Recreation suitability analysis: application in protected and non-protected areas

Abstract

The influence of tourism in some territories should constitute a priority objective in environmental planning and management. Indeed, this activity tends to occur in areas that are clearly fragile in the socio-ecological sense. Sensible development of tourism involves the correct use of natural resources in protected areas and in many non-protected areas containing particularly sensitive natural and cultural values. Methodological approaches for recreational planning should include an appraisal of the natural, visual and cultural values of the landscape, visitors' preferences and demands, and an analysis of the relationship between landscape supply and demand.In this paper we apply a model that relates natural values and visitor preferences for suitable management of both protected and non-protected natural areas in the surrounding territories. To this end: i) we characterised the natural and cultural landscapes of eastern Andalucía (Spain), considering characteristics of the territory that are potentially attractive for tourism and ii) we typified the visitors. We analysed the demand for tourism by means of questionnaires filled in by the visitors and which contained aspects relating to their preferences according to the features of the landscape. Thus, we obtained different types of visitors with different attitudes and perceptions in relation to the territory. The model used enabled us to establish the spatial correspondence between the different zones of the territory and demand according to visitors' preferences.The procedure employed allowed for the design of maps at different scales showing the distribution of preferences and the possible areas to be visited by the different types of tourists and the degree of satisfaction these obtain. This provides a useful reference for the design of a rational management system for tourism in the territory, inside and outside protected natural areas.

Perspectives on socio-ecological studies in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

“…For instance, river basins increasingly serve as organizing units to assess and manage human impacts on the environment (Mayer et al, 2014 ). Socio-ecological studies at regional and national, and even international scales, can be explained by the need to understand environmental risks and climate change (e.g., Marshall et al, 2012 ; Ford et al, 2013 ; Williams et al, 2020 ) or prioritizing protected wild areas (e.g., De Aranzabal et al, 2008 ; Ianni and Geneletti, 2010 ; Mathevet et al, 2016 ).…”

“…Part of this can be explained because many socio-ecological conflicts occur between carnivores and producers (e.g., Gáspero et al, 2018 ; Expósito-Granados et al, 2019 ; Bonamy et al, 2020 ). On the other hand, birds are an emblematic animal group for managing and conserving natural areas, with numerous initiatives related to tourism (De Aranzabal et al, 2008 ; Solstrand, 2013 ; Outeiro et al, 2018 ). It is worth mentioning how insects have been part of socio-ecological studies regarding domestic fauna.…”

Zoning a Protected Area: Proposal Based on a Multi-thematic Approach and Final Decision

“…Although from an operational point of view, environmental assessment forms part of a communication process that transmits information from scientists to decision makers and exerts a substantial influence on the policy process [99,100], the results obtained in the paper identify differences between scientists and policy makers with regard to the territory analysed, the landscape appraisal and the zoning system, and shows how science and policy can operate within different spheres and, often, in different directions [101,102]. With the exception of the landscape valuation, the local population was not expressly considered in the current paper, although it was taken into account in other studies conducted by this team [49,103].…”