Ecotourism environments…   What are the components of a public protected area?

 An area of land and/or sea    Especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity (cultural resources) Managed through legal or other effective means Managed by a public authority What are paper parks?

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What is so important about public protected areas?       THE dominant setting for ecotourism Natural environments High public profile (http://whc.unesco.org/) Structural suitability to ecotourism Investment in infrastructure and services Convergence between protected and natural landscapes 2

IUCN Classification System   I -> wilderness area for scientific and research purposes V -> cultural & natural environment exist in a complementary relationship 3

The 6 IUCN Protected Area Management Categories

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Category Ia Strict Nature Reserve: protected area managed mainly for science Category Ib Wilderness Area : protected area managed mainly for wilderness protection Category II National Park: protected area managed mainly for ecosystem protection and recreation Category III Natural Monument: protected area managed mainly for conservation of specific natural features Category IV Habitat/Species Management Area: protected area managed mainly for conservation through management intervention Category V Protected Landscape/Seascape: protected area managed mainly for landscape/seascape conservation and recreation Category VI Managed Resource Protected Area: protected area managed mainly for the sustainable use of natural ecosystems 4

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Lebanon’s protected areas…  

National Designations

       Bird Reserve Forest Reserve National Park Other Area Private Protected Area Protection/Protected Zone Reserve 1 5 5 1 3 2 12 Bentael National Park Ain Zhalta; Arz Tannourine; Barouk; Arz el Rab; Jabal el Qaraqif Ammiq; Barouk; Mashgara (II); Qaraoun Lake; Terbol Chali Cedar Forest Baabda; Bentael; Khallet Khazen Farm Arz Bcharre; Qannoubine Bass; Batroun; Hbeline; Horsh Ehden; Jabal Turbol; Jaftalak Ras el-ain; Kammoua; Karm Chbat; Kfar Zabed; Kherbet Slim; Palm Island; Saissouk

International Conventions and Programmes

    Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) World Heritage Convention UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve Barcelona Convention 4 1 5 1 6

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Marine Protected Areas   1300 MPA = < 1% of the world’s marine space Only one protected area along Lebanon's 225 kilometers coastline  Palm Islands - 1992, 5km2, IUCN Category IV 9

Distribution of ecotourists w/in protected areas  ’95-5’ rule   95% of all visits tend to be confined to 5% of the area Where?

 Heavily developed sites – sacrificial space   Hinterland of the sites Transportation corridors 10

Issues associated with spatial and temporal concentration     Higher visitation levels… … Site’s carrying capacity Fixed carrying capacity   When? If D > K then ?

Fluid carrying capacity  Increase capacity how?

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Modified spaces …      Agricultural lands … Urban space … Artificial wetlands … Artificial reefs… Degraded or devastated space 12

Next section: ecotourism planning for protected areas     Read that section in the booklet – by October 28 Read the ‘ecotourist trap’ by October 28 Summary article due October 30 Homework 2 and 3 due October 30 13