Select and
research a specific ECOTOURISM case study, focusing on the PROS, CONS, and what
your case study teaches us about the relationship between natural environments
and human communities, in the context of our ECOTOURISM themes.
Prepare an 12-14 paragraph multimedia project that:
1) Provides
background for your case;
2) Explores
causal relationships between ecotourism mission, environmental factors and the
success or failure of your initiative;
3) Lessons
for today.
Images,
embedded video, and hyperlinks are a must.
To earn an
A, be sure your ECOTOURISM case study
· Has a
specific THESIS statement, grounded in TIME and PLACE, in your opening
paragraph.
· Consists
of 12-14 paragraphs of between 5-7 sentences each.
· Contains
no grammar, spelling, or mechanical errors.
· Is
illustrated with AT LEAST one photo or video embed for EACH paragraph.
· Provides
AT LEAST one direct quotation from AT LEAST 6 different sources.
· Is
presented with confidence in class (excerpted sections.)
We are live!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFor Monday, 1/29 - please post your:
ReplyDelete1) TOPIC
2) SIX initial sources with urls.
3) THREE specific questions you hope to answer.
Post here, please.
ReplyDeleteTopic: Effects of ecotourism on Iceland's economy and landscape.
ReplyDeleteSources:
1) http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170222-the-country-that-tourism-has-taken-by-surprise
2) https://notendur.hi.is/ajonsson/kennsla_2016/Turismi_2016.pdf
3) https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/05/iceland-tourism/484148/
4) https://skift.com/iceland-tourism/
5) https://www.wttc.org/-/media/files/reports/economic-impact-research/countries-2017/iceland2017.pdf
6) https://guidetoiceland.is/nature-info/a-darker-shade-of-green-icelands-troubled-environment
Questions:
1) Does Iceland's tourism follow the guidelines for ecotourism?
2) Has tourism had a positive or negative effect on Iceland's landscape?
3) Are the environmental effects greater than the social effects?
1: both/and
Delete2: Which part of Iceland has been toured the most/affected the most?
3: The other Iceland?
4: Tourism policies? Guidelines?
5: Infrastructure improvements?
6: Why ecotourism?
7: History of Iceland's name?
Thesis: Whether spurred by Game of Thrones or catastrophic volcanic eruptions, ecotourism has brought a decade of economic prosperity to Iceland. At the same time, however this has come at a cost to the natural environment.
DeleteIceland is a rare phenomenon. It’s a country who’s beauty is unrivaled, and because of this people are drawn to it in droves. However, Iceland is also unapologetic tic about what it is. It’s a rugged, harsh, and unforgiving landscape, with a culture that is both welcoming, but also refuses to change. It’s because of this combination of factors that I believe Iceland to be one of the best examples of ecotourism in the world. Whether spurred by Game of Thrones or catastrophic volcanic eruptions, ecotourism has brought a decade of economic prosperity to Iceland. At the same time, however this has come at a cost to the natural environment.
Delete1. Intro
2. What is ecotourism?
3. Iceland’s ecotourism history.
4. Why are tourists so drawn to Iceland?
5. 1st reason why is Iceland such a great example of ecotourism.
6. 2nd reason why is Iceland such a great example of ecotourism.
7. Does Iceland have any policies in place for tourism?
8. Explain the detrimental effects of ecotourism.
9. Negative social costs.
10. Environmental costs.
11. How is Iceland addressing these issues?
12. Rank Iceland’s ecotourism sustainability.
13. Conclusion.
Iceland is a rare phenomenon. It’s a country who’s beauty is unrivaled, and because of this people are drawn to it in droves. However, Iceland is also unapologetic about what it is. It’s a rugged, harsh, and unforgiving landscape, with a culture that is welcoming, but also refuses to change. It’s because of this combination of factors that Iceland become one of the best examples of ecotourism in the world. Whether spurred by Game of Thrones or catastrophic volcanic eruptions, ecotourism has brought a decade of economic prosperity to Iceland. At the same time, however this has come at a cost to the natural environment.
DeleteEcotourism is very different from the various other paradigms of tourism. It’s a multifaceted, complex, and interdisciplinary way of approaching the tourism industry. Despite its complexity, it offers one of the best methods for creating a more whole, equitable, and sustainable form of tourism. As a paradigm, it lies on a foundation built out of five main concepts. The criteria that ecotourism is comprised of are: travel to places of ecological interest involving responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, improves the wellbeing of local people, and creates shared knowndge and understanding through interpretation and education of all involved. Obviously this is an extremely broad definition, that affects all tiers of the tourism industry. However, true ecotourism could potentially create a better experience for the travelers, industry workers, indigenous workers, etc.
Iceland’s shift to ecotourism was both gradual, and then all at once. It was fueled by good timing, a dire need for economic growth, and the right paradigms being in place at the right time. In 2016 alone, Iceland saw 1.7 million tourists go through their country, and it’s for good reason too. The past decade of Iceland’s history has not been an easy one. As a recent Skift article put it, “When the global financial meltdown hit Iceland in 2008, it unleashed a series of devastating consequences: an unprecedented banking crisis, a housing market collapse, and increased unemployment. Iceland’s currency plummeted in value and thousands in export-heavy jobs were put out of work” (Sheivachman, 2016). Not long after this, whoever, a disaster turns into a blessing for the island.
Iceland is well known for her world renowned lagoons, beautiful mountain ridgeline, and frozen coasts. However, people’s attraction to the idyllic country first began with the eruption of a volcano. “There were the eruptions of its Eyjafjallajökull volcano in 2010, which grounded flights across Europe” (Baraniuk, 2017). It was such a powerful eruption that flights had to be grounded for das afterwards. This catastrophe closely followed the financial collapse of the country, and was extremely detrimental in the short term. Surprisingly, people found the aftermath of this disaster to actually be an attractor. Iceland used this to their advantage, and offered low cost plane tickets from both the United States and Europe. They also offered a free stop-over in the country for anyone who flew across the Atlantic. These choices caused the number of passengers coming to Iceland to climb significantly over the past decade. In 2016 alone, passenger totals in the Keflavik Airport soared by 40%, from five to seven million passengers.
DeleteIceland’s intelligent tourism tactics took areas that were dead during the financial crisis, and breathed new life back into them. Iceland’s main resource its natural resource. This is precisely what increased the country’s foreign exchange earnings by 12.3 percent in a five year span. That’s a growth rate that most countries rarely if ever see. In this same half decade period, their was a complete restructuring of the economy. Tourism surpassed fishing (previously one of the country’s largest industries), and quickly became the predominant form of economic activity. In this regard, tourism has saved Iceland from economic ruin. Additionally, they’ve managed to build their economy into a state of symbiosis with ecotourism.
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ReplyDeleteTopic: Ecotourism in India through voluntourism with Wildlife SOS
ReplyDeleteSource URLs:
1) http://wildlifesos.org/volunteer-with-us/
2) https://www.ecotourism.org/voluntourism
3) https://www.ecotourism.org/ecodestinations-india
4) https://www.volunteerindiaispiice.com/news/voluntourism-in-india/
5) https://search-proquest-com.cobalt.champlain.edu/central/docview/190254341/F237FBC99EC04E26PQ/3?accountid=40345
6) https://www.cntraveller.in/story/17-incredible-volunteering-experiences-in-india-to-travel-for/#s-custpeople-for-the-ethical-treatment-of-animals-peta-india
7) Criteria for Ecotourism from our Ecotourism textbook
Questions: How well does voluntourism fit in with ecotourism? Does Wildlife SOS meet the criteria for ecotourism? How much do the volunteers actually help the conservation efforts?
