Impact/access

Access to encourage visitors (roads, trails, signage and interpretation) while protecting the environment we’re trying to conserve and understand are always a delicate balance. The principal threat to successful and sustainable ecotourism mass tourism which would destroy the very environment that attracted people in the first place. Low impact tourism development including home stays and B&B operations rather than hotel/motel construction, and small coordinated tours conducted by local residents and experts rather than larger, organized tour groups avoid environmental degradation. Opportunities for expansion must be constantly weighed and evaluated in light of the impact on the natural environment. The best way to assure this balance is to develop a comprehensive ecotourism management plan.