Test 2 Flashcards
Negative Impacts on the Environment
- 1970s loss of flora and fauna, pollution, loss of natural landscape
- resource use base loss
Resource use based impacts
most affected are common pool resources, overuse, threats to biodiversity, construction, draining of wetlands, deforestation, loss of beach or reefs
Human Behaviour Impacts on the Environment
- Disruption of feeding and breeding patterns
- Displacement of highly sensitive species
- Invasion of highly tolerant species
- Destruction of resource to profit from tourists
- Indiscriminate killing of wildlife to entertain the guests
- Littering
Pollution
air, water, light, noise, aesthetic
- covers a range of scales from local to global
- GHG emissions
- water pollution
- waste disposal
- noise pollution
coastal development
- removal of coastal trees and mangrove swamps.
- drainage of wetlands
- aquaculture
construction of hotels
- increased sedimentation
- sewage
- mining of coral
- loss of local food supply
mountain development
- sensitive to change with short growing season, thin soil, and low nutrients
- regeneration is difficult
- recreation activities: lift installation, snow making
- increased infrastructure
- superstructure development
Resource Use
-airports: development of land for this rather than agriculture, infrastructure, conflicts over water
Displacement of locals
often excluded from the areas that they previously used
- beaches
- Masai removal from Masai Mara
Human behaviour
- tourisms success is viewing of wildlife – this desire to be close to wildlife can have a number of deleterious effects
- disruption of behaviour
- polar bears displaying “vigilant” behaviour
- littering (animals can eat this and die)
IUCN Category: Scientific reserve/strict nature reserve
The main purpose of this type of designation is maintain and protect the existing ecological balance of the area for scientific study and for environmental protection
IUCN Category: National Park
To protect outstanding natural and scenic areas for educational scientific and recreational use. Generally they tend to cover large expanses of land, and are not materially altered by human activity, and extractive industries are not permitted inside their boundaries
IUCN Category: Natural Monuments/Natural Landmarks
The aim of this designation is the protection and preservation of nationally significant natural features as defined by their special interest or unique features
IUCN Category: Managed nature reserve/wildlife sanctuary
Human manipulation, for example the culling of certain species or control of certain processes, can be involved in these areas to ensure the protection of nationally significant species and the physical features of the landscape
IUCN Category: Protected Landscapes
Emphasis is placed on the maintenance of nationally significant landscapes which are characteristic of the harmonious interaction of humans and nature. Emphasis is also placed on the enjoyment of the area through recreation and tourism, as long as this does not detract from the normal lifestyle and economic activity of the area
IUCN Category: Resource Reserve
The aim of this designation is to protect or sustain resources of an area for present and future use by prohibiting activities that threaten them
Naturally biotic are/anthropological reserve
To permit the way of life for societies that are living in harmony with the environment to continue, uninterrupted by modern technology and human activity
Multiple use management area/managed resource
An area to be used for the sustained production of a mix of water, timber, wildlife, pasture and outdoor recreation. The conservation of nature is oriented to the support of economic activities, although specific zones can also be designated within these areas to meet specific objectives
Developing Countries Parks and Protected Areas
- rationale for developing is often the conservation of wildlife supported by revenues from tourism
- focal point for most international tourism
World Heritage Site
which recognizes sites of outstanding global natural and cultural significance
- majority are cultural
- promotes a site to be visited by tourists
- difficult to balance economic opportunity and conservation
Threats to World Heritage Sites
- overtourism
- armed conflict
- natural disasters
- pollution
- poaching
World Heritage Sustainable Tourism Program
WHS has launched the World Heritage Sustainable Tourism Program:
- building capacity
- training locals in tourism activities
- help promote local products
- raise public awareness and build conservation outreach campaigns
- use $ from tourism in conservation and protection costs
- share expertise and lessons learned with other protected sites
- increase understanding to protect WHS
Zoning
land management strategy that seeks to protect the most vulnerable landscapes while allowing for more intensive uses of more resilient or less “valued” landscapes
-some parks are older and ability to alter some zones is difficult
Zone 1 Special Preservation
areas that contain strictly protected rare or endangered species (features) and where access is strictly controlled
Zone 2 Wilderness
represents 60-90% of most parks and the primary aim is resource preservation. Use is dispersed with limited facilities
Zone 3 Natural Environment
Act as a buffer zone between zones 2 and 4 and access is primarily non-motorized
Zone 4 Recreation
Overnight facilities (campgrounds) and recreation complexes (ski areas) are located in this zone
Zone 5 Park Services
Highly modified area providing many services to park visitors but represents less than 1% of the total park area
Benefits of Zoning
-defining the types of tourism that are suitable for different zones
Carrying capacity
WTO defines it as…
“fundamental to environmental protection and sustainable development. It refers to the maximum use of any site without causing negative effects on the resources, reducing visitor satisfaction, or exerting adverse impacts on the society, economy and culture of the area.”