1. Which locations could benefit from voluntourism
Delete2. Negatives of voluntourism
3. Social effects on locals
4. Difference between voluntourism and ecotourism (and their definitions) and flag the connection between the two
5. Would there be more locations in India if there was less danger?
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ReplyDelete-examples of specific options in destinations
Delete-Italy: dolomites mountains (turnstile vs ecotourism comparison)
-distinct ecosystems found in Hawaii
-Hawaii/NZ: original culture, has it been preserved through ecotourism? how?
-Hawaii: homelessness epidemic?
-residents opinion/thoughts on tourism and ecotourism
Topic: Biodomes around the world, focus on Montreal's biodome
ReplyDelete1. http://www.biodomes.eu/index.php
2. http://biosphere2.org/visit/tours
3.http://espacepourlavie.ca/en/biodome
4. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00248-011-9960-2
5. http://www.thegreenplanetdubai.com/en
6.http://polarconnection.org/biodome-reykjavik/
Questions:
1. Can ecosystems existing in biodomes truly thrive?
2. What impacts do biodomes have regarding emissions and consumption?
3. How can a tourist destination that is not a wealthy/developed nation afford to install/keep up a biodome?
1. Do people visit biodomes as much as other ecotourism sites?
Delete2. visit/focus on MTL biodome
3. Cost/accessibility for tourists/locations
4. significance of economic/social benefits on locations
5. Biodomes vs. zoos
6. pros/cons
7. scientific hotspots? **honey magnet urban areas
8. compare different biodome locations/social/economical impacts in those areas
9. infographic map
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ReplyDeleteTopic: Ecotourism in Cuba
ReplyDelete1. https://www.frommers.com/destinations/cuba/planning-a-trip/sustainable-travel--ecotourism
2. https://www.edf.org/blog/2015/03/03/ecotourism-cuba-model-sustainable-economic-development
3. https://www.tripcuba.org/ecotourism-in-cuba
4. http://mynatour.org/destination/ecotourism-cuba
5. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/americas/travel-tips-and-articles/going-green-ecotourism-in-cuba/40625c8c-8a11-5710-a052-1479d277517f
6. http://www.cubawanderer.com/practicing-ecotourism-in-cuba/
Questions:
1. How can ecotourists improve the conditions in Cuba?
2. What impacts do Cubans face if tourism increases substantially?
3. How can Cubans maintain their ecotourism locations the best way possible?
1. How many tourists can Cuba host/maintain?
Delete2. What are the major ecotourism attractions in Cuba?
3. What needs to improve? What can ecotourism improve?
4. How has ecotourism society/where will it go from here?
5. Is there a way to change parameters to better meet the needs of the country?
Topic Ecotourism in Alaska and how America treats ecotourism.
ReplyDelete1.https://www.travelalaskaoutdoors.com/about/sustainability
2.http://www.internationalwildlifelaw.org/alaska.html
3.http://traveltips.usatoday.com/alaska-ecotourism-10160.html
4.https://www.frommers.com/destinations/alaska/planning-a-trip/sustainable-travel--ecotourism
5.http://www.adventuregreenalaska.org
6.http://www.nativescience.org/html/eco-tourism.html
Questions
1.How does ecotourism effect the the local culture of Alaska?
2.Is American ecotourism current then the rest of the world?
3.how effective is ecotourism in Alaska?
1. How are they/if they are taking a leading role in ecotourism?
Delete2. Statistic about non American tourism compared to American
3. Matanuska park
4. Safety regulations in ecotourism?
5. look into specific places for Alaska
Topic: Ecotourism in Chile
ReplyDelete1. http://www.ecotourism.org/chile
2. mynatour.org/destination/ecotourism-chile
3. https://www.frommers.com/.../chile/sustainable-travel--ecotourism
4. https://revista.drclas.harvard.edu/book/ecotourism-chile
5. www.ecoglobalsociety.com/chile-ecotourism
6. https://ecordua.com
Questions:
Is the ecotourism in Chile actually ecotourism as we defined it?
What are the pros and cons chile faces from their ecotourism industry?
How does the government regulate this tourism?
1. https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2018/01/tompkins-conservation-succeeds-establishing-national-parks-chile
Delete2. Easter Island history
3. What are the ecotourism attractions
4. Economy?
5. What makes Chile different?
6. Timeline of ecotourism/ stakeholders
7. Is skiing ecotourism? back country?
DeleteFor THURSDAY, FEB 8, please post your THESIS statement draft 1.0 here.
ReplyDeleteBe sure it meets these FOUR criteria:
1) Precise.
2) Provable (arguable) hypothesis.
3) Grounded in time. (DATES)
4) Grounded in place (WHERE.)
You will present it in class on Thursday.
India's volunteerism opportunity through Wildlife SOS has provided people with the option of engaging in ecotourism because of the organization's conservation efforts, improvement of locals' well-being, and spread of knowledge.
DeleteThe Palau Project help the tropical island paradise and sustain it’s natural beauty while also informing people of it’s natural and social systems.
DeleteREVISED
ReplyDeleteTopic: Value of ecotourism in New Zealand (benefits and disadvantages)
Sources:
1) http://www.arohatours.co.nz/eco-tourism-new-zealand
2) http://www.bushandbeach.co.nz/about-us/
3) https://www.unbc.ca/sites/default/files/assets/outdoor_recreation_tourism_management.pdf
4) http://www.environmentguide.org.nz/issues/marine/marine-recreation-and-tourism/im:2123/
5) https://www.frommers.com/destinations/new-zealand/sustainable-travel--ecotourism
6) http://www.earthisland.org/journal/elist/can_new_zealandswilderness_survive_ecotourism/
Questions:
1) Do the advantages of ecotourism in New Zealand outweigh the disadvantages?
2) How has ecotourism changed the island nation over time? Have these changes been mostly positive or mostly negative?
3) What does New Zealand do to ensure their ecotourism efforts and organizations are genuine? Have these efforts been effective?
4) How has the ecotourism industry in the country preserved and honored the indigenous culture? Has it? If not, why not and how can that be changed?
5) Does the local population benefit from the growing numbers of ecotourists in the nation? What is the general attitude regarding tourism vs. ecotourism, or ecotourism in general among the locals?
6) How does ecotourism in Auckland differ from ecotourism in other areas of the country? Does it?
7) Would the environment and wildlife of New Zealand be better off if it wasn’t such a hotspot for eco-hungry tourists?
8) Does the widely popular “nature-based” tourism in New Zealand uphold the principles of ecotourism? If not, how has it been watered down/what is it missing, how can it be improved?
→ What is the importance of holding countries/organizations accountable for falsely advertising ecotours?
Biodomes are a modern way to create appreciation of nature in urban areas, and draw tourists in to ecotourism even in areas where ecotourism may not usually be possible.
ReplyDeleteThe Galapagos Islands houses a rich and unique environment, yet a deceivingly fragile one at that. Due to the successful implementation and the constant monitoring and evolving of eco-tourism, the Galapagos Islands has ensured the continued integrity of the islands ecosystems while allowing the outside world access to enjoy and make a connection. The Galapagos is an instance of optimal execution of ecotourism, and when looking forward we may see a lot of the practices pioneered in the Islands may being used all across the globe.
