An Integrated Ecosystem-based Approach to Coastal
Ecotourism:
Lessons from South-east Asia
By Dr Lincoln Garland MIEEM CEnv
Biodiversity by Design
Talk Structure
• SE Asia’s coastal ecosystems under pressure
• Malaysia’s new Rainforest to Reef Region
• Integrated ecosystem-based coastal ecotourism
Asia’s homegrown tourists
Rapidly expanding middle class:
• Taiwan
• South Korea
•Malaysia
• Singapore
Asia’s Tiger economies
Landuse change & development resulting in:
• Exposed soils
• Increased soil erosion
• Agrochemical & industrial pollution
Degraded marine environment
South-east Asian countries struggle to address environmental issues:
• Dramatic political, economic & social changes in one generation
• Environmental regulation – poorly funded & ineffective
Governments reluctant to place restrictions on sectors producing significant revenues
Malaysia 39%
Indonesia 48%
Global palm oil production
Corruption
Powerful landowning & business leaders easily circumvent environmental regulations
SE Asia
• Storm protection
• Flood water attenuation
• Carbon sequestration
• Forest products
• Fish nurseries etc.
Ecosystem services approach championed:
Ecosystem services - the ‘paradox of public goods’
Economic value not recognised:
• By markets
• Business interests controlling land producing services
Solving ‘public good - private good dilemma’
Sustainable development must result in direct financial gains for:
• Government
• Plantation owners & other businesses
• Communities
Ecotourism in the coastal zoneEcotourism ecosystem services:
• Sustainable development
• Direct & meaningful financial returns
Initial brief, focus on:• Local scale ecological impact
avoidance
• Eco-lodge & hotel design
• Few token rainforest boardwalks
• Minor habitat restoration/creation in immediate surrounds
jobs a good'un, head home?
• Coastal rainforest
• Mangrove
• Seagrass meadow
• Coral reef
Project sites include / adjacent to sensitive coastal habitats:
Landscape-scale coastal ecotourism strategies
Transition from:
• Coastal rainforest
to
• Marine
Graphic courtesy of Grant Associates
Endau Rompin National Park - Peninsular Malaysia
• Malaysia’s East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC)
• Masterplan - transform Park into internationally recognised ecotourism destination
Peninsular Malaysia
Endau Rompin – core area in Malaysia’s new ‘Rainforest to Reef Region’
Endau Rompin
Mersing Islands
South China Sea
Endau Rompin National Park
• Second largest park in Peninsular Malaysia
• 807km sq
• Johor- Pahang border
Graphic courtesy of Grant Associates
Too small to support viable macro-fauna populations
Park & hinterland – under pressure
Graphic courtesy of Grant Associates
Low visitor numbers, negligible revenues
National Park Visitor numbers
Endau Rompin 10,000 / year
Daintree 500,000 / year
Mangrove - squeezed by coastal development
Marine Protected AreasoSedimentation
oPollution
oDestructive fishing practices.
Federal environmental protection - ‘Paper Tiger’
Federal–State conflict:
• Federal control of Marine Parks
• States control local forestry, agriculture, river land use policy – the key sources of marine pollution!
Benchmark analysis – Costa Rica
• Ecotourism is a significant sector of economy
• Most income from
o‘3S’ tourism - sun, sea and sand
oNOT from hardcore ecotourists
Costa Rica’s rainforest National Parks –adjacent to attractive coastal areas
• Rainforest-beach juxtaposition - protects coast from built development
• Parks benefits from tourists attracted firstly to un-spoilt shoreline
• Rainforest to coast package of attractions
Endau Rompin – exploiting wider regional tourism market
• South China Sea shoreline
• Mersing islands
• Provide wider diversity of nature-inspired tourism experiences
Graphic courtesy of Grant Associates
Rainforest to Reef - distinctive eco-inspired brand & regional identity Graphic courtesy of Grant Associates
Rainforest to Reef – management overhaul
Transboundary (Johor-Pahang) Executive:
• Harmonise policies & legislation
• ‘2 states, 1 solution’
Pahang
Johor
administration cont.
• Multi-stakeholder representation
• Living landscape NOT a fenced-off nature reserve
• Planning remit - MUST promote sustainable economic, social & environmental development
Rainforest to Reef – funding for management, habitat restoration, Park expansion
• Federal / State investment
•Conservation Levy – tax on hotels / businesses benefitting from Park & Rainforest to Reef Region
• Plantation owners / local communities -diversify into ecotourism
• Malaysian Palm Oil Wildlife Conservation Fund
• UN REDD funding
(Reducing Emissions from Deforestation &
forest Degradation)
Rainforest to Reef - mechanism for marine protection
Transboundary Executive
Joined-up approach to management of:
• Marine &
• Terrestrial resources
Graphic courtesy of Grant Associates
Riparian / River Forest Reserves
• Buffer between river &plantations MUST be much wider – 0.5-2km wide
• Adjoining land -agriculturally marginal due to regular flooding
Graphic courtesy of Grant Associates
Riparian Forest Reserves -water-based ecotourism attractions
• Fantastic riverine arrival experience
• Cultural heritage – riverside Orang Asli villages
• Incorporate remnant forest into Park
• Vital to sustain viable macro-fauna populations
National Park expansion
Graphic courtesy of Grant Associates
Rainforest to Reef – Emerald Coast
Blue Flag award system:
• Beach & water quality
• Wildlife-based criteria
Emerald Coast
Graphic courtesy of Grant Associates
Conclusions
• Overcoming ‘public good – private good dilemma’
• Ecotourism – financially lucrative alternative
• Adapting to landscape-scale challenges – Malaysia’s new Rainforest to Reef Region
Rainforest to Reef
• Unique eco-advantage over regional competitors;
or
• Second-rate nature tourism
Saving Tiger from extinction – Rainforest to Reef’s test of success