Social carrying capacity
includes impacts of tourist on other tourists and the local community (culture)
- impact of people on other people
- can cause goal interference
- deeply rooted in differing values
- often measured as “crowding”
Environmental carrying capacity
A measure of the limits of human use of the landscape before impacts occur
- does the impact change the character of the ecosystem
- if so, is this change acceptable
Habituation
waning of a response to a stimulus
Food conditioning
when wildlife starts to associate people with food
Design Carrying Capacity
- Specifies the level of use in and for facilities such as roads, parking lots, campgrounds, visitor centres etc.
- can include boardwalks and other infrastructure
- will have a safety margin built in
Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC)
- developed to complement the ROS with a particular focus on the wilderness area designation
- is intended to be participatory and involve key stakeholders
- success or failure of the plan is largely dependent upon the follow through with data collection and monitoring
ROS
prescriptive planning tool intended to identify area uses (like ZONES) and the degree of management, activities and facilities in each zone
LAC seeks to operationalize Carrying Capacity by:
- Identifying area concerns and issues
- Defining and describing management objectives
- Implement and monitor
Major issues with Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC)
- Lack of monitoring and followup
- Reduction of data collection
- Use in non-wilderness areas
- Degree of prescription vs stakeholder involvement
- Invasion and displacement
TOMM Model – Tourism Optimization Management Model
is an adaptation of the LAC specifically directed towards tourism destinations as such it is not directed towards “wilderness”
- It is a community based sustainable tourism management model responsible for monitoring the long-term health of the tourism industry at a specific location
- It relies on a management response system which alerts stakeholders to issues which require additional monitoring
TOMM
Where LAC provides a framework for identifying what could be done to address issues, TOMM identifies what should be done, by whom and where…in this way it is much more inclusive of stakeholders as they have active responsibilities beyond identifying issues
Code of Conduct
Attempts to guide the behavior of organizations and individuals – voluntary codes of conduct to mitigate the negative impacts of tourism and improve environmental compliance have been developed by government, the private sector and NGOs
range of instruments can be used to increase tourism sustainability?
- regulations are and will remain essential
- economic instruments are increasingly used by governments;
- voluntary proactive approaches are seen as the best way of ensuring long term commitments to sustainability
Principles of codes tend to focus around:
- Sustainable use of nature
- Reduction of environmental impacts
- Reducing waste and over consumption
- Sensitivity for wildlife and local culture
- Adopting internal environmental management strategies and environmental auditing
- Support local economy by using local suppliers
- Pursuing responsible marketing
Criticisms of codes of conduct
- Monitoring and evaluation of codes
- The conflict between codes as a form of marketing and codes as a genuine attempt to improve practice
- Regulation or voluntary self regulation of the industry
- Variability between different codes and the need for coordination
Role of government is critical in formulating environmental policy for tourism
Legislation for support and creation of parks and protected areas, EIA, taxation and earmarked funding
Range of land use planning techniques can be used for tourism
Zoning, ROS, LAC, TOMM, VAMP, etc
Over 150 years since the first National Parks were established, over popularity is threatening them
This is especially important for early parks where marked improvement in access and infrastructure create large crowds in areas not properly planned for in the first place
World Heritage Sites
Similar to NPs WHS can and do create pressures on sites and uncontrolled development is seen as a threat to WHS
Codes of conduct can and have been developed by a variety of stakeholders in tourism
- For private sector they are interpreted as a form of self- regulation
- However, the codes lack monitoring and the evaluation of their utility is limited
- Can be nothing more than green washing