Ecology and eco-tourism

1
Managing
eco-tourism an ecological
perspective

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Introduction

• Define eco-tourism
• Infrastructure Population
• Protected areas management
• Studies Wolong Connecticut
•  Roads and population effects
•  Conclusion
• Future Thoughts

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• ECOTOURISM
• Elements
• 1. protection
• 2. local benefit
• 3. education
• 4. tourists infrastructure

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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)

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Goals
Review effects under eco-tourism plans
Belize Nepal China Highlight some studies
overall effects specific effects
roads, invasives, etc.
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BELIZE

• Government role
• Local guides
• 27 National PK
• Corridors
• Eco-policy

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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

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Belize management issues

• Parks degraded
• Corruption
• Water fouled -citric acid
• Continued deforestation
• Immigration homesteading
• Wild hunting
• Insufficient waste treatment
• Endangered Plant/Animal souvenirs

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Nepal issues

• Annapurna
• Mt. Everest
• UMCDP

• Fuelwood depleted
• Trail impacts
• Garbage
• Food scarcity
• Open new area
• No local benefit

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Ecotourism on Mt. Bromo, East Jave

• Local benefit
• Local use
• Eco-burning
• Plant extraction

• Motorcycles
• Fuel collect 1
• Avoid succession
• Edelweiss
• Anaphalis javanica

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Ontario CanadaState Park System
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Wolong, China WWF

• Most studied
• Most money
• Foreign support
• Keystone species
• Largest reserve
• Most training
• Most visible
• Most endangered

The Last Panda
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Wolong A case study

• Panda Habitat
• Forest Cover
• Slope
• Elevation
• Habitat suitability
• Liu, Jianguo et al. 2001. Science

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Reserve Created 1974

• Suitable Habitat
• 1965-1974
• Total area
• Patches
• Number Size

• 1974-1997
• Total area
• Patches

Number Size
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Area (ha)
65 74 97 65 74 97

1. (A) Highly suitable (C) Marginal
2. (B) Suitable (D) Unsuitable

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Landsat Remote Sensing
Gray Forest White No Forest
RHS YSuitable GMarginal BUnsuit
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Wolong Nature Reserve Human Population
1974 2560 w/421 households
1995 4260 904 households
Other activities Fuelwood
collection, timber harvest road
construction, plant collection
tourism
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Conclusions

• Forest fragments near non-forest reduced
• Large tracts of forest fragmented and divided
  into smaller
• Panda 1974 145
• Panda 1986 86
• Present Unknown

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Eco-tourism

• Road building
• Increased population

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500 natives 600 invasives 1 species/year Natural
rate 1/10000 years Magee 2001 Science
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Galapagos PopulationAccess and increase

• 2002 - 90,000

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Population 2 X 5 year Again by 2010 Fishing
exploited Remove 40 mile zone Abbot 1996 Nature
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Invasive species population
Mauchamp et al. 1997 Conservation Biology
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A 20-yr turtle study Population
effects Garber Burger (1995)
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Turtle Decline Human Recreation A
protected reserve 1974-1993 Two
populations Clemmys insculpta
Human population increasesynchronous decline
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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.

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Methods
1974-1993 1000-ha Two populations 100 yr
separation 1974-1982 Closed Marked observed
3hrs/wk 20 years Compare pre-post access
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Results
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Study method Inadvertant dispersal 15 Coral
Cays 2 tourist 4 camping 1 no
population Mode of dispersal Visitation vs alien
Chaloupka et al. 1986
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Results
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Reserves and protected areas in decline

• Reserves generally
• Wolong study infrastructure
• Turtle study population
• Look at infratructure

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Road effects

• Eco-tourisms infrastructure

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Edge effects
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Roads effects on ovenbirds patterns of territory
distribution
Study
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Roads and invasive species
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Roads mortality
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Road effects on wetlands
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Human effects on wildlife

• Response measurement
• Flushing distance
• Approach distance
• Tolerance distance

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Humans plants
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Human effects on vegetation
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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