ReplyDeleteAlaska acts as one of the greatest examples of American ecotourism given the disconnect it has with the rest of the country in terms of both society and ecosystems.
ReplyDeleteThesis: This past year Tompkins Conservation, owned by the North Face company, created two national parks, with goals of creating three more in Patagonia, Chile and these parks have created controversy across the globe about whether or not this is truly ecotourism.
ReplyDeleteFor Monday, Feb 19, please post below:
ReplyDelete1) Your INTRO PARAGRAPH of 5-7 sentences, with your THESIS sentence CAPITALIZED.
2) A numbered 12-14 "one bullet point/per paragraph" outline briefly describing how you will outline your paper.
Be prepared to present in class on Monday!
Dr. W
Post here.
ReplyDeleteThe Galapagos is one if the most unique environments in the world. About two-thirds of all of it’s endemic life is unique to the island. This attraction has brought scientists, environmentalists, outdoor enthusiasts and travelers of every kind to the remote archipelago located off of the coast of Ecuador. The travel has spawned some of the earliest Ecotourism, as all who came to the Islands after the 1960s were there for the purpose of discovery, knowledge and awe. Unfortunately the balance between the locals and the travelers has been a point of chaos in the islands. Furthermore the fragility of the islands is such that even sustainable travel leaves it’s mark in large quantities. In the past the Galapagos have demonstrated how to successfully operate ecotourism, and in many ways pioneered the industry, but if the ecotourism industry doesn’t learn to adapt it may be the downfall of one of the most unique biomes on the planet.
Delete
DeleteThe Galapagos is one if the most unique environments in the world. About two-thirds of all of it’s endemic life is unique to the island. This attraction has brought scientists, environmentalists, outdoor enthusiasts and travelers of every kind to the remote archipelago located off of the coast of Ecuador. The travel has spawned some of the earliest Ecotourism, as all who came to the Islands after the 1960s were there for the purpose of discovery, knowledge and awe. Unfortunately the balance between the locals and the travelers has been a point of chaos in the islands. Furthermore the fragility of the islands is such that even sustainable travel leaves it’s mark in large quantities. In the past the Galapagos have demonstrated how to successfully operate ecotourism, and in many ways pioneered the industry, but if the ecotourism industry doesn’t learn to adapt it may be the downfall of one of the most unique biomes on the planet.
1. Intro
2. History of the Galapagos
3. The look at biodiveristy and the unique life
4. The start of travel and whaling
5. Tourism begins sustainably
6. Locals vs. Travelers
7. Burden on the ENV
8. The pushback of ecotourism
9. Successes and modern balances.
10. The fears of the future
11. How can they adapt, how they are and what innovations can be made
12. Conclusion
Saddling up for Ecotourism
Delete1. The Galapagos is one if the most unique environments in the world. According to the Galapagos Conservancy: “About 80% of the land birds you will see, 97% of the reptiles and land mammals, and more than 30% of the plants are endemic. More than 20% of the marine species in Galapagos are found nowhere else on earth,” (Galapagos Conservancy) this abundance of unique life has brought scientists, environmentalists, outdoor enthusiasts and travelers of every kind to the remote archipelago located off of the coast of Ecuador. The travel has spawned some of the earliest Ecotourism, as all who came to the Islands after the 1960s were there for the purpose of discovery, knowledge and awe. Unfortunately the balance between the locals and the travelers has been a point of chaos in the islands. Furthermore the fragility of the islands is such that even sustainable travel leaves it’s mark in large quantities. In the past the Galapagos have demonstrated how to successfully operate ecotourism, and in many ways pioneered the industry, but if the ecotourism industry doesn’t learn to adapt it may be the downfall of one of the most unique biomes on the planet.
2. The Galapagos are renown of course for the Indefatigable Hawkmoth, only found in the galapagos (Fitter Et al). No, I am kidding, though the Hawkmoth is endemic, the Galapagos are known due to the famed naturalist Charles Darwin. In 1835 he arrived in the beagle —The galapagos having been discovered in 1535— and was awed by the many creatures he saw there, in particular he noted their passivity towards humans due to the lack of natural predators. Furthermore he noted that though the islands were mere miles away, many species had variants completely unique to their own islands, the beaks of Finches and the shells of tortoises (Quasar expeditions). These notes later in life spurred him to formulate his theory of evolution, in his book The Origin of Species. This is arguably one of the most important books of our age. The fame of the Galapagos only grew from there, with pirates and whalers taking tortoises by the hundreds.
3. The first ‘settler’ of the archipelago was a maroon Irishman who lived there for four years, growing food and trading with whalers. At this point the island already had had some species from the mainland. José María de Villamil Joly, a spaniard, was the first to push for colonization in 1831, however the Ecuadorian government annexed the islands before the Spanish could colonize. “The First Colonists…They brought with them donkeys, goats, pigs, and cattle, thus assuring the establishment of introduced animals on the islands,” (Galapagos conservancy), in the end that settlement failed, as did the next and the one after that. Finally, in 1905 there was a steady population on Isabela, after that the population grew from european colonists, both wealthy individuals and researchers.
Delete4. One hundred years after the late Charles Darwin first arrived in the Galapagos, the first protective laws where passed in interest of the preservation of the islands. Thus the first steps for conservation were taken. “Executive Decree 607 in 1934, protecting key species, regulating collections, and controlling visiting yachts,” furthermore, “In 1936, through Supreme Decree 31, the Ecuadorian government declared the Galapagos Islands a national reserve and established a national Scientific Commission to design strategies for the conservation of the islands.” (Galapagos Conservancy), so began the scientific research and political movement towards maintaining the islands. That being said, it took until around the 1950’s for that protective policy to have any enforced punch.
5. Tourism in the Galapagos began with the first colonization attempts, as soon as there were established inhabitants on the island, some few people began to visit the remote destinations. However, the true tourism that we know today began in the sixties where cruise liners began shipping around passengers. Two large cruise operators began to rise, though they worked very closely with the Charles Darwin Research Station, and provided a feasibility study focused on conservation to the country. Researchers also began coming into the small cities that were building on the islands, on the 3% available land. These researchers stimulated the economy, spurring more tourism operations. This began to cause the rift between the organized, certified operations and the home run, local tours. Tourism began to boom in the 70’s and 80’s where tremendous amounts of tourists began to visit, and the services to meet them (Martha Honey).
6. As the development of tourism continued, more and more services were created to meet them. There are two major types of tourism in the Galapagos, what is best referred to as Turnstile Tourism, a classical take on tourism, where people are shown the sights by a local guide, but with very little actual regulation or scientific basis. This often happens on a large scale, with much of the local population hoping to profit from one of the more lucrative industries on the island. Meanwhile the large tourist companies established cruise line fleets and floating resorts. This is good and bad, while these resort companies are required by law to cooperate with the limitations put in place by organizations like the Charles Darwin Research Society,and the Galapagos conservancy. The National parks service of Ecuador makes sure that these businesses are as low impact as possible. This has created a rift between the two tourism industries, making the locals often at odds with the tourism businesses. This culminated in 1994 when an illegal sea-cucumber farming operation started to have extremely negative effects on the ocean life of the galapagos, this was countered with restrictive fishing policies, which angered the locals to the point of violence, with some equating their actions to terrorist activities. the UN actually declared the islands as a World heritage site “in danger”. Eventually with help from the government and police, the issue was fixed. After this policy was put in place to limit the amount of people allowed to work in the islands: one must be a full resident of the islands to receive employment. This ensures that the population remains somewhat stable, and that the locals are often hired for work either in the conservation field or the tourist industry.
