Outdoor tourism and recreation: a detriment to conservation efforts?

Kyle A. Weber
Dr. Chad Montgomery and Dr. Bridget Thomas, Faculty Mentors

The protection of ecosystem function has been an important central goal of conservation biology since the discipline was defined by Soule in the 1980s, primarily because ecosystem function has biological, human health, and economic implications. Protected natural areas are the strategy most often implemented to preserve habitats, species, and ecosystem function. In recent decades visitation to protected areas has increased substantially due to outdoor tourism and recreation. However, the increased visitation to natural areas is an emerging area of concern due to the potentially detrimental effects of human activity on the ecosystem function, even when the activity is non-consumptive or not explicitly destructive. This study examines trends in human use and interaction in natural areas and several case studies to understand the primarily negative effects of human recreation and tourism to natural areas on ecosystem function.

Keywords: recreation, tourism, ecosystem function, protected areas, conservation

Topic(s):Biology
Environmental Studies
Interdisciplinary Studies

Presentation Type: Oral Presentation

Session: TBA
Location: TBA
Time: TBA