Ecotourism as a Conservation Tool in Protected Areas - Case Study Example

? Case Study: Environmental Studies al Affiliation: Case Study: Environmental Studies Significance of the Study The existence of ecotourism derives its basis on a tourism demand of approaching nature and its active use as a conservation tool in protected areas. This implies obtaining certain benefits for the conservation of protected areas essentially to achieve the following goals: 1. The need for conservation of certain areas and making sure such conservation effort is effective so that the tourist continues to desire visiting them. The protection also encompasses biodiversity conservation. 2. It fosters the process of furnishing the economic earnings to country, the region, and the local community. In essence, the protected area provides resources for conservation. 3. It provides financial resources for the conservation of other protected natural areas lacking tourism perhaps because they are unknown or because of their fragile ecological balance. 4. It can make protected areas more profitable thus encourages government or private investment in the establishment of other equally protected areas. 5. It can contribute to conservation if used as a tool of environmental education that sensitizes visitors so they can learn to conveniently value Nature, and respect not only the area they visit but also any other natural area. 6. It gives local communities alternatives to extractive activities that damage the ecosystems and endanger the natural resources. 7. It can help conservation process in other countries that emulate the success in the neighboring countries. Objectives of the Study: I. To secure and maintain the habitat and conditions necessary to protect significant species, groups of species, biotic communities or physical features of the environment where these require specific human manipulation for optimum management II. To facilitate scientific research and environmental monitoring as primary activities associated with sustainable resource management III. To develop limited areas for public education and appreciation of the characteristics of the habitats concerned and that of the work of wildlife management; IV. To eliminate and prevent exploitation or occupation inimical to the purposes of designation V. To deliver such benefits to people living within designated areas in line with the objectives of management Farwa MPA The Farwa MPA is located on Latitude 33° 04' N and Longitude at 11° 50' E to 33° 08' N and 11° 32' E (Approx) from Abu- Kamash in the east to the Tunisian border in the west. It consists of Farwa lagoon, the largest lagoon on the Libyan coast that covers an area of 32 km2. The Farwa MPA, particularly Farwa lagoon, has meadows of Posidonia and Cymodocea sp., owing to certain economically significant species (shrimp, sponges, and fishes) as well as some endangered species that essentially make it an important area for larva and juvenile protection. In the biodiversity of Farwa MPA it is arguably easier to distinguish several economically important species and certain endangered species. Thus, it is imperative that this area gets adequate protection. The utmost altitude of the land on both sides of the lagoon is about 2-3 m (Sand type). Furthermore, the mean annual temperature varies from one month to another owing to the recent closing of the east side of the lagoon. The minimum mean temperature in winter is 10? C whilst the maximum mean temperature in summer is 27?C. The prevalent direction and speed of wind is largely NW and NNW. However, a hot southern wind sometimes blows from the Sahara. The Meteorological conditions of the region are those of the western part of Libyan coast. In such conditions, the winter season extends from November to April and is normally very cold and rainy with unstable winds blowing from different directions. The summer season (June to September) is rather hot and dry. The wind is more stable N and NW. Incidentally, spring and autumn are very short transitional periods. The lagoon is separated from the sea by some 11-km long narrow sand bar. The eastern part of the lagoon is very shallow with no aquatic vegetation and is bordered at its 1 km side tip by a semi-desert land (currently closed). The southern shore of the lagoon which is 13 km long, is shallow and made of sand and clay and has a minimum depth of 0.5 m. on the sides whereas the maximum depth is 4 m in the centre of the Lagoon. Salinity range in summer is from 38 to 44,5‰, and in winter is from 40 – 41.5 ‰. On the uninhabited peninsula of Farwa nests of sea turtles (Laurent et al, 1999), gulls and migratory Terns