Chapter 3 Tourism Impact On The Environment: Preserve, Conserve, Enhance or Even Rejuvenate

MODULE SUSTAINABLE TOURISM & HOSPITALITY ASSESSMENT & DEVELOPMENT
Chapter 3 Tourism impact on the Environment
Introduction
The environment is one of the three dimensions of tourism, as a tourism resource, the
environment affect the quality of tourism.
It is goal of sustainable could preserve, conserve, enhance or even rejuvenate the

environmental quality.
Lesson Outcome
1. Explain the concept of environment

2. Identify and differentiate its components
3. Identify the cause of such impact
4. Enumerate the positive impact of tourism on the environment
5. Enumerate the negative impacts of tourism on the environment
The concept of Environment
The natural environment(Caves,

mountains, beaches, village and cities,
sea costal)
1. Wildlife (flora and fauna)

2. Build environment (Infrastructure,
village and cities, building)
3. Farms
4. Natural resources (climate, water)
5. Weather/climate
6. Natural, phenomena (Eclipses, vocanic eruptions, animals migration, aurora
borealis, tides)
Page 1
Forest ecosystem
A forest ecosystem describes the

community of plants, animals,
microbes and all other organisms
in interaction with the chemical
and physical features of their
environment: Specifically, a
terrestrial environment dominated
by trees growing in a closed
canopy — a forest, in other words. https://sciencing.com/about-6325114-information-
forest-ecosystem.html
Desert ecosystem
While deserts are dry, they can be found

all around the world. While we may think
of a desert as a hot, dry piece of land, it
can be cold as well. Regardless of the
region, any desert is usually cold at night
and receives very little rainfall. However,
they do produce plants, which have
adapted to such living conditions.
https://www.conserve-energy-
future.com/desert-ecosystem.php
Page 2
Grassland
Grassland biomes are large, rolling

terrains of grasses, flowers and herbs.
Latitude, soil and local climates for the
most part determine what kinds of plants
grow in a particular grassland. A grassland
is a region where the average annual
precipitation is great enough to support
grasses, and in some areas a few trees. The precipitation is so eratic that drought and
fire prevent large forests from growing. Grasses can survive fires because they grow
from the bottom instead of the top. Their stems can grow again after being burned off.
The soil of most grasslands is also too thin and dry for trees to survive.
Mountain ecosystem. https://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/grasslands.php
Aquatic ecosystem
includes freshwater habitats like lakes,

ponds, rivers, oceans and streams,
wetlands, swamp, etc. and marine habitats
include oceans, intertidal zone, reefs,
seabed and so on. The aquatic ecosystem
is the habitat for water-dependent living
species including animals, plants, and
microbes.
Page 3
Freshwater ecosystem
They cover only a small portion of earth

nearly 0.8 per cent. Freshwater involves
lakes, ponds, rivers and streams,
wetlands, swamp, bog and temporary
pools. Freshwater habitats are classified
into lotic and lentic habitats. Water bodies
such as lakes, ponds, pools, bogs, and other reservoirs are standing water and known
as lentic habitats. Whereas lotic habitats represent flowing water bodies such as rivers,
streams.
Ocean Ecosystems
Our planet earth is gifted with the five major oceans, namely Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and
the Atlantic Ocean. Among all these five oceans, the Pacific and the Atlantic are the
largest and deepest ocean. These oceans serve as a home to more than five lakh
aquatic species. Few creatures of these ecosystems include shellfish, shark, tube
worms, crab small and large ocean fishes, turtles, crustaceans, blue whale, reptiles,
marine mammals, seabirds, plankton, corals and other ocean plants.
Page 4
Coastal Systems
They are the open systems of land and

water which are joined together to form
the coastal ecosystems. The coastal
ecosystems have a different structure,
and diversity. A wide variety of species of
aquatic plants and algae are found at the
bottom of the coastal ecosystem. The
fauna is diverse and it mainly consists of
crabs, fish, insects, lobsters snails, shrimp, etc.
Plants and animals in an aquatic ecosystem show a wide variety of adaptations which
may involve life cycle, physiological, structural and behavioural adaptations. Majority of
aquatic animals are streamlined which helps them to reduce friction and thus save
energy. Fins and gills are the locomotors and respiratory organs respectively. Special
features in freshwater organisms help them to drain excess water from the body.
Aquatic plants have different types of roots which help them to survive in water. Some
may have submerged roots; some have emergent roots or maybe floating plants like
water hyacinths.
Lotic Ecosystems
They mainly refer to the rapidly flowing