Delete7. Since the start of the interaction of the Galapagos with humans, we have seen an ever-growing amount of environmental degradation and unsustainable practices arrive, starting with whalers and pirates, moving to small fleet fishing vessels, population booms and many others, but one of the worst instances occurred in 2001, when the oil tanker MV Jessica, ran aground and spilled it’s contents into the ocean right near the islands. Thankfully of the 150,000 gallons of oil spilled, most of it was carried by the aid and tides out into the open ocean, sparing the majority of the islands and their unique inhabitants. One island, Santa Fe, experienced a mortality rate of 62% when in the year after the spill, when average mortality rates range from two to seven percent (nytimes). The spill was compared to “spilling a cup of coffee on the Mona Lisa,” (Honey) In the past it was ignorance that caused the destruction of the galapagos wildlife, people taking and killing the tortoises and claiming land as they see fit. Nowadays, it seems the destruction is brought about by negligence. On the part of companies that see mainly profits in the areas, on locals that operate small scale unsustainable operations.
8. All that being said, the Ecotourist industry has done a lot of good for the islands, hailing them as one of the most environmentally educational areas in the world, many people travel from far and wide to marvel at the natural beauties. Many of the parks guides are well-versed i the islands inhabitants, and it allows many people to experience a truly unique biome that they would never be able to appreciate otherwise. Protecting the island is the huber one goal of many of the organizations on the islands. The government itself also cares about continued protection due to the extremely large percentage of tourism to educator solely for the galapagos. Their difficultly is often in training good tour operators, as only residents may work, often times they are not as educated as they could be, so many travel organizations have taken it up themselves to help train and educate the locals on sustainable practices. Indeed both the islands and their inhabitants benefit greatly from the protection they receive due to ecotourism, the only reason the national park still receives funding is mostly from ecotourism, and many locals rely on the industry for a living. However there is an alarming gap between the benefits that the parks receive and the benefits that the locals receive. According to Martha Honey, here was an increase of 78 percent in tourism between 1999-and 2005 however the locals only received a 1.2% increase per capita. The gap is astounding.
Delete9. While it may seem that I am focusing heavily on the negatives, the galapagos has taught many people what ecotourism really is, and is one of the best examples of how sustainable tourism can eventually turn into actual, legal protection for the environment. The Ecuadorian governments main interest in the island is it’s economic benefits, but they understand that the reason for the economic stimulation is directly related to the unique biome of the Galapagos, thus they are dedicated to it’s preservation, at all costs. This sets the trend for many of their actions. Seen recently, in 2004 they approved tag and release sport fishing in he waters around the island, before only locals were allowed to fish, and under strict regulation. There was a lot of pushback as many think that the sport fishing is an insincere form of sustainable tourism: yes, you are there for the wildlife, but it sets the tone of ‘ownership' and dominance, rather than a respectful observation. At the end of the day, the marine reserve is able to put into place many more monitoring stations and bring in more employees because of he sport fishing. In a way the ecoourism of he galapagos is doing the right thing, for the wrong reasons.
Delete10. The archipelago of the Galapagos was never meant to house such a large population humans. That is the bottom line for the islands, these islands can barely sustain its year round population without upsetting the natural order of the land, but the over two-hundred thousand visitors each year, throw it completely out of whack. The oil, the waste, the plumbing, the boats, the litter, the impact of footfalls on fragile areas, sunscreen oil, and everything else that comes along with the tourist can harm the environment. Even when the stay of any one tourist is limited to 60 days, we still have hundreds of thousands every year flooding into these extremely fragile area. The sword is double edged, as the influx of people is killing the land, but the only way that conservation and parks services are funded is through tourism. This leaves the galapagos in a pickle, as finding the right balance is key, something they have not gotten a handle of. The future of the Galapagos is very bleak if we don’t find some way to fix the issues plaguing the islands. Maybe the absolute best thing we can do for these islands is to leave them alone, to let them be for a generation. Allow the land to adapt itself, because the tourism industry boomed in the last 40 years, the ecosystems have had scant time to react and adapt to these new conditions. I think we need to understand that if we want to see these places in the future, we need to put them out of our reach for a while.
Intro: While exploring different locations that represent ideal places for ecotourism, Palau proves to be just that, but in a tropical atmosphere. Although there are countless places to explore around Palau, it is of utmost importance to preserve the island. To do so, Blue Planet United has begun “The Palau Project”. This project encourages ecotourists to explore the land while also supporting the organisms and ecosystem they are immersing themselves within. THE PALAU PROJECT WILL HELP THE TROPICAL ISLAND PARADISE, KNOWN AS PALAU, SUSTAIN ITS NATURAL BEAUTY WHILE ALSO INFORMING ECOTOURISTS OF ITS NATURAL BEAUTY AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS.
ReplyDelete1. Intro
2. What is Palau, where is it?
3. What is the Palau Pledge? What does it do for the island?
4. What are the do’s and dont’s of visiting Palau?
5. What is Blue Planet United?
6. 1st thing the Palau Project does
7. 2nd thing the Palau Project does
8. 3rd thing the Palau Project does
9. What are the main eco tourist attractions on the island of Palau?
10. Which locations are suffering the most from tourist traffic?
11. What can be done to further preserve the island?
12. What is at stake for Palau?
13. How can we make a change?
1. While Palau isn’t the first location ecotourists may think of when it comes to ecotourism, Palau is “located in the continent of Oceania” and “covered 459 square kilometers of land, making it 202nd largest nation in terms of land area”(WorldAtlas). The island “became an independent state in 1994, after gaining its sovereignty from The United States of America”(WorldAtlas). On the island, “they use the U.S. dollar [and] everyone speaks English and Palauan...there are about 25,000 Palauns and almost all like in Koror” (BeginnersGuide). Because of the vibrant ecosystem tham Palau offers, it creates the perfect environment for ecotourists looking for their next adventure.
Delete2. While visiting Palau can bring new opportunities, “Palau is the first nation on earth to change its immigration laws for the cause of environmental protection. Upon entry, visitors need to sign a passport pledge to act in an ecologically responsible way on the island, for the sake of Palau’s children and future generations of Palauans” (PalauPledge). When traveling on the island, “every tourist who takes the pledge needs to follow this sustainable tourism checklist or risk a fine” (PalauPledge). Not only do tourists of Palau have to take the pledge, but “Palauans have also taken the pledge, from the preseident, the first pledgee, to traditional chiefs and residents. Education will place an important part in supporting the pledge as locals commit to protecting and celebrating the uniqueness of their sacred home. A new curriculum for primary and secondary school students and other programs will help build eco-awareness in tomorrow’s leaders and conscious business principles within the tourist sector”(PalauPledge). Knowing that not only are tourists are to sign the Palau Pledge as well as people of the island signing it makes it that much more effective.
3. The Palau Pledge tells visitors; “don’t collect marine life souvenirs, do support local businesses and communities, don’t feed the fish and sharks, don’t drag fins over coral when swimming, do get others to respect the customs, don’t touch or step on coral, don’t take fruit or flowers from gardens, do learn about the culture and people, don’t touch or chase wildlife, don’t litter, don’t smoke in restricted areas” (PalauPledge). The people of Palau have put forth a system that works to preserve the island that they have grown and built lives on. The Palau Pledge ensures that the island will continue to host ecotourists while also sustaining its beauty.