were observed. Haddoud and Zgozi (1998) gave a systematic list of birds observed in Farwa lagoon. In May, the current velocities range between 15-60 cm/Sec., in June 7-40 cm/Sec., and in August 28- 52 cm/Sec. Overall, the current velocities in the inner part of the lagoon are greater than in the outer part. The flora of the island is primarily made up of palms, desert trees, and grasses. There are no fruit trees on the island or nearby main land. Nevertheless, many different wild animals were recorded on the island, since the island is uninhabited. The marine fauna of the lagoon is very rich; its marine flora is composed mainly of Posidonia, Zostera and many species of green and brown algae. The type of the soft bottom allows many burrowing organisms to live there (Table 1). It is imperative to reiterate that the trawlable area of the Libyan coast is from Musrata to Tunisian border. However, trawling is prohibited during July and August of each year in this area and the Farwa lagoon by extension. Even though Farwa MPA has been established (meaning all kinds of fishing gear are prohibited), nothing has been achieved in this respect. About 50 anglers use the lagoon only for fishing and mooring their boats. It is further interesting to point out that the population of the nearby village (Abukamash) is about 1,000. Karabolli National Park Karabolli (also known as Garabulli, Qarabulli) is located in the north-west of country Libya on the Mediterranean coastal plain. It is situated approximately 50 km to the east of Tripoli and about 2 km to the north of Al Garabulli town (Al Qarabulli). This park is arguably rectangular, and is bounded by the Wadi Ramal to the west, and Wadi Turghat to the east. This extends to a maximum of 7 km inland from coast region. The Wadi Al Mashid, a third watercourse, runs through the site (Davis, 2009). Perennial streams are normally slow flowing except after the rains. Wadi al Mashid is particularly sluggish and meandering and always surrounded by wet flushes and muddy areas. Wadi Ramal feeds into a small one exhibiting saline lagoon right behind beach. The site comprises rolling continental sanddunes, with sandy beaches and rocky shores backed by low, eroded sandstone cliffs (Davis, 2009). There are extensive sea grass Poseidonia oceania beds found in marine zones. The dunes are usually sparingly vegetated. However, there is an inherent scrub vegetation as well as districts of open meadow in some of the interdune basins. Beyond the dunes are normally open grass plains that have low thorn scrub. Typha and Juncus spp. communities, as well as Phragmites australis reedbeds, which are interspersed with the shrubby Tamarix spp., show occurrence beside ponds and springs in the wadis. The Wadi Turghat reedbeds extend for 2 km from the river mouth (Davis, 2009). However, bigger part of the vegetation in the reserve is initiated having sand stabilizing plantations comprising the Acacia and Eucalyptus spp. the most prevalent habitat. Additionally, tamarisk Tamarix spp., pine Pinus spp., Acacia tortilis, fig Ficus indica, and the date-palm Phoenix dactylifera have also since been planted. Conservation issues The area was declared a National Park in 1992. However, the clearance of the original coastal woodland resulted to devastating soil erosion. Exotic Acacia and Eucalyptus spp. were planted to counter the harsh effects by stabilizing the dunes. This would provide poor habitat for wildlife. Nevertheless, as native plants colonized the stabilized soils, the introduced vegetation need to be cleared. Sheep-grazing and congregatory water birds threaten the remaining natural vegetation (UNEP, 2006). These would include two offshore islands holding the breeding colonies of terns (Sternidae). No wetland is known to hold more than 20,000 waterbirds. Six sites qualify under the A3 principle for species characteristic of the Mediterranean North Africa biome; between them holding nine of the 12 species known from Libya. In the same way, three sites meet the A3 criterion for the Sahara–Sindian biome, holding 11 of the 14 species in Libya. However, two of the three remaining species occur at other IBAs (UNEP, 2006). A number of the selected sites are currently known to hold relatively few species of the biome, but this is thought to be due, at least in part, to insufficient knowledge of the sites, and more biome species may be expected to occur. References Davis, E. (2009). North Africa: The Roman coast. Chalfont St. Peter: Bradt Travel Guides. UNEP (Nairobi). (2006). Our environment, our wealth. Nairobi: United nations environment programme (UNEP). 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