 Protected lands  Protected land: Hong Kong  Nature reserves in China  Carrying Capacity Topic 10: Protected Lands

PROTECTED AREA: Land  The term protected area describes a wide array of land and water designations, of which some of the best known are national park, nature reserve, wilderness area, wildlife management area and landscape protected area. This approaches can also describe as community conserved areas

Protected land introduction  Principles of policy and planning for protected lands  Components of the regulatory system for protected lands  Historical development of NZ protected areas  Contemporary (Trend) directions and planning frameworks  Challenges of policy development

 Three key features of tourism management in protected areas:  Legislation — foundation which is sound ( ) and binding ( )  Management (Planning) — addresses potential, actual and cumulative visitor impacts  Action — activities and management responses to issues  Linkages between these three key features are important Principles of planning and policy for protected areas

Components of the regulatory system

Land use planning  Land use planning encompasses the following disciplines:  Architecture Architecture  Geography Geography  Environmental planning Environmental planning Environmental planning  Landscape architecture Landscape architecture Landscape architecture  Regional Planning Regional Planning Regional Planning  Spatial planning Spatial planning Spatial planning

Land use planning  Sustainable Development Sustainable Development Sustainable Development  Transportation Planning Transportation Planning Transportation Planning  Urban design Urban design Urban design  Urban planning Urban planning Urban planning  Urban Renaissance Urban Renaissance Urban Renaissance  Urban renewal Urban renewal Urban renewal

 National Parks Act 1952, 1980  Dept of Conservation administers:  14 national parks (2 million)  5 million ha of other protected lands including ‘stewardship areas’ and reserves for various purposes  World Heritage Sites  High country pastoral leases  Tourism in protected areas has long history in NZ  Utilitarian conservation 1870s – 1940s  Creation of national parks system 1950s – 1960s  Wilderness preservation 1970s – 1980s  New economic conservation 1987 – present Historical development of protected lands in New Zealand

Hierarchy of management instruments  Legislation  Robust legal framework  Biocentric (natural) vs. anthropocentric (recreational ) values  Policies  Provide guidance Components of the regulatory system

 Management strategies and plans  Models include Visitor Experience and Resource Protection Framework (VERP; USDA1997), Recreational Opportunity Spectrum (ROS), LAC  Management actions  Site/visitor management  Direct/indirect management

 DofC takes responsibility for tourism in 3 ways:  Provision of government funded infrastructure  Visitor information and services  Concession system for managing private sector tourism activities in protected lands  Dept of Conservation policies and strategies include:  General Policy for National Parks  Conservation General Policy  Visitor Strategy 1996  National tourism strategy 2010 recognises DofC role in tourism Contemporary directions and planning frameworks

Challenges of policy development for protected lands  Commercial development of nature — ecotourism  Qualmark system  Green Globe 21  government-private sector partnership certifies high quality visitor experiences  Star grading of accommodation  Debate over effectiveness of environmental certification programs

Land Use in HONG KONG  Urban  residential-industrial or residential- transport land use conflicts  Suburban  Rural

Land Use in HONG KONG  Possible methods to ease, avoid or eradicate land use conflicts.  Redeveloping old urban areas by planning the land uses carefully so that land is used in a better way than before. This will improve thet quality of the environment of that area. For example, in Hong Kong is redeveloped by the Urban Renewal Authority. Hong KongUrban Renewal AuthorityHong KongUrban Renewal Authority

Land Use in HONG KONG  Restriction of land use  Sometimes, unauthorised changes in the land use of a particular area would be outlawed. In other words, the land use of a particular area must remain the one set by the government. Again using Hong Kong as an example, flats may not be used for commercial, industrial or other purposes.