4. Blue Planet United is an organization that “promotes integrative thinking and action on local, regionals, national, and global challenges of sustainability, as they relate to human population growth, per capita consumption patterns, and the enjoyment and protection of wild places. We divide our programs and projects into five focus areas: Sustainable Futures, Population & Consumption, Preserving Wild Places, Ocean Literacy, and Educating Future Leaders. These focus areas are addressed through three educational outreach units: The Population Press, Blue Planet Films, and a web-based Resource Center” (AboutBluePlanet). This organization has put in place a plan to help the island of Palau to improve is sustainability while also allowing ecotourists to become educated on the tropical paradise. Blue Planet United has started the Palau Project which is dedicated to sustaining cultural and biological diversity on the island.
Delete5. The Palau Project holds three different parts, the Palau expedition, Blue Planet Films, and Eco-economy. The Palau Expedition is adventuring with an educational purpose. Every “year, ten students form the University of Redlands trade their classrooms for kayaks and set off to explore one of the world’s most enchanting Edens - the 340 islands of Palau”(PalauProject). The tours are “led by Monty and Marilyn Hempel, they learn about coral reefs, rainforests, traditional culture, and the future sustainability of this island republic”(PalauProject). During their traveled they visit “more than a dozen islands during a three-week expedition, they experience a wide range of environments — both underwater and on spectacular islands, many of which are uninhabited. In the process, they develope important insights about their own country and about themselves” (PalauProject). Being able to bring ecotourist students to explore these islands allow outsiders to learn about them and spread their knowledge while doing it in a sustainable way.
Intro: With the amount of environmental issues seen globally, it has become necessary to evaluate every industry and possible impact. Quite recently, the tourism industry has been scrutinized by environmentalists. From this, the ecotourism industry kickstarted in hopes of creating a responsible means of traveling that is less environmentally degrading. Combining ideas from Megan Epler Wood and Martha Honey, ecotourism is tourism in places of ecological interest; involving responsible travel to “natural areas” that conserves the environment, improves the well-being of local people, and creates shared knowledge and understanding through education of all involved. This definition can then be used to evaluate different travel opportunities, such as one in India, to see if they can be considered ecotourism. SINCE 1995, WILDLIFE SOS, LOCATED IN VARIOUS AREAS OF INDIA, HAS PROVIDED TRAVELERS WITH ECOTOURISM BECAUSE OF ITS CONSERVATION EFFORTS, IMPROVEMENTS OF LOCALS’ WELL-BEINGS, AND SPREAD OF KNOWLEDGE.
ReplyDelete1. Introduction/definition of ecotourism/thesis
2. History of Wildlife SOS
3. Where the volunteers stay
4. Meals of the volunteers
5. Natives giving nature tours
6. Conservation: different animals they help
7. Travelers: volunteering opportunities
8. Story of the elephants
9. Story of the sloth bears
10. Teaching for the Kalandars
11. Helping the Kalandars find ways to get money
12. Teaching of the volunteers/workers
13. Connections between all involved
Throughout the world their are many places of ecological interest each with their own draws. Having both a distinct culture and an environment of interest is what draws people in. Most of these places are considered distinct if they are different from the culture of the United States as it is one of the largest group of people who actively go on tour. However people often overlook that culture is not entirely defined by country and location and that travel to exotic places is not a requirement for ecotourism. We could learn a lot about our world from looking closer to home. ALASKA ACTS AS ONE OF THE GREATEST EXAMPLES OF A NORTH AMERICAN ECOTOURIST DESTINATION WITH IT HAVING A DISTINCT CULTURE FROM THE REST OF THE CONTENT AND IT HAVE A INTERESTING ECOSYSTEM IN PLACE.
ReplyDelete1. Introduction
2. Brief overview of ecotourism in North America
3. Overview of the history of ecotourism in Alaska
4. Why Alaska is so interesting to look at
5. What effects it has had on local communities
6. What postie effects it has had on the environment
7. What negative effects has it had on the enviroment
8. Would it be viable for Alaska to focus on the ecotourism industry
9. How they could if they wished to focus more on it
10. Why do the countries of North America on a whole focus so little on ecotourism when compared to classic tourism
11. Is the system that is in place a good long term one
12. Conclusion
As ecotourism gains popularity as a travel option, the demand grows for more sustainable travel options in varying locations. Biodomes have gained popularity in large cities as a way for urban citizens to experience and appreciate nature without travelling to the remote locations that are often ecotourism hubs. One of the most popular biodomes is in the densely populated city of Montreal, Quebec. There are also plans to open biodomes in Tucson, Reykjavik, and Dubai. Since biodomes are still relatively new, there are some controversy surrounding the ethics, sustainability, and accessibility of biodomes. DESPITE THE CONTROVERSY, BIODOMES ARE A MODERN WAY TO CREATE APPRECIATION OF NATURE IN URBAN AREAS, AND DRAW TOURISTS IN TO ECOTOURISM EVEN IN AREAS WHERE ECOTOURISM MAY NOT USUALLY BE POSSIBLE.
ReplyDelete1. Intro
2. Brief science behind biodomes
3. Biodomes as ecosystems, better than zoos?
4. History of biodomes
5. Failed attempts at biodomes, biosphere 2
6. Dubai biodome
7. Montreal biome
8. Montreal biodome stats
9. Montreal biodome reviews/statements from employees? Interviews??
10. Downsides of biodomes
11. How can we move forward with biodomes and make them more accessible
12. Overall successes with biodomes
13. Conclusion-- tie together pros and cons as well as look into future
Intro: While looking into ecotourism around the world, there is a current controversial ecotourism issue unfolding in Patagonia Chile. Patagonia has been an ecotourist destination for many years and has been a place of interest for conservationist. This past year Tompkins Conservation, owned by the North Face company, created two national parks, with goals of creating three more in Patagonia, Chile and these parks have created controversy across the globe about whether or not this is truly ecotourism. These parks would be some of the largest in the world. This is a huge feat for conservation in Chile but there has been some push back of whether or not this benefit the community, economy, and the environment.
ReplyDelete1. Into
2. Where is patagonia/ background on chile
3. Background on ecotourism in patagonia
4. History of tourism/ national parks in patagonia
5. What is happening with the national parks
6. Why is this happening
7. What have the responses been?
8. What are the positives of this park
9. What are the negatives about this park
10. Why is this a big deal?
11. What could we/ the locals be doing to better the project
12. Is this true ecotourism as we define it
13. Closing
Intro: While looking into ecotourism around the world, there is a current controversial ecotourism issue unfolding in Patagonia Chile. Ecotourism is an attempt to create a positive and environmentally beneficial way of tourism that leaves the local community and environment in a better state than it was before. Combining multiple definitions from environmentalist like Martha Honey and Megan Epler Wood, came the ecotourism definition, tourism in places of ecological interest; involving responsible travel to “natural areas” that conserves the environment, improves the well-being of local people, and creates shared knowledge and understanding through education of all involved.
DeletePatagonia has been an ecotourist destination for many years and has been a place of interest for conservationist. This past year Tompkins Conservation, which was started by the creator of North Face, Doug Tompkins and his wife Kris, created two national parks in Patagonia. There are three more national parks that are on the path to being created as well. The creation of these parks has created controversy across the globe about whether or not this is truly ecotourism. These parks would be some of the largest in the world. This is a huge feat for conservation in Chile but there has been some push back of whether or not this benefits the community, economy, and the environment.
