Planning for nature tourism Planning for nature tourism - handling the conflict - handling the conflict

between use and between use and conservation conservation

Hans-Georg WallentinusHans-Georg Wallentinus

Swedish EIA CentreSwedish EIA Centre

UppsalaUppsala

Eco tourism in NicaraguaEco tourism in Nicaragua

Mombacho VolcanoMombacho Volcano Managed by an NGO, several persons in the staff. Managed by an NGO, several persons in the staff.

Information centre. Cars going up the vulcano at regular Information centre. Cars going up the vulcano at regular intervals. Established around year 2000.intervals. Established around year 2000.

Datanlí - El DiabloDatanlí - El Diablo Managed by the EPA. Few persons in the staff, but Managed by the EPA. Few persons in the staff, but

several local farmers engaged. No regular traffic to the site. several local farmers engaged. No regular traffic to the site. Small houses for camping built this year. Established 2005.Small houses for camping built this year. Established 2005.

Calculation of visitor capacityCalculation of visitor capacity

Visitor capacity (VCC) works as a Visitor capacity (VCC) works as a potential strategy to reduce potential strategy to reduce recreational impacts in protected recreational impacts in protected areasareas

Visitor capacity is considered at Visitor capacity is considered at three consecutive levels:three consecutive levels:

Physical carrying capacity (PCC)Physical carrying capacity (PCC) Real carrying capacity (RCC)Real carrying capacity (RCC) Effective carrying capacity (ECC)Effective carrying capacity (ECC) FCC > RCC ≥ ECCFCC > RCC ≥ ECC

Physical Carrying CapacityPhysical Carrying Capacity

FCC = S/sp * NV; NV = Hv/tvFCC = S/sp * NV; NV = Hv/tv S = available surfaceS = available surface sp = area used by one personsp = area used by one person NV = number of times a place can be NV = number of times a place can be

visited each dayvisited each day Hv = Open hoursHv = Open hours tv = time required to walk a trailtv = time required to walk a trail

Real Carrying CapacityReal Carrying Capacity

The RCC is the maximum number of The RCC is the maximum number of visits that is possible after applying a visits that is possible after applying a number of correction factors, like:number of correction factors, like:

social factor, social factor, erodability, erodability, accessibility, accessibility, inundated sections, and inundated sections, and temporal closingtemporal closing

These factors are calculated after field surveysThese factors are calculated after field surveys

Management Capacity (MC)Management Capacity (MC)

MC = (infrastructure + equipment + MC = (infrastructure + equipment + personnel)*100/3personnel)*100/3

Effective Carrying CapacityEffective Carrying Capacity

ECC = RCC * MCECC = RCC * MC

Carrying Capacity (visits/day)Carrying Capacity (visits/day)

Sendero Sendero

El CraterEl CraterSendero Sendero

El CraterEl CraterSendero El Sendero El PumaPuma

Sendero El Sendero El cafetalcafetal

FCCFCC 80008000 80008000 80008000 90679067CorrectionsCorrections Eco touristsEco tourists StudentsStudents

Social factorSocial factor 0.13040.1304 0.06980.0698 0.04760.0476 0.13040.1304

ErodabilityErodability 0.81870.8187 0.81870.8187 0.62480.6248 1.00001.0000

AccessibilityAccessibility 0.81870.8187 0.81870.8187 0.62480.6248 1.00001.0000

InundatedInundated 0.99930.9993 0.99300.9930 0.98590.9859 1.00001.0000

Temporal Temporal closingclosing

0.85710.8571 0.85710.8571 0.85710.8571 0.85710.8571

REAL CCRREAL CCR 599599 318318 126126 10141014

Carrying Capacity, cont.Carrying Capacity, cont.

El Crater, El Crater, Eco touristsEco tourists

El Crater, El Crater, StudentsStudents

El PumaEl Puma El CafetalEl Cafetal

Real CCRReal CCR 599599 318318 126126 10141014

Management Management CapacityCapacity

74.24%74.24% 74.24%74.24% 74.24%74.24% 74.24%74.24%

Effective Effective Carrying Carrying CapacityCapacity

442442 236236 9393 753753

Carrying Capacity, Datanlí – El DiabloCarrying Capacity, Datanlí – El Diablo

Three paths having FCC: Three paths having FCC: 73587358, , 86118611, and , and 78467846 Factors: social, erodability, accessibility, Factors: social, erodability, accessibility,

inundated, inundated, precipitationprecipitation, and , and faunafauna Due to low numbers in erodability, accessibility Due to low numbers in erodability, accessibility

and fauna the Real Carrying Capacity is only: and fauna the Real Carrying Capacity is only: 6464, , 9292 and and 235235

Management capacity is also lower: Management capacity is also lower: 62,34%62,34% Effective Carrying Capacity is therefore still lower: Effective Carrying Capacity is therefore still lower:

4040, , 5757, and , and 146146

Remarks 1Remarks 1

The number of visitors to Mombacho The number of visitors to Mombacho is rapidly increasing. The carrying is rapidly increasing. The carrying capacity is soon reached. After that a capacity is soon reached. After that a restriction must be put on the restriction must be put on the number of visitors, especially the number of visitors, especially the (noisy?) students, allowed per day. (noisy?) students, allowed per day. This is similar to national parks in This is similar to national parks in USA.USA.

Remarks 2Remarks 2

The ECC of Datalí – El Diablo should The ECC of Datalí – El Diablo should be a guiding figure. Special attention be a guiding figure. Special attention should be paid to erosion (no should be paid to erosion (no protective cover like in Mombacho.protective cover like in Mombacho.

Old saying from the deep forests:Old saying from the deep forests:

A real eco tourist is a person that A real eco tourist is a person that gets angry when he meets another gets angry when he meets another person on a trail in the fjeld areaperson on a trail in the fjeld area

But…But… An eco tourist does not need to be an An eco tourist does not need to be an

environmentally soundenvironmentally sound tourist tourist

AccessibilityAccessibility Sweden has the ”customary law” of the Sweden has the ”customary law” of the

Right of common access to landRight of common access to land (since (since the days of the Vikings) meaning that the days of the Vikings) meaning that people are allowed to walk on private people are allowed to walk on private properties unless you disturb the people at properties unless you disturb the people at their homes.their homes.

This makes the pressure lower on rural This makes the pressure lower on rural areas in Sweden than in countries where areas in Sweden than in countries where only areas especially allowed for common only areas especially allowed for common access are availableaccess are available