, Balamban, sees the business as its way of helping the environment.

K33, which opened last April 4, sits on a one hectare watershed area in barangay Ga-as and the owners are leasing the area from the family who got the stewardship of the land.

Already, many people have experienced the thrill of riding the 300.33 meter and 220 meter ziplines, but the adrenalin rush of riding the ziplines is not all there is to it. People who ride the ziplines at K33 also get to help save the environment.

“K33 is basically about promoting adventure sports, especially now that people are glued to their computers. However, this is also our way of funding projects for the environment and getting our clients to participate in these projects,” said Chief Operating Officer Barry Canton.

Canton said that their family, specifically his father Oscar, decided to put up the adventure sports business because this way, “people can have fun and at the same time get to preserve the environment.” He added that the business is their way of generating a sustained revenue stream to fund the reforestation in the mountains and watershed areas of the province.

“We did not cut a single tree when we started the development of the place. In fact, we plan to plant more trees in the area,” he said.

Canton added that once they are fully operational and when they acquire the software, they will implement the plan wherein a ride in the zipline will translate to a tree planted in the name of the rider. He said they will have to acquire a software that will divide the property in grids so that the rider, through the software, can identify the exact area where his or her tree was planted.

Aside from the zipline, K33 also features a restaurant that promotes healthy eating and will also have a wall climbing and rappelling area and camping grounds once it is fully operational by the last quarter of this year.

One only has to pay P200 to ride the ziplines but Canton said they plan to charge entrance fees once they are fully operational.

At present, K33 employs 10 to 15 people who are locals of the area. The staff has been trained by people from Jump Off Point, an outdoor adventure organizer. The cables used for the ziplines and all equipment that will be used by the riders were imported from the United States.

“The rides are really safe. In fact, the cables can carry a car but we have set weight limits for riders. We only allow riders that are between 80 to 250 lbs for safety reasons. The staff is also well trained so you really do not have to be scared,” Canton said.

K33 agreenadventure, according to Canton, spent a little over P2 million in developing the area and for the equipment. “So much research went into this project before it was implemented. We visited other areas that have ziplines like the one in Danao, Bohol and the longest zipline in Bukidnon.”

Canton added that once everything is in place at K33, the company is planning to go into franchising, especially for municipalities in the province who want to put up their own ziplines.

K33 is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. this summer. They are also giving a 20 percent discount to all riders this month.