Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Of the above strategies, recreational displacement is probably the most serious from the
manager's perspective as displacement appears to be a reality of wilderness use
regardless of the level of recreational experience (Becker 1981; Anderson and Brown
1984). Therefore, increases in numbers of visitors to wilderness and other natural areas,
particularly at a time when such areas have to cope with their promotion as places for
ecotourism experiences as well as the pressures of traditional recreation users, may lead
to a decline in wilderness qualities as users are displaced from site to site. For example, in
the case of major walking tracks in the South Island of New Zealand, Kearsley (1997)
observes:
In a context where there is a clear hierarchy of sites, as in Southern New
Zealand, displacement down the hierarchy is an all-too-likely
possibility…the very large increase in overseas users of the Routeburn has
displaced some domestic recreationists (and perhaps some tourists) to
second tier tracks such as the Hollyford or Dart-Rees, or, indeed, out of
tramping altogether. Similarly, their arrival might displace others yet
further down the hierarchy to even less well known places, and there is a
danger that trampers might be forced into wild and remote environments
that are beyond their safe capacity.
One consequence of this, if it is happening, is increased visitor pressure
on more remote locations and displacement of moderate wilderness
purists to a limited reservoir of pristine sites…with obvious physical
impacts. A second consequence is the effect upon host community
satisfaction, as domestic recreationists are displaced by overseas visitors
[Figure 7.2]. Both of these consequences have serious implications for the
sustainability of tourism.
(Kearsley 1997:95)
