One of the central purposes of the Clayoquot Alliance is to promote
academic research that responds to community needs and concerns. With
this intent in mind, Senior Research Associate Barb Beasley has compiled
a list of community research needs related to aquaculture,
community health, marine resources,
and tourism, each identified collaboratively through a number of interviews, meetings
and community events. These included:
Our acknowledgements and thanks go to all involved. Questions, comments and additions to this list are welcomed.
| Themes |
Relevant Disciplines |
Research Questions |
| Tourism Impacts |
Geography, Resource and Environmental Management,
Conservation Biology |
What are the social, economic and environmental impacts of different
types of tourism on different communities at different times of the
year.
Surveys to identify where, when and how often problems occur. Need
to define problems & their incremental nature, as well as who
is affected – residents and/or tourists? |
| What are the effects of tourism activity on wildlife, e.g. marine
mammals, birds, herring, rocky intertidal life. Select representative
species as indicators. |
| How are tourism activities distributed (spatially & temporally)
with respect to herring spawn sites? What are the risks of certain
tourism activities impacting herring spawn? Measure the relationship
between duration & intensity of activity with impacts. |
| First Nations Studies, Philosophy |
Study of sport fishing and FN sensitivities. Need to define these
sensitivies – see comments in Symposium
Proceedings. |
| Carrying Capacity |
Geography, Resource and Environmental Management,
Environmental Planning |
What is the carrying capacity of existing infrastructure (sewage,
landfill, water, etc.) within each community – Tofino, Ucluelet,
Ahousaht, Hotsprings. |
| Environmental Planning |
What innovations are going on elsewhere to create tourism space? |
| Geography, Resource and Environmental Management |
How do we maintain the quality of experience for tourists and residents?
See questions under management systems below. How do we develop a
strategic tourism plan? |
| Sociology |
What are the limits to acceptable change from the community, i.e.,
how many visitors, vacation homes, etc. are acceptable? |
| Economic diversity |
Economics |
How do we maintain other economic activities in our communities?
Does tourism interfere with other activities? |
| Is tourism a catalyst for secondary industries? Consider different
sectors of tourism. |
| Capacity Building |
Education |
What programs are needed to involve local youth in tourism at all
levels? |
| Green Development |
Environmental Design, Resource and Environmental
Management |
Assess the costs/opportunities for existing tourism businesses
to switch to green practices/technologies, e.g., water conserving
toilets, composting/local shuttle service, etc. |
| Mapping & planning |
Geography; Resource and Environmental Management |
Mapping sensitive sites and special areas; mapping zones where
special tourism practices/guidelines should be applied, examples
below. |
| Sensitivity mapping for critical wildlife habitat & cultural
values in the Tofino Mudflats WMA to be used for planning hiking
trails, viewing platforms & kayaking/canoe routes. |
| Site assessment and mapping of optional mtn-biking trail networks
around Ucluelet (logging roads and deactivated logging roads ). Consider
liabilities and environmental effects. |
| Sensitivity mapping for wildlife & cultural values in the Kennedy
Flats – to be used for planning hiking trail & mountain-biking
trail development & kayak/canoe access. |
| Management systems |
Geography; Resource and Environmental Management |
How do we create access to tourism benefits for FN? What options
for tourism management would benefit local communities and FN? Review
and analyze case studies in other areas, e.g., Haida Gwaii. |
| How do we ensure that culturally sacred sites are protected from
tourism use? |
| How do we maintain our sense of community while allowing tourism?
How do we organize and direct tourists? Literature review of successful
tourism management strategies in other rural communities. |
| Are there guidelines (or protocols) for best tourism practices
for cultural tours, educational tours, etc. (as for wildlife viewing?) |
| How well do ecotourism certification systems work? A review of
different ecotourism certification systems used around the world
and analyses to determine whether and how we should develop one for
the Clayoquot Biosphere Reserve region. |
| Philosophy |
How do we resolve the tension between regulating access to the
environment and allowing people to become part of the landscape? |
| Economics |
How do we keep tourism affordable for low income? What are the
expenditure patterns? |
| Public Administration |
How do we create collaborative relationships between communities
in the region? |
| Funding for sustainable management |
Business |
How do we tax tourists? What are the legal mechanisms? A literature
review of mechanisms used to generate funding for sustainable tourism
management in other regions. Include an analysis and recommendations
for suitability to the Clayoquot Biosphere Reserve region. |
| Tourist Education |
Resource and Environmental Management; Education;
Recreation |
How do we provide effective education for tourists about local
cultures and conservation of ecosystems? |
| How do we make information available to tour guides so that they
can be sensitive to local environmental and cultural values? |
| How effective are educational tour guide programs in terms of reducing
tourism impacts? |
