Spatial Impacts Of Ecotourism In Dominica
Ecotourism will affect Dominica as an entire, but the largest affects will occur in areas directly associated with ecotourism.
These areas include;
National Parks
and
Bordering Comunnities
The Waitukubuli Trail
Major Tourist Hotspots
National Park Borders - Concentrated, Dispersed Impacts
The government established the national parks to create a beneficial use of the land
rather than degrade it with practices such as slash and burn agriculture, fallowing fields, and create further threats to biodiversity (Slinger-Friedman, 2009). Park boundaries banned these unsustainable practices as well as hunting and fishing within the parks.
Communities located near and within National Park boundaries have experienced
forced change that impacted their resource and cultural values. Some citizens have taken advantage of being located near the parks and have started businesses catering to ecotourism.
To reach the goal of preserving ecological values, park management and the
government will have to create an efficient assessment plan for the areas to reinsure that ecotourism is not degrading the parks.
Waitukubuli National Trail - Non-Concentrated, Dispersed Impacts
The Waitukubuli National Trail has been an internationally recognized gem of the
Caribbean. Opened in 2011, the trail project was funded by the European Union as a tool to expand the tourist market in Dominica and the rural economy. It is the first long distance trail in the islands' region, spanning 115 miles from South to North Dominica. The trail crosses through; National Parks, local communities, farm lands, forest reserves, coastal areas, and the acclaimed Morne Trois Pitons National Park UNESCO natural World Heritage Site. (Common Wealth of Dom., 2009)
An increasing quest for natural recreation opportunities in the recent years has led
to a surge in visitor loads in protected areas worldwide (Wakibara et.al., 2009). The Waitukubuli trail has been an internationally recognized ecotourism hotspot and has potential to recieve harmful ecological impacts from incoming tourists. A comparative example of a park reaching overcapacity is that of the Mt Kilimanjaro Park in Tanzania. Multiple water sources in the park were tested positive for fecal coliform contamination, trail braiding and campsite soil compaction has degraded the ecosystem, and trash can be found along most common trails and scattered amongst campsites (Wakibara et.al., 2009).
Sites marked in the map above with a cream circle are nature site hotspots along
the trail. Some of them are warm-springs, rivers, waterfalls and lakes- ecosystems that could have potentially harmful impacts from visitor overcapacity. Water pollution, invasive species introduction, soil compaction, trail braiding and stream erosion are all potential impacts of recreational use in natural areas.
To prevent ecosystem degradation, Park Managers and the government are
reccommended to perform site assessments and monitoring for each of these commonly visited sites.
Major Tourist Hotspots - Concentrated, Point Impacts
Major cities and airports will have to readjust if ecotourism brings in a larger amount
of tourists each year. Currently, Dominica does not have an international airport but has several smaller airports that operate flights to other islands. They will have to collaborate with other airline connections to increase available seating for tourists coming to Dominica and consider possible airport expansion if needed.
Cities located near the entrances and exits to the Waitukubuli trail will have to
increase hospitality services, mainly Roseau and Portsmouth- the two main hubs at the start and end of the trail.
Some local communities will not be in favor of an increase in tourism. Tourist
markets tend to take over the privacy of smaller communities and encroach the cultural aspect if tourist crowding occurs. Government Agencies and management will have to consider the stakeholders affected by tourist hotspots. The map above shows current hospitality services provided along the trail and major cities in green.