Patagonia is a region in South America that is both in Argentina and Chile. It is very sparsely populated area but is rich in natural beauty and outdoor adventures. The Andes mountain range runs through and on either side there is the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. There is vast amounts of mountainous terrain and plateaus along with volcanic sights. Patagonia is set on the border of both Argentina and Chile and makes up almost half of each country. Only, 10% of Patagonia is in Chile, the other 90% is in Argentina. The region covers 800,000 square kilometers. It is broken into territories in each country, that are both organized as provinces in each country. Patagonia has an incredibly unique landscape and political division, making it a very interesting region of the world.
The tourism industry blossomed in Patagonia in the late 1940’s. The world became captivated by the region’s unique beauty, natural wonders, and adventure activities. Ever since there has been a booming tourism industry, that over time has become a more successful ecotourism industry. Ecotourism is growing by five percent each year. The main attractions of the ecotourists is to hike the Andes, whale watching, exploring nature preserves, going to the volcanoes and hot springs. These outdoor activities and nature lovers are what drive the ecotourism industry that relies so heavily upon protected nature preserves. This drive of ecotourism has been great for the economy of the two countries but has affected the natural lands that drives this tourism. Patagonia has been trying to balance the drive towards an expansion in development and tourism that would benefit their growing economy immensity while also the need for conserving the environment that's natural beauty is the reason that people want to visit. the Chilean government, concerned citizens, grassroots organizations, international nonprofits and organizations are all trying to better the ecotourism and conservation in Patagonia in order to make it sustainable and beneficial to the local people.
There is a long history of national parks in Patagonia. There are currently twenty one national parks in Patagonia in both Chile and Argentina. The parks have been a mix of private downers and government funding. The parks goals are too create tourism and protect the natural wonders and ecosystems of Argentina and Chile. They both have untouched wilderness that is incredibly unique to their region. This is incredibly rare and therefore the two government have put effort into preserving these lands and encouraging the private buying and donation of the land. That is why there is a history of national parks in the Patagonia region of both Chile and Argentina.
DeleteTompkins Conservation was the conservation organization that bought the two national parks in Patagonia this year, that are the largest in the world currently. Tompkins Conservation was started by Doug Tompkins, the creator of the North Face company. He is a lifelong outdoor enthusiast and after leaving the business world moved the Chile. While living in Chile, Tompkins begun to realize that the place he once viewed as one of the last untouched places on Earth, was in jeopardy. In 1992, Tompkins begins buying land to create Pumalín Park and endows The Conservation Land Trust, which is designed to buy land in Chile and Argentina to become national parks. The smaller subdission of this, created by Kris Tompkins, is the Conservacion Patagonica, which is designed to create and restore land pecially in Patagonia. The goal of this project is also to create a love and respect of nature and build a healthy economy for local people. In 2016, Kris Tompkins and the President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, signed into affect the Pumalín National Park and Patagonia National Park. These two parks are the largest in the world. The project was originally started in the early 1990’s by Doug and Kris Tompkins. Tompkins’ conservation donated one million acres of land to the park and Chile contributed nine million acres to the ten million acres of national parklands.
There have been some backlashes to the creation of these national parks. The largest controversy is that much of land was bought and the idea stemmed from Tompkins Conservation. This is an issue because Tompkins is seen as an American outsider who is coming to Chile and trying to change it without the consent of the local people. He is seen as interfering with how a country uses its land. There is also the financial burden that having national parks puts on a government. The government might not be able to sustain the expenses of the national parks. Conservation is also a major role of national parks. One of the goals of Tompkins Conservation is to protect the endangered puma population. However, much like the wolves in the United States, the Chilean people have been killing off the pumas because they kill their livestock. There is also the tourism aspect. Much of the money that comes from ecotourism and adventure tourism to come to these national parks will stay in the United States. It is expensive to fly to Patagonia and therefore the airlines and tourism industry in the United States makes most of the profit before the money could ever reach Argentina or Chile. Tomkins also created the high-end Lodge at Valle Chacabuco in the area. This lodge is a beautiful place for tourists to stay. It is very expensive though. The local have issues with creating a lodge that is too expensive for most of the local community to be able to stay in, creating a larger divide between tourists and locals. The creation of these parks seems like a great flawless plan but when taking a closer look it is possible to see where the controversy is.
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ReplyDeletehttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1wztMP4nO8D3FSsxL2ddtuoaXFFiJzgi-mWdRNecHu3o/edit?usp=sharing
Deletehttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1a-1D7jc6l9h98kOYbWcX4aK_nMgdCFdDD-Pz6sBTdko/edit?usp=sharing
ReplyDeletehttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1GiT4kHkZjdj2fjMYoaBoGwIUuLbzHH5ezIMfw_IoTt4/edit?usp=sharing
For Monday, 3/5 - post your first FIVE paragraphs here.
ReplyDeleteIn 2-3 posts, if need be. Be prepared to share!
Leopards, elephants, sloth bears, oh my. An organization called Wildlife SOS in India is rescuing these animals and providing the world with a new sense of tourism. Quite recently, the conventional tourism industry has been scrutinized by environmentalists. From this, the ecotourism industry blossomed in many countries like India in hopes of creating a responsible means of traveling that is less environmentally degrading. Combining ideas from Megan Epler Wood and Martha Honey, ecotourism is tourism in places of ecological interest; involving responsible travel to “natural areas” that conserves the environment, improves the well-being of local people, and creates shared knowledge and understanding through education of all involved. This definition can then be used to evaluate different travel opportunities, such as the one in India, to see if they can be considered ecotourism. SINCE 1995, WILDLIFE SOS, LOCATED IN VARIOUS AREAS OF INDIA, HAS PROVIDED TRAVELERS WITH ECOTOURISM BECAUSE OF ITS CONSERVATION EFFORTS, IMPROVEMENTS OF LOCALS’ WELL-BEINGS, AND SPREAD OF KNOWLEDGE.
ReplyDeleteWildlife SOS was founded in 1995 by a small group of people who wanted to make a difference and protect India’s wildlife. Kartick Satyanarayan and Geeta Seshamani, specifically, saw the severe exploitation of animals in their community and came together to find means of mitigating this problem. Today, according to Wildlife SOS’s website, “the organisation has evolved to actively work towards protecting Indian wildlife, conserving habitat, studying biodiversity, conducting research and creating alternative and sustainable livelihoods” (“History”). While this organization is primarily known for their work with sloth bears, they also rescue animals such as elephants, leopards, reptiles, and many others. Furthermore, Wildlife SOS actively works with the locals, the government, and volunteers from all around the world. This is what enabled me to volunteer with this group in the summer of 2016.
During the period of volunteering, the travelers, like myself, stay in housing provided by Wildlife SOS. The location often varies with the animals the group is working with and the size of the volunteer group, but my group stayed in a housing unit across the way from some of the regular Wildlife SOS staff. It was set up much like a dorm. There was a common area, one shared kitchen and eating area, separate rooms with different keys for each, and a bathroom for each room. We were given fans and cooling units in our rooms rather than air conditioning which was often unfortunate because the power would often go out at night, subjecting us to the heat when the cooling units would subsequently shut off. The facility had the general amenities needed and nothing luxurious, minimizing the impact the housing would have on the environment.
