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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