THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 urged local government units, especially those with potential ecotourism sites, to determine the carrying capacity of these sites as a way to prevent environmental degradation.
Dr. Alicia Lustica, head of DENR 7’s Biodiversity, Coastal, Wetlands and Ecotourism Research Center (BCWERC), said that determining the carrying capacity of an ecotourism site is a good planning tool as this will ensure the sustainable tourism development of the area.
Lustica said that LGUs can seek technical advice from DENR 7 on this matter.
During a forum with local tourism and environmental officers at the DENR 7 office in Banilad, Cebu City yesterday, Lustica said that although the country has lots of ecotourism sites that are open to the public, LGUs failed to regulate these areas due to financial reasons.
Lustica, however, said that the LGUs capitalization of these sites has created a host of problems. These include overcrowding in swimming areas, irresponsible disposal of wastes in protected areas and habitat destruction.
“Only through carrying capacity can the environment be conserved and protected while the stakeholder benefit from the tourism activities,” Lustica said.
For LGUs that promotes bird watching, Lustica advised to hire site managers who will take charge of the number of people allowed to visit the site every day and the allowable distance for bird watching.
For ecotourism sites that feature camp sites, Lustica urged LGUs to establish water sources and to limit the viewing of animal species.
“There are animals, such as birds, whose reproductive cycles are affected due to stress because of prolonged human contact,” she said.