A Modern Call to the Wild:
A Look At The Effects and Hypocrisy of Ecotourism
Joshua Wright The human soul is anchored in nature. The human race was born of this earth, shaped by it, and so far (despite our best efforts) tied to it. So, to state the obvious, we must protect it. However, it is with in the nature of man to exploit the resources available to us. This exploitation comes at a cost, to both the natural world and human world. The movement to protect our environment is at an all time high, and for good reason. Our natural world has been colliding with the ever expanding human impact zones at an exponentially growing rate. The urge to preserve the natural world has resulted in a large ecotourism sector within the US. People …show more content…
By reducing the amount of prey animals, the number of predator animals will drop. The changes in the numbers of prey and predator animals can throw off an entire ecosystem. “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe” (Muir, 1911). For example, when looking at the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park it can be found that a minor change can lead to what is called a “trophic cascade”. The simple reintroduction of a small number of wolves changed not only the booming deer population, but the behavior of the deer. This change in behavior lead deer to avoid open areas, which were often over grazed open lands. By doing so, the plant life was able to return, the return of the plant life changed the movement of rainfall and river directions by increasing density of the soil with plant roots. In summary, a simple change to an environment is capable of having a butterfly effect on an entire …show more content…
Reducing the number of forms of transport required can do wonders. Not only the carbon emission reduction, but the noise and overcrowding of areas will be reduced. Lessening the need for infrastructure such as parking lots can provide an even more natural experience without impacting the immediate environment. By providing a functional public transit system in every park, there wont be a need for every visitor to take a car into the park. This can reduce stress on the animals and environment while providing a more fulfilling natural world
A Look At The Effects and Hypocrisy of Ecotourism
Joshua Wright The human soul is anchored in nature. The human race was born of this earth, shaped by it, and so far (despite our best efforts) tied to it. So, to state the obvious, we must protect it. However, it is with in the nature of man to exploit the resources available to us. This exploitation comes at a cost, to both the natural world and human world. The movement to protect our environment is at an all time high, and for good reason. Our natural world has been colliding with the ever expanding human impact zones at an exponentially growing rate. The urge to preserve the natural world has resulted in a large ecotourism sector within the US. People …show more content…
By reducing the amount of prey animals, the number of predator animals will drop. The changes in the numbers of prey and predator animals can throw off an entire ecosystem. “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe” (Muir, 1911). For example, when looking at the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park it can be found that a minor change can lead to what is called a “trophic cascade”. The simple reintroduction of a small number of wolves changed not only the booming deer population, but the behavior of the deer. This change in behavior lead deer to avoid open areas, which were often over grazed open lands. By doing so, the plant life was able to return, the return of the plant life changed the movement of rainfall and river directions by increasing density of the soil with plant roots. In summary, a simple change to an environment is capable of having a butterfly effect on an entire …show more content…
Reducing the number of forms of transport required can do wonders. Not only the carbon emission reduction, but the noise and overcrowding of areas will be reduced. Lessening the need for infrastructure such as parking lots can provide an even more natural experience without impacting the immediate environment. By providing a functional public transit system in every park, there wont be a need for every visitor to take a car into the park. This can reduce stress on the animals and environment while providing a more fulfilling natural world