by Caroline Dohack for the Columbia Tribune
Soaring through the trees, visitors to the recently opened Branson Zipline & Canopy Tours get a unique view of the Ozarks.
In the Wolf Creek Preserve’s 35 acres, the course takes participants through a mile of zip lines, suspension bridges and walkways without treading heavily through the grounds.
And that’s the goal of ecotourism: offer a glimpse into the natural world while protecting it.
“Before we even started construction, we had a forester come in to do a full inventory of the site,” said Branson Zipline & Canopy Tours general manager Emma Hamilton.
After assessing the trees, plants and animals, the forester advised the company on the ideal spots to place towers and observation decks. In an effort to remove as few trees as possible, Hamilton said the company used a helicopter — rather than earth-razing backhoes and cranes — to set 90 percent of the poles that support the course.
For the rest of the story click here: http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2010/aug/08/branson-zip-line-tours-offer-a-look-at-ozark/
