Madagascar's Nosey Be
Whales in the Mozambique Strait skirt the unspoiled beaches of this former colonial hideaway, which recalls the Caribbean circa 1880.

The Threat: Nosey Be is the biggest resort area in Madagascar, and the resident lemurs, chameleons, and turtles now face encroachment from the onslaught of new hotels.

The Prognosis: Community-based NGOs dedicated to sustainable tourism are gaining momentum on the mainland and slowly making their way to Nosey Be. Tour operators such as Alefa emphasize low-impact sightseeing and specialize in island cruises on log-hewn pirogues de guerre.

Ngorongoro Crater
This nearly 2,000-foot-deep dormant volcanic crater spans about 116 square miles in northeast Tanzania and is part of a delicate ecosystem that supports more than 25,000 animals, including some of the country's last black rhinos.

The Threat: Four large safari lodges are on the crater's rim, but environmentalists say a planned 300-bed hotel would lead to further deterioration of the game-viewing roads and paths into the crater.

The Prognosis: The project is on hold for now, but the battle is not over. Park authorities have raised vehicle fees from $10 to more than $100 per day to help reduce tourist numbers, but, ironically, conservationists fear the hotel could mean the end of tourism in the Ngorongoro.

Mexico's Michoacán Mountains
Every summer, millions of monarch butterflies migrate from east of the Rockies to the mountains of Michoacán, near Mexico City. As they settle into the oyamel firs, where they will remain until March, their wingbeats drown out nearly all other sounds.

The Threat: Widespread illegal logging is destroying the forests' natural insulation, causing hibernating butterflies to freeze to death in winter. More than 250 million butterflies were recently killed in just one night due to a winter storm.

The Prognosis: The conservation group Eco-Life installs fuel-efficient stoves in local communities (to reduce timber cutting) and educates local leaders about the dangers of deforestation. But without government enforcement of logging laws, little more can be done.

Sri Lanka's Galle Fort
The detritus of the 2004 tsunami has been scavenged away, stylish hotels have opened, and foreigners are snapping up gorgeous 200-year-old, Dutch-style bungalows, bringing wealth to the area.

The Threat: Ravaged by war and the tsunami, the historic seventeenth- and eighteenth-century edifices are rapidly crumbling. The cash-strapped government is using most of its funds to rebuild schools and to curb insurgencies, with little left over for restoration of public treasures.

The Prognosis: International events such as the Galle Literary Festival are drawing attention to Sri Lanka's writers and regenerating interest in this priceless maritime fort.

Tibet
The opening of the wondrous high-altitude Buddhist kingdom of bloodred monasteries and fluttering prayer flags—and the recent launch of the new Trans-Qinghai train route linking Beijing to Lhasa—have ushered once-cloistered Tibet into the modern world.

The Threat: The Han Chinese have brought luxury hotels, CNN, and mobile phones, but at the expense of Tibet's long-standing traditions, social fabric, and language. The recent influx of tourists and military personnel has also led to a rise in brothels, drugs, and HIV.

The Prognosis: Mandarin has all but replaced the Tibetan language and many ancient beliefs. Fortunately, Tibetan charities that support local language and culture do exist, and NGOs have joined forces with local organizations to tackle HIV.
–Charlotte Shalgosky, Laura Waters