Managing eco-tourism: an ecological perspective
Introduction Define eco-tourism Infrastructure & Population Protected areas & management Studies: Wolong & Connecticut Roads and population effects Conclusion Future Thoughts
ECOTOURISM Elements 1. protection 2. local benefit 3. education 4. tourists & infrastructure
Eco-tourism = fragile systems Wetlands Coral Reefs Sand Dunes Small Islands w/local endemics Arctic & high alpine Temp, slope, season, degrade etc. More Impact: (Lonsdale et al.1994)
Goals: Review effects under eco-tourism plans Belize Nepal China Highlight some studies overall effects specific effects roads, invasives, etc.
BELIZE Government role Local guides 27% National PK Corridors Eco-policy
Infrastructure to support 46 Diving companies 20 Sport-fishing companies 2 Major cruise ships 19 Kayaking companies 4 Biking companies 10 Caving 10 Archeological 3 Volunteer 5 Horseback riding companies
Belize management issues Parks degraded Corruption Water fouled -citric acid Continued deforestation Immigration homesteading Wild hunting Insufficient waste treatment Endangered Plant/Animal souvenirs
Nepal issues Annapurna Mt. Everest UMCDP Fuelwood depleted Trail impacts Garbage Food scarcity Open new area No local benefit
Ecotourism on Mt. Bromo, East Jave Local benefit Local use Eco-burning Plant extraction Motorcycles Fuel collect #1 Avoid succession Edelweiss Anaphalis javanica
Ontario Canada State Park System
Wolong, China: WWF Most studied Most money Foreign support Keystone species Largest reserve Most training Most visible Most endangered The Last Panda
Wolong: A case study Panda Habitat: Forest Cover Slope Elevation = Habitat suitability Liu, Jianguo et al Science
Reserve Created 1974 Suitable Habitat Total area Patches Number + Size Total area Patches Number + Size
Area (ha) (A)(A) Highly suitable (C) Marginal (B)(B) Suitable (D) Unsuitable
R=HS Y=Suitable G=Marginal B=Unsuit Gray= Forest White= No Forest Landsat: Remote Sensing
Wolong Nature Reserve Human Population w/421 households households Other activities Fuelwood collection, timber harvest road construction, plant collection tourism
Conclusions Forest fragments near non-forest reduced Large tracts of forest fragmented and divided into smaller Panda 1974 = 145 Panda 1986 = 86 Present: Unknown
Eco-tourism Road building Increased population
500 natives 600 invasives 1 species/year Natural rate = 1/10000 years Magee 2001 Science
Galapagos Population: Access and increase ,000 +
Population 2 X 5 year Again by 2010 Fishing exploited Remove 40 mile zone Abbot 1996 Nature
Invasive species & population Mauchamp et al Conservation Biology
A 20-yr turtle study Population effects Garber & Burger (1995)
Turtle Decline & Human Recreation: A protected reserve Two populations: Clemmys insculpta Human population increase=synchronous decline
Hypothesis re: Decline Habitat destruction Beebee 1991 Climate Pounds & Crump 1994 UV-B increase Blaustein 1994 Exotic species Blaustein 1994 Natural change Pechmann 1991 Ozone Blaustein 1994 Predation Temple 1987 Collecting Wilbur 1994 Acid rain, aluminum etc.
Methods ha Two populations 100 yr separation Closed Marked observed 3hrs/wk 20 years Compare pre-post access
Results
Chaloupka et al Study method Inadvertant dispersal 15 Coral Cays 2 tourist 4 camping 1 no population Mode of dispersal Visitation vs alien
Results
Reserves and protected areas in decline Reserves generally Wolong study: infrastructure Turtle study: population Look at infratructure
Road effects Eco-tourisms infrastructure
Edge effects
Roads effects on ovenbirds: patterns of territory distribution Study
Roads and invasive species
Roads & mortality
Road effects on wetlands
Human effects on wildlife Response measurement Flushing distance Approach distance Tolerance distance
Humans & plants
Human effects on vegetation
Conclusion: 1. Few eco-tourism causation studies exist. 2. Eco-tourism must be seen in a cumulative effect climate 3. Infrastructure related ecology needed for management 4. Future of NTFP