OEKB001324 (Eco-) tourism & management of protected areas

Type
Lecture and field trip
Semester hours
2
Lecturer (assistant)
Mattsson, Brady
Organisation
Wildlife Biology and Game Management
Offered in
Sommersemester 2026
Languages of instruction
Englisch
Content

Many protected areas promote ecotourism as a way of balancing needs for providing people with access to natural areas while safeguarding ecosystem integrity. In this context, the course critically examines evidence for whether and how these activities influence populations of wild vertebrates in regions around the globe along with effectiveness of mitigation efforts. Potential impacts to be investigated include physiology, behavior, and demographics.

We will learn about the concept and practice of visitor management by using Danube-Auen National Park (German: Nationalpark Donau-Auen) as an example. We will experience ecotourism and biodiversity in and around this natutal site during an excursion to this protected area.
Previous knowledge expected

Good level of English reading and verbal communication (B2)
Wildlife ecology and management
Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

By the end of this course, students are expected to be able to readily perform the following:

Define the term ecotourism along with the principles and rules behind it, supported by describing real-world examples.

Describe the importance of particular forms of ecotourism (e.g., guided tours, nature trails) in regional contexts and in multiple countries and types of protected areas.

Identify and summarize evidence for variation in particular impacts of tourism on (e.g., foraging behavior of) wild vertebrates and their habitats among these contexts along with mitigation effectiveness.

Formulate a synthesis regarding the level of concern regarding the summarized impacts and potential to mitigate them.

Prepare and give a short presentation to the class about the evidence summary along with the synthesis. The presentation is suitable to be transferred to a manager of any protected area.

Based on this summary, formulate a question and document the answer by national park staff regarding the concept and effectiveness of ecotourism during the course excursion.

Interpret the answer in the context of the evidence summary by specifying advantages and disadvantages for this case of ecotourism.
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.