Urban Natural Areas, from Nature Conservation to Well-being Assets

Tourism is a dynamic, constantly evolving activity that requires detecting consumer trends so that companies and destinations can adapt by offering new and improved competitive products and experiences. For the post-COVID-19 era, dominant projected trends suggest that consumers will be more attracted to authentic, environmentally responsible experiences in less touristy destinations and wide-open spaces. Natural areas and protected spaces rank among the clearest beneficiaries of such trends because they combine relaxation with environments conducive to social distancing as well as offering direct, positive impacts on human health and well-being. For all of those reasons, such spaces not only have the potential to offer new experiences closely related to well-being and the search for overall health but also face challenges to that end. Against that background, this chapter examines experiential tourism in relation to improved holistic well-being and provides examples of experiences in protected natural areas worldwide that offer physical, mental, social, environmental, spiritual, and/or emotional well-being.

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Ecosystem Services

Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Environmental Science ◽

10.1093/acrefore/9780199389414.013.4 ◽

2016 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Leon C. Braat

Keyword(s):

Nature Conservation ◽

Ecosystem Services ◽

Natural Capital ◽

Sustainable Use ◽

Well Being ◽

Ecosystem Functions ◽

Nature Management ◽

Human Society ◽

Term Survival ◽

Policy And Planning

The concept of ecosystem services considers the usefulness of nature for human society. The economic importance of nature was described and analyzed in the 18th century, but the term ecosystem services was introduced only in 1981. Since then it has spurred an increasing number of academic publications, international research projects, and policy studies. Now a subject of intense debate in the global scientific community, from the natural to social science domains, it is also used, developed, and customized in policy arenas and considered, if in a still somewhat skeptical and apprehensive way, in the “practice” domain—by nature management agencies, farmers, foresters, and corporate business. This process of bridging evident gaps between ecology and economics, and between nature conservation and economic development, has also been felt in the political arena, including in the United Nations and the European Union (which have placed it at the center of their nature conservation and sustainable use strategies). The concept involves the utilitarian framing of those functions of nature that are used by humans and considered beneficial to society as economic and social services. In this light, for example, the disappearance of biodiversity directly affects ecosystem functions that underpin critical services for human well-being. More generally, the concept can be defined in this manner: Ecosystem services are the direct and indirect contributions of ecosystems, in interaction with contributions from human society, to human well-being. The concept underpins four major discussions: (1) Academic: the ecological versus the economic dimensions of the goods and services that flow from ecosystems to the human economy; the challenge of integrating concepts and models across this paradigmatic divide; (2) Social: the risks versus benefits of bringing the utilitarian argument into political debates about nature conservation (Are ecosystem services good or bad for biodiversity and vice versa?); (3) Policy and planning: how to value the benefits from natural capital and ecosystem services (Will this improve decision-making on topics ranging from poverty alleviation via subsidies to farmers to planning of grey with green infrastructure to combining economic growth with nature conservation?); and (4) Practice: Can revenue come from smart management and sustainable use of ecosystems? Are there markets to be discovered and can businesses be created? How do taxes figure in an ecosystem-based economy? The outcomes of these discussions will both help to shape policy and planning of economies at global, national, and regional scales and contribute to the long-term survival and well-being of humanity.

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Ecotourism and biodiversity conservation - two way track

Pacific Conservation Biology ◽

10.1071/pc000089 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 89 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Penny Van Oosterzee

Keyword(s):

