Developing a Framework to Evaluate Ecotourism

1
Developing a Framework to Evaluate Ecotourism

• Megan Epler Wood
• EplerWood International
• Paper from Stanford University 2002
• In Press

2
Process of Setting Standards

• Best practice study and literature review
• Multistakeholder involvement from regions most
  involved and affected
• International review and critique
• Publication of standards

3
Process Can Be Slowed for a Variety of Reasons

• Different cultural contexts
• Difficulty of reaching those who live in remote
  areas
• Inability to find agreement on what constitutes a
  participatory process
• Diverse concerns about the entire development
  process without consistent framework for
  consideration of facts

4
What Evaluation Frameworks are Needed?

• Standards for Certification of Products
• Standards for Evaluation of Development Projects

5
Evaluation frameworkWhat is the bottom line?

• Conservation
• Protection of biodiversity
• Support of Protected Areas
• Management of Impacts
• Interpretation

• Social Sustainability
• Poverty Alleviation
• Empowerment
• Employment Creation
• Human rights Observance
• Opportunity for Marginalized People

6
Can the global marketplace account for social
sustainabilty?

• Economic efficiency towards social equity
• Individual rights to collective obligations
• Selfishness to community
• Separation to interdependence
• Exclusion to equality of opportunity
• Genuine human development that benefits the
  majority not the few
• SustainAbility 1998

7
Towards a Conservation Social Sustainability
Framework

• Ecotourism Donor and NGO Projects

8
Conservation Framework

• Visitor Fees to Parks
• Total revenue provided to PA system
• Percentage revenue provided to PA system
• Percentage of revenue to parks
• Percentage of revenue to conservation projects

9
Conservation Framework

• Visitor Impacts
• Biophysical monitoring?
• Categories of Impact
• Wildlife
• Water quality
• Air quality
• Direct Management Strategies
• Indirect Management Strategies

10
Conservation Framework

• Managing Tourism Growth
• Zoning
• Carrying Capacity
• Tourism Plans
• Design Plans
• Regulations at Municipal Level

11
Conservation Framework

• Impacts on Biodiversity
• Difficult to Obtain Baseline Data
• No Current Measurement Procedures
• Threat Reduction Assessment Approach an Option
• Community-based projects
• Private sector/NGO partnerships
• Private sector/NGO/community partnerships

12
Conservation Framework

• Government Policies
• Legal frameworks
• Institutionalized participatory planning
• Ecotourism National Plan
• Budgetary mechanisms to support plan
• Training programs to support communities
• Finance programs for small business

13
Conservation Framework

• Contribution to Understanding of Environmental
  Social Setting
• Balanced information
• Cooperation between private sector and park
  interpretive program
• Interpretative plan
• Training for interpretative staff

14
Towards a Social SustainabilityFramework

• Net benefits to poor is a goal in itself, not a
  subset of environmental conservation goals
• Goals for economic development
• Validation of social capital
• Contribution to preservation of cultural identity
• Business and employment opportunity

15
Social Sustainability Framework

• Expansion of business opportunity
• Credit for micro and small business
• Training for business at community level
• Contribution to total benefits and wages
  available in area
• Comparison of ecotourism business with other
  forms of enterprise in terms of wage and benefits

16
Social Sustainability Framework

• Opportunity reaching new segments of society?
• What are pre-existing opportunities?
• What opportunities for marginalized people

17
Social Sustainability Framework

• Collective benefits enhancement
• Skills, education, health
• Roads, water, infrastructure
• Collective income
• Social capital, e.g. community organizational
  strength
• Information on options for livelihood
• Reduction of exposure to risk

18
Social Sustainability Framework

• Social and Cultural Impacts
• Respect for values,cultural expressions
• Preservation of language, customs, traditions
• Representation at regional and national levels
• Use of traditional skills
• Interest in land stewardship
• In-fighting, crime, illegal commerce

19
Social Sustainability Framework

• Access to information, technical knowledge
• Number of strategic alliances
• Communication mechanisms for technical
  information
• Participation level in meetings

20
Importance of Creating a Framework

• Principles needed at outset of projects
• Donors need principles that include both
  conservation social sustainability