Enhancing Conservation Benefits From Wildlife Festivals and Ecotourism Activities

Abstract

Wildlife festivals, i.e., short-term celebrations of local natural wildlife features, are growing in number across North America. To be considered ecotourism activities, wildlife festivals should focus on natural areas, deliver environmental education, and promote sustainability. The goal of this article is to identify the potential conservation impacts of wildlife festivals and promote ways to improve the conservation benefits. The potential conservation benefits are not well documented and include political incentives to protect habitat, revenues for management, local economic incentives to conserve habitat, alternatives to wildlife-unfriendly land uses, and environmental education that generates conservation action. Recommendations to enhance these conservation impacts include: documenting and publicizing local economic impacts, using financial mechanisms for local sustainability projects, using local services and sponsors, addressing relevant legislation and policies and interests, using effective interpretation, involving and empowering the local community, and developing a comprehensive environmental ethic of operation. We conclude with an overview of wildlife festivals in the prairie provinces of Canada.