Ecotourism in Miami

COMMENTARY BY MARIA ARDILA, STAFF WRITER

ECOTOURISM is a form of travel where tourists discover natural, often at-risk, ecosystems. It is designed to function with little impact on the environment and to promote conservation. At the same time, ecotourism can overexploit the resources of these habitats, which results in negative impacts on Florida ecosystems.

“Sometimes tourism can lead to increased waste, especially since service-based industries, particularly food-based, will provide one-use items that are usually made of plastic,” chemistry teacher and Gables Wellness sponsor Elizabeth Kiely said.

Though ecotourism holds its status by claiming to have an environmentally conscious position, there are some things that negate its purpose. In areas where there is ecotourism, overcrowding can occur, attracting large numbers of visitors to natural areas. This results in the disruption of animals’ natural behaviors, causing them to alter movement patterns or abandon their habitats.

According to Frontiers, an open research platform for scientists, stressed animals lead to a decrease in successful reproduction and a decrease in population overall. The opposite may also occur, where animals become reliant on individuals for sustenance and become more susceptible to hunting. The increased foot traffic will also result in the trampling of vegetation and soil erosion, and more delicate habitats like coral reefs can be destroyed.

The whole point of ecotourism is to generate funds that will be used for the benefit of the habitat and organisms living there. It is pointless if it only disrupts and causes harm towards it.

Ecotourism exposes tourists to locations that have remained relatively unspoiled or habitats that are at their most vulnerable to “raise awareness” but in reality, their exposition is what is making these spoiled habitats more vulnerable. The Everglades is a perfect example of this in how it is threatened by pollutants, such as nitrogen and sulfur deposited from the air from nearby urban areas.

As explained by the National Park Service, air pollutants decrease the water quality of bodies of water through acidification, which is an existing problem for the park’s wetlands. It is only a matter of time before these rare untouched locations become less and eventually none.

“I think ecotourism, such as in the Everglades, can create a false idea that by going on these eco-tours we are doing enough to preserve and help the environment. In reality, we must go much deeper than simply appreciating the wildlife when it comes to combatting habitat destruction or the depletion of these amazing ecosystems,” Gables Wellness club coordinator senior Amalia Garrido said.

From increased ecotourism, the scores of visitors drain Florida’s natural assets, and tourism profits will eventually shrivel up too. Businesses involved with ecotourism should enforce stricter rules and regulations, make visitors pay fees and reduce the availability of trips on vehicles like boats. The government must enforce the need of permits and yearly inspections by environmental scientists and specialists. Keeping close track of how private businesses generate funds and how they use the funds is a responsibility of the state of Florida.

“I think Miami does well and could do even better at providing ecotourism that keeps in mind conservation and eco-health.” Kiely said.

In order for ecotourism to be successful, careful administration, extensive technical ecological study and management, self-sufficiency and participative engagement of locals are essentially required. It is up to the local leaders and business leaders to establish rules and report what they may deem as dangerous or unnecessary. These delicate habitats must be preserved. It is evident that the environmentalism ecotourism advertises through its services is not always the outcome of these trips.