waters that move in a unidirectional
way including the rivers and streams.
These environments harbor numerous
species of insects such as beetles,
mayflies, stoneflies and several
species of fishes including trout, eel, minnow, etc. Apart from these aquatic species,
these ecosystems also include various mammals such as beavers, river dolphins and
otters.
Page 5
Lentic Ecosystems
They include all standing water habitats. Lakes and ponds are the main examples of
Lentic Ecosystem. The word lentic mainly refers to stationary or relatively still water.
These ecosystems are home to algae, crabs, shrimps, amphibians such as frogs and
salamanders, for both rooted and floating-leaved plants and reptiles including alligators
and other water snakes are also found here.
Wetlands
Wetlands are marshy areas and are

sometimes covered in water which has a
wide diversity of plants and animals.
Swamps, marshes, bogs, black spruce
and water lilies are some examples in the
plant species found in the wetlands. The
animal life of this ecosystem consists of
dragonflies and damselflies, birds such
as Green Heron and fishes such as
Northern Pike. https://byjus.com/biology/aquatic-ecosystem/
Causes of Impacts of Tourism
Page 6
Tourism can impact the environment in a number of ways. The impact can cause by
tourist behavior, construction, the quality of infrastructure, and the dynamic between
tourism supply and demand, design of facilities of tourism development guidelines by
developer and ineffective law enforcement.
Tourist can impact the environment through their behavior, such as throwing trash,
rowdiness, or spitting. They also could actually affect the environment by their mere
presence.
According to the US Environment Protection Agency

(1995), infrastructure could impact the environment
through improper setting, which can destroy threatened
species ad unique features, such as hot spring.
Negative Impact of Tourism on the Environment
This is another component of environment:
Page 7
Page 8
Land Degradation
is defined as the temporary or permanent

decline in the productive capacity of the land,
and the diminution of the productive potential,
including its major land uses (e.g., rain-fed
arable, irrigation, forests), its farming systems
(e.g., smallholder subsistence), and its value as
an economic resource.
From: International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2001
Page 9
According to UNEP definition “the

temporary, permanent lowing of the
production capacity of land, It cover soil
degradation, adverse capacity of
rangeland
Waste
Tourist and tourism establishments contribute to environmental degradation through the

production of wastes. Many time, this due to careless behavior or utter disregard for the
environment.
Waste products include biodegradable wastes, such as food wastes, leftover food by
customer, kitchen food scrap and spoiled food.
Grey water from bathing and from swimming pool, human waste, sewerage sludge,
coffee - wastewater.
Solid waste products that are not disposed of properly in designated area turn into
litter. The most common types of litter are plastic bottles, cigarette butts, aluminum foil
packaging, discarded can, disposable lighter and diaper
Pollution
The major forms of pollution are air, water, light, visual, and noise.
The Air pollution is caused by the release of chemicals and particulate into
atmosphere
Light Pollution which according to globe at night is the excessive, misdirecting or

obtrusive artificial light, from tourism can emanate from strong light from airport,
Page 10
seaports, beach resorts and hotels. The sources of light pollution are glare, light
trespass and sky glow. This can be treating to nocturnal wildlife.
Noise pollution includes roadway noise, industry to well as high-intensity sonar. Noise,
aircraft, from tourist may be generated by transportation.
Visual Pollution- or the loss of aesthetic appeal is caused by the presence of

eyesores, such as overhead power lines motorways billboard, scarred landforms, open
storage of trash or litter.
Water pollution-is caused by discharging wastewater form commercial and industrial

source into surface water discharges of untreated domestic sewages and chemical
content, such chlorine form treated sewage and chemical contaminant.
Page 11
Climate Change
also called global warming, refers to the

rise in average surface temperatures on
Earth. An overwhelming scientific
consensus maintains that climate change
is due primarily to the human use of fossil
fuels, which releases carbon dioxide and
other greenhouse gases into the air. The
gases trap heat within the atmosphere,
which can have a range of effects on
ecosystems, including rising sea levels, severe weather events, and droughts that
render landscapes more susceptible to wildfires.
Is climate change real?
There is broad-based agreement within the scientific community that climate change is
real. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration concur that
climate change is indeed occurring and is almost certainly due to human activity.
What are the causes of climate change?
The primary cause of climate change is the burning of fossil fuels, such as oil and coal,
which emits greenhouse gases into the atmosphere—primarily carbon dioxide. Other
human activities, such as agriculture and deforestation, also contribute to the
proliferation of greenhouse gases that cause climate change.
While some quantities of these gases are a naturally occurring and critical part of
Earth’s temperature control system, the atmospheric concentration of CO2 did not rise
above 300 parts per million between the advent of human civilization roughly 10,000
Page 12
years ago and 1900. Today it is at about 400 ppm, a level not reached in more than
400,000 years.
What are the effects of climate change?
Even small increases in Earth’s temperature caused by climate change can have
severe effects. The earth’s average temperature has gone up 1.4° F over the past
century and is expected to rise as much as 11.5° F over the next. That might not seem
like a lot, but the average temperature during the last Ice Age was about 4º F lower than
it is today.
Rising sea levels due to the melting of the polar ice caps (again, caused by climate
change) contribute to greater storm damage; warming ocean temperatures are
associated with stronger and more frequent storms; additional rainfall, particularly
during severe weather events, leads to flooding and other damage; an increase in the
incidence and severity of wildfires threatens habitats, homes, and lives; and heat waves
contribute to human deaths and other consequences.
http://www.takepart.com/flashcards/what-is-climate-change/index.html
Water Stress
Page 13
occurs when the demand for water exceeds the available amount during a certain
period or when poor quality restricts its use. Water stress causes deterioration of
fresh water resources in terms of quantity (aquifer over-exploitation, dry rivers,
etc.) and quality (eutrophication, organic matter pollution, saline intrusion, etc.).
Source: http://epaedia.eea.europa.eu/alphabetical.php?letter=W&gid=108#viewterm
Water scarcity is attributed party to tourism-generated pollution, unregulated tourism