Nature Conservation ◽

Biodiversity Conservation ◽

Environmental Impacts ◽

National Parks ◽

World Wide ◽

Tourism Industry ◽

Natural Areas ◽

Nature Appreciation ◽

Economic Studies

While not denying that tourism has environmental impacts, tourism's potential to aid biodiversity conservation world-wide is great and needs to be harnessed. However, unless precisely explained, the notion of ecotourism clouds the role of tourism in nature conservation. Therefore I define ecotourism as all visits that focus on nature appreciation and the associated infrastructure (park facilities, tours, accommodation, airlines that bring tourists to the area etc.) that supports these visits. This definition, which is used throughout this paper, helps eliminate the false distinction being made between tourism and ecotourism. Tourism, at the international and national political level, has an influential role as a force for biodiversity conservation by being a rationale for plaCing extra land in conservation reserves, or otherwise by sustainably managing natural areas for their natural values. Using World Heritage Areas (WHA) as an example - perhaps even as an indicator of tourism and its impacts on natural areas ? the little information available suggests that tourism is not often a threat, but that warfare, clearing for agriculture, and poaching are. Regions with an intact tourism industry are also those more likely to have an intact ecosystem. National parks do act as a catalyst for tourism growth. The question is whether tourism can deliver the financial means to undertake management to neutralize the impacts of tourism on biodiversity, or, perhaps more importantly, to fund more extensive works for biodiversity conservation? Few rigorous economic studies have been carried out to provide answers to this question; to define the link between biodiversity conservation and tourism, and to explore ways of making tourism maintain and expand the resource on which its profits are based, thus making the industry world-wide a major force for conservation.

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What are the impacts of nature conservation interventions on human well-being: a systematic map protocol

Environmental Evidence ◽

10.1186/2047-2382-3-16 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 16 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Madeleine Bottrill ◽

Samantha Cheng ◽

Ruth Garside ◽

Supin Wongbusarakum ◽

Dilys Roe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nature Conservation ◽

Well Being ◽

Systematic Map ◽

Conservation Interventions

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Nature engagement for human and nature’s well-being during the Corona pandemic

Journal of Public Mental Health ◽

10.1108/jpmh-02-2021-0016 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Miles Richardson ◽

Iain Hamlin

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Nature Conservation ◽

Human Nature ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Well Being ◽

Short Term ◽

Content Type ◽

Connectedness To Nature ◽

Nature Connectedness ◽

The Uk

Purpose To explore the associations between noticing nature, nature connectedness, time in nature and human and nature’s well-being during the corona pandemic restrictions. Design/methodology/approach Natural England’s people and nature survey (PANS) data (n = 4,206) from the UK was used to assess a number of well-being outcomes (loneliness, life satisfaction, worthwhile life and happiness) and pro-nature behaviours as a function of longer-term physical time in nature and psychological connectedness to nature and shorter-term visits and noticing of nature. Findings Longer-term factors of nature connectedness and time in nature were both consistent significant predictors of well-being measures (apart from loneliness) and pro-nature conservation behaviours. Considered alone short-term visits and noticing were again consistent and significant predictors of three well-being measures, but recent visits to nature were not associated with pro-nature conservation behaviours. A combined regression highlighted the importance of a longer-term relationship with nature in all outcomes apart from loneliness but also revealed that even when considered in concert with longer-term factors, currently noticing nature had a role in feeling one’s life was worthwhile, pro-nature behaviours and loneliness. Originality/value The closeness of the human-nature relationship and noticing nature have rarely been examined in concert with nature visits. Further, the reciprocal benefits of pro-nature behaviours are often overlooked.

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Ecotourism

Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Environmental Science ◽

10.1093/acrefore/9780199389414.013.378 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Giles Jackson ◽

