Above Photo: Sid Balachandran
What is biodiversity and why is it important?
There is a general belief that tourism has a detrimental impact on nature and biodiversity. This might be true historically, but efforts to turn tourism into a net contributor to nature’s well-being are seen as increasingly important. As time goes on, tourism and accommodation has been evolving to benefit biodiversity rather than contribute to its deterioration.
What is biodiversity and why is it important?
Biodiversity is a shortening of the term biological diversity. It measures how much variation there is in nature, but it is a broad term that refers to variation in nature at different levels.
One such level is variation in the genetics within a species. An example of this would be the same birds of different colours living in the same area, or fish of significantly different sizes living in the same water system. This is known as genetic diversity, and helps species to survive as the environment changes.
Another level is variation between species. This refers to the number of species living with an area such as a forest, lake or country. This species diversity is essential to the functioning of natural systems, and is the most commonly used definition of the term biodiversity.
As well, there is something called ecosystem diversity. This term is used less, and is a measure of the number of different ecosystems within a certain area. For example, a country region may have a certain number of lakes, forests and other types of landscape elements.
Biodiversity supports human goals as well as maintaining healthy natural systems. It provides services to humans known as ecosystem services. These are the functions provided to humans from nature. The economic value of these functions is huge.
The provision of food is one such ecosystem service fulfilled by biodiversity. All of the different types of food we eat rely on high biodiversity. Natural medicines are also sourced from many different species, without which we wouldn’t have access to these medicines. The many bacteria in the environment also break down waste, and release nutrients in waste so they can be reused.
Put simply, our human-built industrial system would collapse without the biodiversity we have today.
How tourism can have a positive effect on biodiversity
International tourism is big business with the industry estimated to be worth USD 1.5 trillion. With so much money spent on travel and tourism, there is potential for the industry to do more to support biodiversity.
Reports state that sustainable tourism can help meet 12 out of the twenty goals within the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity.
Income for protected areas
Perhaps the most tangible impact tourism has on biodiversity is the income it provides to those managing protected areas. The biggest direct income from biodiversity is through gate fees generated by visitors wishing to access protected areas. For example, the famous national parks in Kenya are mainly funded through gate fees. In Hawaii, revenue from the viewing of humpback whales is USD 19–27 million a year. Income from gate fees is also important in Canada generating over 30% of revenue in the national parks.
Camping and land rental is another important source of revenue for managers of protected areas. In Canada, it is estimated that more than a quarter of revenue generated in national parks comes from camping and the renting out of land for commercial purposes (e.g. filming). Without the beautiful landscapes and the wildlife it supports, members of the public and organisations would be less inclined to use the areas for these purposes.
Analysis has also found that many tourists visit key cities for their urban parks, and with that bring income. This provides income to the city, some of which is spent on maintaining habitats for wildlife.
Incentives for local governments to invest
Tourism provides essential revenue to local governments and makes up a large proportion of many countries’ total exports. The importance of this revenue encourages governments to put their own money into the upkeep of habitats providing additional finance for the preservation of biodiversity.
The Transboundary Gorilla Collaboration in Central Africa is a good example of the financial incentive provided by tourism. The collaboration states that the revenue generated from tourists viewing the gorillas is transferred to whichever country the gorillas are resident in. The gorillas move between countries, and the collaboration encourages countries to preserve the landscape as a gorilla habitat.
In Costa Rica, a survey found that almost a third of visitors to one of the country’s major nature reserves would not visit if two iconic bird species were no longer present in the reserve. This has led the government to divert around a quarter of tourism revenue to protecting these species.
Photo credit: iulian aghei:
Rewilding projects driven by tourism
The prospect of witnessing wildlife in its natural habitat can be a big part of wanting to see other parts of the world. Governments know this, and go as far as to rewild nature as a means of drawing in tourists.
In the USA, wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone Park in the 1990s. Today, the wolf populations draw close to 100,000 people a year from all over the world and generate millions in revenue.
This is an example of rewilding motivated by tourism. As well as the revenue generated, this rewilding project is one which has had a huge benefit to biodiversity.