Since we were right across from some of the organization’s staff, we would walk across for their home cooked dinners each night. Our daily diets consisted of quite the same combination for every meal: naan, rice, and dal. The provided meals were almost exclusively vegetarian. Lunches and dinners were supplied by the staff, but we were on our own for breakfasts; however, we were encouraged to go to the multitudes of local vendors and purchase from them. We were given tips, of course, on how to do this safely and efficiently, but this allowed our money to be fed into the local economy. My group was also fortunate to be able to go to one local sit-down Indian restaurant during our volunteering period and got to dance with a Bollywood dancer. This is likely not a common occurrence with every volunteer group, but the Wildlife SOS staff does do their best to also bring in parts of the local community.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, the staff also has initiatives to bring the volunteers around the local wildlife. Since those who have lived in an area for nearly their whole lives know it well, their nature tours are incredibly in depth and educated. The staff that my group worked with brought us on a guided boat tour, and by boat, I mean the most basic wooden boat and paddle system possible. We moved along the river and our staff member, Shiva, told us all about the birds that we saw and the history of the river. We then ventured onto the opposite side’s river bank and saw a camel and an emu that they rescued in the past. Rather than getting a mass tour guide, a native staff member was able to show us their passion for where they live through leading us around.
As ecotourism gains popularity as a travel option, the demand grows for more sustainable travel options in varying locations. Biodomes have gained popularity in large cities as a way for urban citizens to experience and appreciate nature without travelling to the remote locations that are often ecotourism hubs. One of the most popular biodomes is in the densely populated city of Montreal, Quebec. There are also plans to open biodomes in Tucson, Reykjavik, and Dubai. Since biodomes are still relatively new, there are some controversy surrounding the ethics, sustainability, and accessibility of biodomes. Despite the controversy, biodomes are a modern way to create appreciation of nature in urban areas, and draw tourists in to ecotourism even in areas where ecotourism may not usually be possible.
ReplyDeleteBiodomes are a form of controlled and self sustaining ecosystems that replicate outdoor environments. Biodomes are similar to green houses, except where a greenhouse has exchange with elements from the outside world like oxygen, water, and fertilizers, a biodome is completely sealed off from the outside world and thrives entirely on resources already inside. Also, Biodomes allow animals to be raised inside, while greenhouses typically focus on plants. (Brook). Biodomes can also be home to many different kinds of ecosystems. The biodome in Montreal boasts 4 ecosystems; a tropical rain forest, Laurentian Maple Forest, Gulf of St. Lawrence, and an Antarctic island. Biodomes can serve as a way to conduct research in a controlled, yet natural environment, which allows observation of species that may not otherwise be possible in an outdoor ecosystem.
Despite the research benefits that come along with biodomes, there is controversy surrounding the ethics and fair treatment of animals housed in these facilities. This is a controversy that has been alive in the case of animal treatment at zoos, and the same questions are now being asked about biodomes. There has been specific criticism on housing larger animals in biodomes, such as penguins or primates. In a blog post written in 2008 by a blog focused on animal rights, some of the exhibits at the Montreal Biodome are criticized. The penguin exhibit is around 50 meters, but King and Emperor penguins are known to travel hundreds of kilometers per year. (Mcarthur). This brings up the question of animal ethics regarding possible space in an indoor ecosystem, and how large animals can be in these types of environments and still thrive. In 2014, the Montreal Biodome conducted a study on salinity levels, and how they could be adjusted to preserve water quality and best benefit aquatic species. This study was done with smaller animals in mind, such as fish, lobster, and urchins (Le François). Due to the space restrictions present at both zoos and biodomes, it can be difficult to keep large animals in a way that adheres to animal ethics and rights. However, it also may be possible that the quality of research that comes from studying species in biodomes may outweigh the ethical concerns.
ReplyDeleteBiodomes first started to come to light in the 1980s. This is when the Eden Project, a biodome system in the United kingdom with the largest indoor rainforest in the world began to start construction, as well as the Montreal Biodome. Both opened their doors in the 90s.* This is also the time period that Biosphere 2, a biodome that failed the first time around began construction. More biodomes were to follow, such as BioDome Reykjavík in Iceland, and the Green Planet in Dubai. However, these did not come to fruition until very recently, around 2016/2017. Biodomes are still very modern, with studies still being done on the functionality as well as the ability for organisms to truly thrive inside. Seeing as they are such a new concept, there is not a large quantity of public information available that does not come directly from the websites of existing biodomes, which are meant to draw in customers and focus on the positive aspects. However, there is information on what works and what does not when it comes to construction of biodomes, after the failures of Biosphere 2.
ReplyDeleteBiosphere 2 is a biosphere located in Oracle,Arizona. It is currently a functioning biodome focused on tourism and scientific studies, and has been owned by the University of Arizona since 2011. But before the university took it over, the system experienced a colossal failure that would serve as a cautionary tale for other biodomes across the globe. The point of Biosphere 2 was to prove that human colonization on other planets, such as Mars, was possible, as well as the possibility to use the structure as an apocalyptic shelter, if life on Earth or, “Biosphere 1”, became uninhabitable. In 1991, 8 “bionauts” entered biosphere 2 in attempt to stay within the structure for 2 years to prove the possibility of living in such a system. The endeavour made national headlines and was eagerly followed by citizens around the globe. However, almost as soon as the biodome was sealed and the crew members were inside, there was a drastic decline in oxygen within the dome. Almost 18 months into the project, oxygen had to be pumped inside the dome to keep both the crew and the species inside alive, which totally defeated the concept of living in a self sustaining system. The problem was found to be an ecological one, having to do with excess amounts of carbon dioxide from the excessively nutrient rich soil being consumed by the concrete walls rather than plants. Only 6 out of the 25 small vertebrates originally in the dome survived, and almost every insect species went extinct, causing major pollination problems within the plants (Walker). Overall, the conditions became unlivable and unsafe, and although the crew made it for 2 years, the mission left much to be desired. A similar mission was attempted a few years later, but also proved unsuccessful. After the facility was bounced around to different organizations, it was almost demolished, but ended up being purchased and refurbished by the University of Arizona in 2011.
Intro: While looking into ecotourism around the world, there is a current controversial ecotourism issue unfolding in Patagonia Chile. Patagonia has been an ecotourist destination for many years and has been a place of interest for conservationist. This past year Tompkins Conservation, owned by the North Face company, created two national parks, with goals of creating three more in Patagonia, Chile and these parks have created controversy across the globe about whether or not this is truly ecotourism. These parks would be some of the largest in the world. This is a huge feat for conservation in Chile but there has been some push back of whether or not this benefit the community, economy, and the environment.
ReplyDeletePatagonia is a region in South America that is both in Argentina and Chile. It is very sparsely populated area but is rich in natural beauty and outdoor adventures. The Andes mountain range runs through and on either side there is the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. There is vast amounts of mountains terrain and plateaus along with volcanic sights. Patagonia is set on the border of both Argentina and Chile and makes up almost half of each country. Only, 10% of Patagonia is in Chile, the other 90% is in Argentina. It is broken into territories in each country, that are both organized as provinces in each country. Patagonia has an incredibly unique landscape and political division, making it a very interesting region of the world.
The tourism industry blossomed in Patagonia in the late 1940’s. The world became captivated by the region’s unique beauty, natural wonders, and adventure activities. Ever since there has been a booming tourism industry, that over time has become a more successful ecotourism industry. Ecotourism is growing by five percent each year. This drive of ecotourism has been great for the economy of the two countries but has affected the natural lands that drives this tourism. The main attractions of the ecotourists is to hike the Andes, whale watching, exploring nature preserves, going to the volcanoes and hot springs. These outdoor activities and nature lovers are what drive the ecotourism industry that relies so heavily upon protected nature preserves.