Megan Epler Wood

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Pacific Islands ◽

Short Form ◽

Scale Up ◽

Well Being ◽

Local Communities ◽

Tourism Industry ◽

Business Practices ◽

Natural Areas ◽

Forthcoming Article

This is an advance summary of a forthcoming article in the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Environmental Science. Please check back later for the full article. Ecotourism is an evolving field that originated in the 1980s, when leading conservationists explored and wrote seminal papers on how tourism could contribute to the conservation of natural areas. Hector Ceballos Lascurain coined the first definition, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International, and The Nature Conservancy all undertook research and documentation of the benefits and potential risks of ecotourism in the 1990s. The International Ecotourism Society, founded in 1990, brought together conservation organizations and businesses to create the first definition that was globally accepted in short form: Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and sustains the well-being of local people. Small group tour operators flourished during the 1990s, bringing travelers to a growing number of natural areas worldwide, together with top guiding, high-caliber interpretation, and strong ethical contributions to local wellbeing. Many important micro, small, and medium sized enterprises were founded in high biodiversity regions of Latin America, Asia, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, and throughout the Pacific Islands and the Caribbean, offering life-changing experiences while helping build conservation economies and inspiring positive action. In 2015, nature-based tourism was estimated to have an economic value worldwide of hundreds of billions of dollars annually in protected areas alone, driven by the growing need of a rapidly urbanizing world to experience and reconnect with wild nature. However, this growth has not resulted in growing budgets to safeguard and manage natural areas, which are increasingly under threat. Scientific concerns that poor business practices under the guise of ecotourism might irreversibly damage fragile natural areas have led the conservation community to de-emphasize ecotourism as a conservation tool in favor of business certification. But these efforts have reached only a small percentage of the corporate sector of the eight trillion dollar global tourism industry. Although the net economic, social, and environmental contributions of ecotourism have not been fully accounted for, the research to date has confirmed the conservation value of ecotourism—among the first examples of social enterprise. One well-documented case is Wilderness Safaris, an $89 million company operating in 58 destinations in Southern Africa in 2015, which reinvests at least 5% of its gross profit (before taxation and depreciation) to help protect the natural assets and support local communities on which the business depends. This example suggests that ecotourism can yield benefits for the conservation of biodiversity and can benefit local communities on a large scale. To increase ecotourism’s role in sustainable development, more businesses will need to scale up, and government management of tourism will require improved impact measurements, updated regulatory strategies, and effective policy mechanisms to garner a greater portion of tourism revenue.

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What are the effects of nature conservation on human well-being? A systematic map of empirical evidence from developing countries

Environmental Evidence ◽

10.1186/s13750-016-0058-7 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 74

Author(s):

Madeleine C. McKinnon ◽

Samantha H. Cheng ◽

Samuel Dupre ◽

Janet Edmond ◽

Ruth Garside ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Developing Countries ◽

Nature Conservation ◽

Empirical Evidence ◽

Well Being ◽

Systematic Map

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Analysis of Object and Attractiveness of Community-Based Ecotourism in Coastal Area of Mempawah Regency

Agro Ekonomi ◽

10.22146/ae.38857 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Eva Dolorosa ◽

Dewi Kurniati

Keyword(s):

Coastal Area ◽

Well Being ◽

Mangrove Ecosystem ◽

Local Communities ◽

Local People ◽

Average Score ◽

Natural Areas ◽

Community Based ◽

Potential Value ◽

Assessment Indicator

Mangrove ecotourism in the Mempawah coastal area began to be developed and initiated by local communities who are concerned in the sustainability of the mangrove ecosystem. This is also supported by the increasing number of tourists to visit ecotourism, so that the development of ecotourism needs to be supported by tourist attractiveness as well as learning to tourists to care about their environment in accordance with the principles of ecotourism namely responsible travel to natural areas, conserving the environment and improving the well-being of local people. This paper focuses on analyzing the potential value of community-based ecotourism objects and its attractiveness. The assessment indicator based on the guidelines for assessment of natural tourism attractiveness was used to assess the objects and attractiveness in three specific ecotourism locations which are managed by local communities in Mempawah, namely Pasir, Bakau, and Mendalok Village. This study involves the participation of tourists who have visited the ecotourism site. The study found that the potential value of the object and attractiveness mangrove ecotourism in Mempawah Area was 3,105 with an average score of 388 meaning that it ispotentially developed, and also increasing recommendations related to community-based ecotourism development.

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Ecoturismo na região turística Caminho dos Ipês: conexões entre identidade biofílica e usufruto dos serviços ecossistêmicos

Revista Brasileira de Ecoturismo (RBEcotur) ◽

10.34024/rbecotur.2017.v10.6662 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Simone Mamede ◽