Awareness-raising
Tourism can be educational as well as a time for relaxation. Travelling to new places might entail learning about the environmental issues sensitive to new areas, and this knowledge will get passed on. This can be important in shifting perceptions in society, and to put environmental issues higher up in peoples’ priorities.
First-hand experience and inspiration
For someone working in the city, travelling to a new destination might be one of the few times in the year they get to spend time in nature.
Experiencing the outdoors gives someone a taste of nature and can inspire them to live a more ecologically-minded lifestyle. This can lead to changes back home, which in turn help biodiversity in peoples’ local environment.
Eco-accommodation
Eco-accommodation is growing in popularity. The term refers to hotels whose design and management put low environmental impact as a high priority. They are typically modest, cosy and immerse their dwellers in local nature.
As well as reducing environmental damage, eco-accommodation can actually benefit biodiversity by using flows of waste.
For example, some eco-accommodation uses “grey water” to meet some of the building’s water needs. This is lower grade water which would otherwise be expelled into the environment. By using this water, it reduces the amount of waste material being put into the environment. This helps keep local environments clean and healthy, and can help to preserve local species.
The design and construction of some eco-accommodation also use recycled materials. The use of these materials reduces the amount of material waste being put into the environment. This is another way that eco-accommodation can actually improve habitats for different species.
Other ways eco-accommodation can be beneficial to flora, fauna and wildlife.
Benefits to biodiversity through design and construction
There is no single method for the design and construction of eco-accommodation. However, the goal of constructing such accommodation is to reduce energy consumption and to reduce the use of materials with a high environmental impact. This means sustainable timber is frequently used, as is upcycled materials.
Timber cabins are perhaps the accommodation design most people associate with eco-accommodation. These can be all-wood, or wooden structures with a thatched roof. Sometimes these will have been built either using locally-sourced sustainable timber, or timber salvaged from other local projects.
Photo credit: Josh Hild
Another popular eco-accommodation is tents and gîtes. The materials used in their construction have a really low environmental impact, and staying in one gives you a taste of the outdoors whilst still enjoying creature comforts. In Iran, an eco-resort has built their accommodation using high quality fabrics and metal poles to give visitors a taste of the wilderness.
However, cabins and gîtes are not the only types of eco-accommodation available. A host of novel designs for these buildings have been developed worldwide.
You can even visit eco-accommodation in the Arctic Circle. In Norway, a designer has built seven aluminium-clad cabins with views over the Norwegian Sea on the island of Manshausen. The cabins have been shortlisted for various awards, and enable visitors to fish in the local area.
Bamboo is another popular material used in eco-accommodation, and has a very low environmental impact. In Panama, a London-based architect has built eco-accommodation “tree-houses” in the form of cocoa pods. Use of bamboo helps to preserve biodiversity, as it grows quickly and can be quickly replaced.
Hotels that are not designed specifically as eco-accommodation can also help support local biodiversity by the design of their outdoor spaces. They can help local bird and butterfly populations by planting native flora species such as hedges and bushes on their property.
Greenwalls can also be installed. These are vertical structures which enable vegetation to be grown where space is limited providing food and habitat for local species. If space allows, a rooftop garden or wildlife pond is also a good way of supporting local wildlife.
Benefits to biodiversity through management
Eco-accommodation projects typically use all organic consumables, such as 100% organic cotton towels, cleaning products, soaps and locally grown foods. They also strive to use green energy for lighting and power and promote sustainable transport.
They also frequently have their water conservation systems. Such systems collect rainwater and filter it for it to be used by staff and guests. This reduces the amount of water being extracted from the local water supply. Reducing water demands makes local water available to wildlife. It also helps to keep local water cleaner by preventing contamination caused by excessive extraction.
Visitors to eco-accommodation are encouraged to use travel with a reduced environmental footprint. This includes access to electric vehicles or the provision of pedal bikes. As well as being cleaner, these greener modes of transport produce a lot less environmental noise. This enables local wildlife to remain in the vicinity of the accommodation rather than being scared away by noisy fuel engines.
The owners of eco accommodation typically connect with their local communities in a manner better suited to local needs. This might involve supporting local initiatives or joining local groups whose interests lie in conservation goals. Travellers staying in eco accommodation are also encouraged to get involved with local conservation work by the accommodation owners during their stay.