development, and population growth and fluctuation.
Habitat Fragmentation
is defined as the process during which a

large expanse of habitat is transformed
into a number of smaller patches of
smaller total area isolated from each other
by a matrix of habitats unlike the original
(Fahrig, 2003).
From: Intermittent Rivers and Ephemeral
Streams, 2017
Is frequently cause by human when native
vegetation is cleared for human activities.
Tourism Impact on Core reefs
Tourism-Related impact on coral reef are

significant but they also compounded by
other impact hat are not easily
distinguished from those of tourism.
Physical damage of corals, such as

breakage and lesion, may cause by
action by snooker and scuba divers.
Motor boat and yachting may cause physical damage for anchoring and grounding on
boat.
Page 14
According to the USEPA (1195), setting a building, facility or project can affect the
environment in a number of ways. Direct impact includes the destruction of existing
habits, alteration in topography and hydrology.
A 2015 study by Jones and Nealson on

the impact of bird watching in Australia
found that bird living in location with high
moderate level of human disturbance were
significantly lower in species diversity and
lower number if individuals.
Positive Impacts of Tourism on the Environment
Page 15
Environment Quality and Infrastructure improvement
Tourism has the potential to improve environmental quality in many ways, can provide
the incentive to develop land for commercial development. Examples are parks, Pasig
River.
Species Regeneration
Infrastructure build for travel and tourism could actually be designed to enhance or
create habitat for animals.
For examples, in the construction work of the Kansai International Airport, the perimeter
of the man-made island shoreline was protected by gently sloping rock-piled
embankment.
Chapter 3 pp 47-59, Tourism Impact and Tourism Sustainability-Cruz, 1st edition, Rex Store published
2016
https://sciencing.com/about-6325114-information-forest-ecosystem.html
https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/desert-ecosystem.php
https://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/grasslands.php
https://byjus.com/biology/aquatic-ecosystem/
Page 16

Chapter 3 Tourism Impact On The Environment: Preserve, Conserve, Enhance or Even Rejuvenate

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chapter 3 Tourism Impact On The Environment: Preserve, Conserve, Enhance or Even Rejuvenate

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MODULE SUSTAINABLE TOURISM & HOSPITALITY ASSESSMENT & DEVELOPMENT

Chapter 3 Tourism impact on the Environment

It is goal of sustainable could preserve, conserve, enhance or even rejuvenate the

1. Explain the concept of environment

The natural environment(Caves,

1. Wildlife (flora and fauna)

A forest ecosystem describes the

While deserts are dry, they can be found

Grassland biomes are large, rolling

includes freshwater habitats like lakes,

They cover only a small portion of earth

They are the open systems of land and

They mainly refer to the rapidly flowing

Wetlands are marshy areas and are

Causes of Impacts of Tourism

According to the US Environment Protection Agency

Negative Impact of Tourism on the Environment

This is another component of environment:

is defined as the temporary or permanent

From: International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2001

According to UNEP definition “the

Tourist and tourism establishments contribute to environmental degradation through the

Light Pollution which according to globe at night is the excessive, misdirecting or

Visual Pollution- or the loss of aesthetic appeal is caused by the presence of

Water pollution-is caused by discharging wastewater form commercial and industrial

also called global warming, refers to the

Is climate change real?

What are the causes of climate change?

What are the effects of climate change?

Water scarcity is attributed party to tourism-generated pollution, unregulated tourism

is defined as the process during which a

Tourism Impact on Core reefs

Tourism-Related impact on coral reef are

Physical damage of corals, such as

A 2015 study by Jones and Nealson on

Positive Impacts of Tourism on the Environment

Environment Quality and Infrastructure improvement

You might also like