Throughout the world there are many places of ecological interest each with their own draws. Having both a distinct culture and an environment of interest is what draws people in. Most of these places are considered distinct if they are different from the culture of the United States as it is one of the largest group of people who actively go on tour. However people often overlook that culture is not entirely defined by country and location and that travel to exotic places is not a requirement for ecotourism. We could learn a lot about our world from looking closer to home. ALASKA ACTS AS ONE OF THE GREATEST EXAMPLES OF A NORTH AMERICAN ECOTOURISM DESTINATION, IN THE PAST DECADE, WITH IT HAVING A DISTINCT CULTURE FROM THE REST OF THE CONTENT AND IT HAVE A INTERESTING ECOSYSTEM IN PLACE.
ReplyDeleteTourism has been a very large industry in North America for quite along time given that the countries that call this place home were in large part created by foreign powers. The main kind of tourism that can be found here is turnstile, or classic, tourism. Locations such as Disney World, New York city, and other well known sights attract people from all over the world. This however does not make them good for our environment and culture, and in many cases makes it worse. For instance places such as Yellowstone and Niagara Falls while looking nature related are much closer to turnstile in practice often leading to ecological problems. It has not only been bad things happening as some places in the Americas have actually been trying to create a sustainable experience. For instance Yosemite national park while overrun with tourists year round in actively trying to reduce traffic and keep specific areas tourist free as to protect them.
Alaska is a prime year round destination due to the connection that travelers can establish with nature while their. One of the leading things to why Alaska is above and beyond other locations in North America is the establishment of the Alaska Wilderness Recreation & Tourism Association. They are an association of over 300 nature based tourism companies with the purpose of protecting natural resources. The fact that Alaska cares enough to self regulate its ecotourism is a huge step forward.
ReplyDeleteWhile the decision and implementation of ecotourism in Alaska is in its later stages with regards to the environment there has been much less talk regarding the cultural impact of it. The largest fear that locals have is their loss of control over their local community from the introduction of tourism. Due to economic pressure they are being drawn to participate in it while it provides risk to their community. The main thing that they want is to be included in the dialogue about ecotourism and tourism in general in Alaska.
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ReplyDeleteFor Monday, April 9 - please draft and post your first FIVE paragraphs of your multimedia paper below. Be sure your THESIS SENTENCE is in CAPS.
ReplyDeletehttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1JZIX3zCWADBIwUa8ziGb8MFlXL0Up-JQ2AXjMwKAtl0/edit?usp=sharing
ReplyDeleteI honestly forget if we decided if we were just doing the google share link or not but just let me know if this isn't going to work and I'll upload the 5 paragraphs!
Good drafting so far, ECO TOURISM posse!
ReplyDeleteIn reviewing your drafts to date, I have a few suggestions:
1) THESIS STATEMENT - be sure you ground your THESIS in TIME and PLACE, and be sure it is PRECISE and PROVABLE.
2) Write using ACTIVE verbs. (Passive voice - was/were, or is/are, is WEAK writing.)
3) Be sure you have at LEAST 1 quotation per paragraph - use your SOURCES to help you tell your story!
4) Don't forget ALPHABETIZED MLA style bibliography at paper's end.
5) IMAGES - one per paragraph, Make 'em SEXY.
Go!
Dr. W
Akureyri, Iceland is the fourth largest town in Iceland at 18,000 residents, and it was rated as the number 1 destination in Europe by Lonely Planet (the company that makes all of the indistinguishable guide books). This town is quite possibly the most quintessential example of ecotourism in Iceland. As lonely planet said when they awarded the title to Akureyri, “Akureyri, in contrast, sits on the north coast under snowcapped peaks at the head of Iceland’s longest fjord. It’s Iceland’s second biggest urban area, and while you shouldn’t expect a big-city vibe (the population is only 18,000), this easy-going place has more buzz than anywhere outside of Reykjavík. It’s also a great base for exploring the north’s green pastures, fishing villages, mudpots, waterfalls, ski fields and whale-filled bays. Signs of the earth’s power - glaciers, volcanoes, lava fields and stacks of basalt - are everywhere, while strange underwater features lure divers and offshore islands are home to colonies of seabirds” (Randle, 2016). It’s descriptions like this that make people want to visit Iceland. However, this is also due in part to their sustainable infrastructure.
ReplyDeleteIceland is hands down one of the global leaders in sustainable infrastructure, renewable energy development, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Even Reykjavik, which is home to 40% of Iceland’s residents and is a main tourist attraction, has set a goal of being 100% fossil free by the year 2050 (Randle, 2016). This is a meaningful example for the rest of the world, and a motion that few other countries have made. It’s even more impressive when you consider the fact that they are a tourism focussed economy, which is an industry turban tends to have a large amount of negative externalities pushed off onto the environment. This is one of the things that makes Iceland fit so well into the definition of ecotourism. They’ve made it clear that developed tourism countries can overcome the potential cost and barriers for renewable energy transition.
Iceland is also very careful to preserve it’s delicate cultural heritage. Globalization ahas wreaked havoc on many small countries, but Iceland has somehow managed to walk the fine line of social development and preservation of heritage. The small town of Siglufjordur is home to only 1200 people, and relied entirely on the herring fishing market. After that industry declined, they took advantage of the newly blossoming ecotourism market in order to turn the town’s economy around, “The town has developed a tourism industry through development of a small conference center with a building for meetings, a restaurant, and coffee shop. Volunteers have built a fantastic fishing museum telling the story of the herring industry. Opportunities for tourism also now includes fishing and hiking, and the wonderful hospitality of the local people” (Randle, 2016). They not only preserved their important cultural heritage, but also brought the community together to educate outsiders. This is at the very core of what ecotourism is meant to be.
As with any quick development, however, there are downsides. One of the current issues is that Iceland moved from overfishing, to heavy export of manufactured goods, and now they’ve moved the almost-literal export of nature itself. They’ve begun looking at the environment as a resource. Nature is connected to everything and as such their ecotourism based economy is threatened by their reliance on the “resource” of nature. As a recent article by Michael Chapman put it, “it is the ‘invisible’ threats of climate change and a warming atmosphere, and the very 'visible' threat of wildland violation, that put this organic interrelation into peril” (Chapman, 2017). Iceland faces the very real threat of another economic collapse if their environment starts to degrade. In part this is why they work so hard to preserve it, but they can’t change the actions of other carbon heavy countries.
DeleteThere is also the potential issue of “overtourism”. An article from Skift outlines this idea well, “Overtourism represents a potential hazard to popular destinations worldwide, as the dynamic forces that power tourism often inflict unavoidable negative consequences if not managed well. In some countries, this can lead to a decline in tourism as a sustainable framework is never put into place for coping with the economic, environmental, and sociocultural effects of tourism. The impact on local residents cannot be understated either” (Sheivachman, 2016). Iceland is currently riding the a fine line, where they could potentially enter this state of overtourism. Welcoming almost 2 million travelers into a tiny island country is bound to cause problems, but this could potentially be avoided if Iceland manages their tourism infrastructure closely. The main issue in regards to overtourism is that Iceland’s infrastructure is from a time when the country only had to serve their year round residents. In particular there needs to be a complete overhaul of the roads in Iceland. They weren’t designed for large amounts of tour busses to use them each day.
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ReplyDeleteNew Zealand: From Isolation to Ecotourism
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