Sustainable Development of Protected Areas and Ecotourism: A Case of Portland Bight, Jamaica

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1 Sustainable Development of Protected Areas and Ecotourism: A Case of Portland Bight, Jamaica Presented By: Gaunette Sinclair-Maragh Ph.D Associate Professor School of Hospitality & Tourism Management College of Business & Management University of Technology, Jamaica November 27, 2017

2 Purpose of Study To assess the Portland Bight area in Jamaica for the possibility of ecotourism to simultaneously achieve economic development and environmental sustainability. taking into consideration the three dimensions of a protected area : human, ecology and the institutional framework.

3 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development Advance the 2030 Agenda and 17 Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs) Support change in policies, business practices and consumer behaviour Promote tourism s role

4 Nature Tourism Means of achieving the goals of sustainability by way of using nature for tourism and providing economic benefits Ecotourism Economic Benefit

5 ECOTOURISM BENIGN BENEVOLENT

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7 Portland Bight Largest protected area in Jamaica Spans across Hellshire in St. Catherine to the southern parts of Clarendon.

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9 Portland Bight- Geography Cays : Half Moon Cays, Pelican Cays & Portland Cays Bays : Jackson Bay, Manatee Bay, Peake Bay & Macarry Bay Mountains & Hills : Braziletto Mountains, Portland Ridge & Kemps Hill Islands : Goat & Pigeon Islands

10 Morass Portland Bight : Topography Steep, rugged and dry hills Limestone forests Mineral Spring : Salt River Dense mangrove forests : most important mangrove area in Jamaica (Haynes-Sutton & Espeut, 1996)

11 Portland Bight : History Taino villages discovered by Christopher Columbus Named by the British Traditionally known for mahogany trees & sugar cane (Haynes-Sutton & Espeut, 1996) Historical legacy : Halse Hall Great House, St. Peters / Alley Anglican Church, Lighthouse & Vernamfield Airbase

12 Portland Bight : Endangered Species West Indian Whistling Ducks (Dendrocygna arborea) Manatees Crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) Mangroves : Red (Rhizophora mangle), Black (Avicennia nitida), White (Laguncularia racemosa) and Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus)

13 Portland Bight : Sources of Livelihood/Employment Sugar factory Bauxite shipping port. Small farming, fishing and cattle rearing Commercial activities : banking facilities, supermarkets Lionel Town Hospital Schools (basic, primary and high) Police Station Tax Administration of Jamaica Office

14 PORTLAND BIGHT : CHALLENGES The natural resources are being severely depleted by unsustainable practices : Over-fishing Use of dynamite and chemicals Deforestation (lumber, charcoal, fence posts) Economic Development Portland Bight Environmental Sustainability

15 Oxymoron of Sustainable Development (Redclift, 2006) Development cannot accommodate sustainability Sustainability cannot accommodate development.

16 Propositions P1 : Portland Bight is among the natural assets of Jamaica that can be improved to provide economic development. P2 : By way of ecotourism, the Portland Bight region can achieve environmental sustainability.

17 Dimensions of Protected Areas Human Protected Area Ecological Institutional

18 Using Protected Areas for Ecotourism Protected areas are being used to improve human welfare by way of local socio-economic development which inevitably can alleviate poverty (Naughton-Treves, Holland & Brandon, 2005). There can be increased benefits from eco-tourism The Gully : submarine canyon in eastern North America Eastport Marine Protected Area in Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland (Charles &Wilson, 2008).

19 Generate profit Increase productivity and competitiveness Preserve natural resources Conserve on their use Economic Development Portland Bight Environmental Sustainability

20 Literature Support Environmental sustainability can be achieved through the proper application of the principles of sustainable development which requires the use of technical and administrative measures (Uribe-Jaramillo, 2017). Achieving sustainable development requires changes in attitudes and lifestyles toward the environment to reduce the negative impacts (Atkinson, 1992).

21 PROPOSED METHODOLOGY Purpose of study : To assess the Portland Bight area for the possibility of ecotourism in order to achieve economic development and environmental sustainability. Mixed method : Case Study & Factor Cluster Analysis Measures : Human, ecology and institutional Environmental Justice Theory Tourism can cause environmental injustices to surrounding communities. The threefold premises of environmental justice (Schlosberg, 2004) : i). Equity in the distribution of environmental risk ii).recognition of the diversity of the participants and experiences in affected communities. iii). Participation in the political processes which create and manage environmental policy

22 Caribbean Coastal Area Management (C-CAM) Team

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24 END OF PRESENTATION THANK YOU Gaunette Sinclair-Maragh Ph.D Associate Professor School of Hospitality & Tourism Management College of Business & Management University of Technology, Jamaica November 27, 2017