birding-aus

Wetlands tourism

To: "Debbie Lustig" <>
Subject: Wetlands tourism
From: "Rosemary Royle" <>
Date: Sat, 27 Aug 2011 09:40:50 +0100
Debbie,

If you want to go overseas as far as the UK then look at the Wildfowl and 
Wetlands Trust website http://www.wwt.org.uk/ - Slimbridge is a day out 
destination even for non-birders and the London Wetland Centre is heavily 
visited. While these sites are not supporting local communities in quite the 
way I think you are asking about, they are providing quite a lot of local jobs. 

Three of the most popular birding sites in the UK - Minsmere (RSPB), Titchwell 
(RSPB) and Cley (Norfolk Naturalists Trust)  - are also wetland sites and again 
provide jobs and spinoffs for all these visitors (and there are lots of them) 
who want Bed & Breakfast, campsites, meals, cream teas, fish & chips etc. 

Then there is Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary (Northern Belize): "This rich 
wetland is perhaps the top bird-watching site in Belize. Home to hundreds of 
resident and migrant species, it is one of the best spots to see the giant and 
rare jabiru stork, especially during the dry season. You can spot various heron 
and kingfisher species here, as well as the yellow-lored parrot and Yucatán 
jay."  Locals have set up B&Bs for people to stay in.

Rumania - houseboat tourism on the Danube Delta is helping to stop the delta 
being drained and degraded and providing extra income for locals.  

Poland - the Biezbra marshes support local birdwatching guides and B&Bs

Also Kosi Tappu in Nepal - a small birdwathcing lodge here provides many jobs 
for people in the surrounding villages.

Perhaps the single best example I can think of is the Pantanal in Brazil (and 
the similar Llanos in Venezuela). Tourism is providing a livelihood here for 
countless people who would otherwise probably be hunting or would have gone to 
the big cities. It also provides an outlet for high-quality crafts (mostly by 
women). Even though the big ranches provide the bulk of the accommodation, 
there are a huge number of spin-off jobs. 

Not forgetting the Okavango Delta in Botswana  - many lodges and local B&Bs, 
plus restaurants etc in Maun, support tourists of every size of wallet and 
provide a huge amount of income for not only the locals but for the country 
(second largest earner after diamonds)

Rosemary







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