Biodiversity Part III

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• Biodiversity Part III
• The last word in ignorance is the person who
  says of an animal or plant What good is it?
• - Aldo Leopold

Preserving Biodiversity through Ecotourism
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Ecotourism and biodiversity preservation

• Ecotourism mountain gorillas

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Biodiversity and ecotourism

• Why is ecotourism viewed as a critical component,
  and when implemented effectively, an ideal
  solution for preserving biodiversity?

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Biodiversity and ecotourism

• Ecotourism begins to holistically address the
  primary causes of biodiversity loss
• Poverty, irresponsible resource consumption,
  ecological accountability
• Remember the components of ecotourism
• People (operators, local community, tourists)
• Environment (preservation, sustainability,
  management)
• Economics (profitable, shared, local investment)
• Educational (instill conservation ethic in
  stakeholders)

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Ecotourism pros v. cons

• How could the development of ecotourism in the
  Amazon create impacts in the following
  categories?
• Economically
• Environmentally
• Culturally
• Socially

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• Have you participated in and ecotourism activity?
• Where, when, who, pros/cons?

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Ecotourism cons

• Economically
• Leakage foreign capital, money leaves area
• Exploitation of local workforce, poor
  paying/menial jobs
• Tourism can be unstable (can be unstable source
  of income)
• War, crime, recession, terrorism, disease,
  natural disaster
• Uneven distribution of benefits
• Environmentally
• Unregulated - leads to overexploitation of
  resources
• Money over ecological carrying capacity
• Unsustainable destination practices green,
  local
• Greenwashing

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Ecotourism cons

• Culturally
• Commodification of culture, loss of language
• Affects on indigenous cultures loss or dilution
  of authenticity
• Homogenization of cultures (increased cultural
  globalization)
• Locals continue previous resource consumption
  activities (could be in economic and
  environmental as well)
• Socially
• Perceptions fear loss of land, takeover by
  tourists
• Conspicuous consumption
• Distribution of benefits (not everyone
  participates)
• Community strife (classes, money)

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Ecotourism cons

• Are indigenous cultures being taken advantage of
  in ecotourism scenarios?
• Is the demise of cultural identity inevitable or
  the fault of ecotourism or is it inevitable?

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Ecotourism pros

• Economically
• Infusion of foreign revenue
• Employment, actual money
• Provides other economic opportunities purchase
  power, ability to sell wares, other financial
  opportunities, entrepreneurship
• Environmentally
• Protects habitat, ecosystems, BIODIVERSITY
• Slows down deforestation, fragmentation
• Alternative to ecologically consumptive
  activities
• Raises conservation awareness in local community,
  tourists
• Altruism

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Ecotourism pros

• Culturally
• Places a value on the preservation of culture,
  language, customs
• Community and cultural pride
• Socially
• Education, health care, opportunities
• Gain status in community
• Provide for family, ease hardships of day-to-day
  existence
• Develop infrastructure (buildings, roads,
  electricity)

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Ecotourism and biodiversity

• Why are benefits to local communities an
  essential characteristic of ecotourism?
• Do you think most developing countries aspire to
  have the way of life of developed countries?

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Ecotourism examples

• Cavo Sidero, Crete

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Ecotourism examples

• Cavo Sidero, Crete 1.6 billion Eco Lodge
• 6000 acres of pristine island coast, year-round
  resort
• 5, five star hotels (approx 2,500 beds), 474
  villas495 townhouses and apartments
• 45-hole golf complex, water sports facilities
  athletics stadium, tennis and equestrian centers,
  Theatre and arts complex, retail facilities,
  conference and exhibition facilities Independent
  restaurants
• 2 million Euros on an environmental study
• desalination and wastewater treatment plants
• golf courses will be filled with local grasses

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Ecotourism examples

• Greek government strongly supports the project,
• Built environment minus the trails, nature areas
  and 3 golf courses will only take up 1 of the
  6000 acres
• Scientists say Greece's water reserves could
  dwindle by a quarter by 2030 because of rising
  temperatures and a decrease in rainfall
• Situation is especially sensitive in Crete, which
  faces chronic droughts and where half of the
  island is at risk of desertification
• Is there confusion of ecotourism vs. green
  practices
• How do we determine eco-authenticity of
  destination?
• http//query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res950
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