Maristela Benites ◽

José Sabino ◽

Cleber José Rodrigues Alho

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Geographic Location ◽

Well Being ◽

Environmental Benefits ◽

Natural Environments ◽

Natural Areas ◽

Mato Grosso ◽

Visitor Perceptions ◽

Tourist Region ◽

Mato Grosso Do Sul

O turismo de contato com a natureza, quando adequadamente planejado e delineado com princípios de sustentabilidade, pode gerar benefícios socioeconômicos e ambientais que resultam na conservação da sociobiodiversidade. Este trabalho teve por objetivo analisar a percepção dos visitantes da rota turística Caminho dos Ipês, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil e sua motivação para a prática do ecoturismo nessa região. A investigação foi desenvolvida no período de maio de 2016 a abril de 2017. Para a coleta de dados foi aplicado um formulário semiestruturado que buscou identificar o perfil dos visitantes, os municípios mais visitados, a motivação para a visitação, as práticas consideradas ecoturísticas, os atrativos mais valorizados, os elementos da biodiversidade com os quais tiveram maior afinidade e o comprometimento com a conservação dos locais visitados. Os 118 turistas/excursionistas (60,3% mulheres e 39,7% homens) foram originários de 22 cidades brasileiras e de outros dois países (Argentina e Bélgica). Constatou-se que a capital Campo Grande é uma cidade-chave para roteiros integrados de ecoturismo na região devido à localização geográfica, capacidade logística e riqueza em atrativos naturais. Foi registrado que 95% dos visitantes dessa região turística se consideram comprometidos com a conservação e proteção das áreas visitadas. Entre as motivações para a prática do ecoturismo em áreas naturais constata-se uma convergência entre biofilia e valorização dos serviços ecossistêmicos oferecidos pela natureza. O bem-estar provocado por vivenciar os ambientes naturais foi o motivo mais abordado pelos visitantes para a prática do ecoturismo (53,4%), seguido da percepção de sentir-se parte integrante da natureza (50,8%). Os participantes afirmaram que suas preferências ao visitarem áreas naturais em geral são: paisagem (59,3%), água: corredeiras e cachoeiras (48,3%), aves (39,8%), mamíferos (27,1%) e répteis (16,9%). No entanto, o que mais os atraíram para a região turística Caminho dos Ipês foram: riqueza de animais silvestres (44,9%), abundância de água (37,2%), as características do bioma Cerrado (36,4%) e o relevo (30,5%). As práticas mais exercidas nos ambientes naturais visitados foram: contemplação (47,4%), fotografia (39%), observação da vida silvestre (33%), caminhada (33%) e birdwatching (18,6%). Conclui-se que o ecoturismo pode ser uma estratégia positiva para gerar e aprimorar vínculos afetivos com a natureza, bem como para reconhecer e valorizar os serviços ecossistêmicos. Ecotourism in the tourist region Caminho dos Ipês: connections between biophilic identity and use of ecosystem services ABSTRACT The tourism of contact with nature, when properly planned and outlined with principles of sustainability, can generate socio-economic and environmental benefits that result in conservation of sociobiodiversity. The objective of this work was to analyze the perception of the visitors of the Caminho dos Ipês tourist route, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, and their motivation to practice ecotourism in this region. The research was carried out from May 2016 to April 2017. A semistructured questionnaire survey was applied to collect data, which sought to identify the profile of visitors, the most visited municipality, the motivation for visitation and practices considered ecotourism, the attractions more valued, the elements of biodiversity with which they had greater affinity and the compromise with the conservation of the visited places. The 118 tourists/excursionists (60.3% women and 39.7% men) originated in 22 Brazilian cities and two other countries (Argentina and Belgium). It was found that the capital Campo Grande is a key city for integrated ecotourism itineraries in the region due to its geographic location, logistic capacity and richness in natural attractions. We recorded that 95% of the visitors of this tourist region consider themselves committed to the conservation and protection of the areas visited. Among the motivations for the practice of ecotourism in natural areas is a convergence between biophilia and appreciation of ecosystem services offered by nature. The well-being generated by experiencing natural environments was the reason most approached by visitors for the practice of ecotourism (53.4%), followed by the perception of pertencing of nature (50.8%). The participants stated that their preferences when visiting natural areas in general are: landscape (59.3%), water: rapids waters and waterfalls (48.3%), birds (39.8%), mammals (27.1%) and reptiles (16.9%). However, what attracted them to the Caminho dos Ipês region were: wild animal wealth (44.9%), abundance of water (37.2%), characteristics of the Cerrado biome (36.4%) and relief (30.5%). The most practiced practices in the natural environments visited were: contemplation (47.4%), photography (39%), wildlife observation (33%), trekking (33%) and birdwatching (18.6%). It is concluded that ecotourism can be a positive strategy to generate and improve affective bonds with nature, as well as to recognize and value ecosystem services. KEYWORDS: Biophilia; Visitor Perceptions; Contemplative Tourism; Natural Environments; Mato Grosso do Sul.

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