Land Use in HONG KONG  Development of New towns New towns are towns in which the urban planning is better than that of old urban areas. New towns are towns in which the urban planning is better than that of old urban areas. In these towns, all factories are grouped into a certain place which is away from the residential blocks, often with green belts, so the pollution has a smaller chance of affecting the residents. Consequently, people would have both a good living environment and an ideal working environment. Again using Hong Kong as an example, only 1% of the land use in Sha Tin is mixed. In these towns, all factories are grouped into a certain place which is away from the residential blocks, often with green belts, so the pollution has a smaller chance of affecting the residents. Consequently, people would have both a good living environment and an ideal working environment. Again using Hong Kong as an example, only 1% of the land use in Sha Tin is mixed.Sha TinSha Tin

Land Use in HONG KONG  helps solve land use conflicts indirectly by easing the demand for land and lowering the land price  Land Reclamation helps solve land use conflicts indirectly by easing the demand for land and lowering the land price

Summary  Institutional arrangements determine how tourism in protected lands is managed  Three key dimension are necessary for management:  Sound and binding legislative framework is essential  A planning and management system with clear goals and objectives  Actions that are directed towards achieving the above goals

Conservation in Hong Kong  The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) manages the parks and is responsible for tree planting, litter collection, fire fighting, development control and provision of recreation and education facilities. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation DepartmentAgriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department  About 12 million visitors were recorded in 2004 and most visitors engaged in leisure walking, fitness exercises, hiking, barbecuing, family picnics and camping.

Conservation in Hong Kong  The parks include   Tai Mo Shan, Tai Mo Shan   Pat Sin Leng mountain range,Pat Sin Leng   Ma On Shan, Ma On Shan   Sai Kung Peninsula,Sai Kung

Nature Reserves in China  The development of nature reserves in China started from 1956 when the first nature reserve, Dinghushan Nature Reserve in Guangdong was set up. Nature reserves are under the administrations of different governmental agencies, including the bureaus of forestry, agriculture, fishery, and environmental protection.  Nature reserves are also divided into three levels: national, provincial, and county level.

Nature Reserves in China  In 1978, there were only 34 nature reserves in China, accounting for 0.13% of the country’s area.  In 2001, the number nature reserves in China increased to 1551, with a total area of 145 million hectares, 14.4% of the country’s area. Among them, 171 were national level nature reserves.  According to the nation’s master plan for nature reserves, by 2010, the number of nature reserves in China will reach 1800, with a total area of 155 million hectare, 16.14% of the country’s area. The number of national level nature reserves will increase to 220.

Nature Reserves in China  Spatially, nature reserves are divided into core, buffer, and experimental zones.  People are allowed to enter the core zones solely for scientific research and with approval of relevant authorities. Buffer zones can only be used for scientific research activities. Tourism activities are allowed in experimental zone in a controlled manner.  Developing tourism in nature reserves can help raise fund for protection of the nature reserves; however, uncontrolled tourism can also damage nature reserves.

Function Zones of A Nature Reserve

Carrying capacity  What is carrying capacity?  How to measure carry capacity  Capacity standards

Definition  Carrying capacity is the maximum number of people who can use a site without an unacceptable adverse impact on the visitor experience as well as the environment, society, economy, and culture of the tourism area.  It establishes upper limits on development

Criteria to determine optimum capacity levels  Indigenous physical and socioeconomic environment  Tourism image and tourist product

Criteria on indigenous environment  Physical  Visual impact and congestion  Ecological system maintenance point  Wildlife and natural vegetation conservation  Acceptable level of air, water and noise pollution  Economic  Optimum overall economic benefits  Tourism employment level

Criteria on indigenous environment  Sociocultural  Not detrimental to sociocultural life styles and community activities  Help maintain cultural monuments, arts, crafts, belief systems, customs, and traditions  Infrastructure  transportation facilities and services  Water supply, electric power, sewage, solid waster disposal, telecommunication  Other community services such as health and public safety

Criteria on tourism image and visit satisfaction  Physical  Overall cleanliness and lack of pollution  Lack of undue congestion  Attractiveness of landscape or townscape  Maintenance of ecological system: flora and fauna  Economic  Cost of holiday  Value for money

Criteria on tourism image and visit satisfaction  Sociocultural  Intrinsic interest of the indigenous community and culture  Quality of local arts, handicrafts, cuisine, and cultural performance  Friendliness of residents  Infrastructure  Acceptable standards of transportation facilities and services  Acceptable standards of utility services

Other factors to consider  Seasonality  Tolerance levels of crowding and congestion of different markets

Capacity standards  WTO (1983) standards in Inskeep (1991) (Unit: visitors per day per hectare)  Forest park: up to 15  Suburban nature park:  High-density picnicking:  Low-density picnicking:  Sports/team games:  Golf: 10-15