estc 2011 presentation by irene lane, greenloons, alonissos
Post on 22-May-2015
570 Views
Preview:
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
This presentation was presented at the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference 2011 (ESTC 2011), held in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA, from September 19th-21st. Organized by The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), the
ESTC is a unique annual conference providing practical solutions to advance sustainability goals for the tourism industry.
Learn more about the ESTC: http://www.ecotourismconference.org ESTC on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ESTC_Tourism
ESTC on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ESTC.Tourism
The International Ecotourism Society | web www.ecotourism.org email info@ecotourism.org | tel +1 202 506 5033
Ecotourism of Alonissos, Greece
What Changed After the Conference?
• Conservation groups organized themselves
• Fisherman were invited to participate as stakeholders
• Community became engaged• International recognition and
support became available
Lessons Learned
• Lack of clear authority of zone enforcement
• Lack of experienced biologists on the management team / board
• Lack of local government responsibility and local board representation hindering ecotourism planning & development
• Lack of clear economic benefits
Measurable Results• Younger generations of fishermen have accepted the co-
existence with the seal• Valuable data on the biology and the ecology of the species• Cleaning days established• MOm’s LIFE-Nature programs designated as “Good
Practices of Natural Environment Management” • 250,000+ children have gone through Environmental
Education Programs• 20 seals have been rescued, rehabilitated and released into
the Marine Park • In the last 15 years, no dead seals have been found within
the Marine Park borders• Last May, a seal came to the busy port and stayed for 1.5
months• Network of 2,100 “Volunteer Researchers” record monk seal
sightings• Volunteer programs offer opportunities to assist in the day-
to-day management of the Marine Park
Critical Success Factors
• Buy in from the community residents• Clear mission• Stakeholder involvement• Positive relationships among government entities,
conservation organizations, tourism businesses, fishermen, teachers and individuals all dedicated to protecting the seal’s habitat
• Tracking studies of environmental, social, and economic impact and results
• Slow and steady ecotourism development process• Conservation education directed at younger
generations
Thank You!
top related