Commons management and ecotourism: Ethnographic evidence from the Amazon

Abstract

Abstract:The paper evaluates the relationship between ecotourism and commons management. Social and economic impacts of ecotourism in an indigenous village in the Peruvian Amazon are considered in relation to opportunities for collective action to manage common pool resources, including wildlife, forests, and river habitats. Longitudinal, ethnographic data gathered over 12 years about a joint venture ecotourism project between a private company and a local community show three outcomes that support commons management and three outcomes that challenge it. The outcomes in favor of commons management include: direct economic returns that act as conservation incentives, strengthened organization resulting from participatory management of ecotourism, and expanded networks of support from outside actors. Outcomes that are challenging the potential for collective action include: direct economic returns that enable expanded individual production and extraction, a new spirit of individual entrepreneurship that threatens to debilitate traditional social relations and institutions, and a conservation ethic that fosters dualistic thinking about people and nature and the zoning of places where resources are used vs. where they are preserved.

Conflict management within the context of community based tourism: an exploratory study

“…However, the literature has paid significant attention to environmentally friendly results and entrepreneurial efforts (A. L. Stronza, 2010). The results of these two child categories confirmed the literature.…”

“…The focus is often on the local community member's perceptions of the benefits of tourism (Andereck et al, 2005;Mason & Cheyne, 2000;Nunkoo & Ramkissoon, 2011). In contrast, other studies focused on how the proper implementation of a CBT development could positively affect community members (Mbaiwa & Stronza, 2010;Nthiga et al, 2015;Pearce, 1992;A. L. Stronza, 2010;Tolkach & King, 2015).…”

“…There is literature that discusses the advantage of common pool benefits (Choi & Sirakaya, 2005;Mgonja et al, 2015;Stronza, 2010). Additionally, there is literature that addresses how an increase in financial or economic benefits enhances the 'impact' on the community or community members (Gursoy & Rutherford, 2004;Mgonja et al, 2015) as well as literature that discusses the economic benefits gained through the conservation of natural resources ( Lee, 2011;Mgonja et al, 2015;Poudel et al, 2014).…”

“…Generally speaking, some of the CBT literature has only addressed livelihood benefits (Lapeyre, 2011c;Mason & Cheyne, 2000;Mbaiwa & Stronza, 2010;Nthiga et al, 2015;Nunkoo & Ramkissoon, 2011;Scheyvens, 1999;Simpson, 2008;Stronza, 2010;Tolkach & King, 2015;Tosun, 2005); whereas other literature reviews additional cultural benefits (Nthiga et al, 2015;Poudel et al, 2014). Gursoy and Rutherford (2004) discuss how tourism can preserve local arts, along with establishing pride within the community to share their traditions while increasing quality of life and creating a format for cultural exchange.…”

“…Due to this inconsistency, and the ever-present interrelationships of the fundamental concepts of CBT, the foundations for this study were established. Within the CBT literature, there are publications that discuss the successes of CBT implementation (Asker et al, 2010;Stronza & Gordillo, 2008;Stronza, 2010); whereas, other publications focus on the many unsuccessful aspects of CBT (Beaumont & Dredge, 2009;Blackstock, 2005;Goodwin & Santilli, 2009). Many authors have also noted both the positive and negative aspects of CBT (Scheyvens, 1999;Simpson, 2008Simpson, , 2009.…”