Management Guidelines For Forestry and Resource-Based Tourism

Management Guidelines for Forestry and Resource-Based Tourism – EXECUTIVE SUMMARYExecutive SummaryManagement Guidelines for Forestry and Resource-based Tourism are to be used in the development of forest managementplans for those portions of the forest used for forestry and resource-based tourism. The Guidelines may also beuseful during the development of Resource Stewardship Agreements. Those features of the forest used by the touristindustry are described in the Guidelines in general terms. Measures which may be taken to assist with specific identificationof resource-based tourism values are outlined. The resource-based tourism industry itself is divided into threetypes: drive in, semi-remote and remote. One of the most challenging aspects of managing the interface betweenremote tourism and forestry is the planning of roads and their use. The forest industry requires roads to harvest, renewand, maintain the forest, while segments of the tourist industry need some areas which are "functionally roadless." Theneed to provide the resource-based tourism industry with a "reasonably similar level of remoteness" is recognised in theTourism and Forestry Industry Memorandum of Understanding approved by the Ontario government in 2001. Allresource based tourism business depends in part on a visually forested landscape and a forest that is free from unwantedor disturbing noise. Forest management planners must consider the needs of the tourist industry when developingplans; however, they must also consider a wide range of environmental needs. Both tourism and environmental needsvary by forest type and site. A further challenge for forest management planners is the need to consider the interests ofother stakeholders such as anglers and hunters. The decision to apply a specific technique to protect a tourism value isnot a simple decision.When the desired degree of remoteness in the forest is determined and other needs of the resource-based tourismindustry established, the task of selecting a specific forestry tool or technique to address the needs of the resource-basedtourism industry follows. Management Guidelines for Forestry and Resource-based Tourism describes a range ofpractices, tools and, techniques that should be considered when developing forest management prescriptions to protectresource-based tourism values. The information provided is based on operational experience. New and creative techniques,which may evolve over time, are encouraged as long as they do not contravene existing legislation. In practice, acombination of techniques usually produces the intended result (e.g. sign erected and culvert removed.) The informationis organised under the headings: Access Management, Visual Aesthetics/Views, Noise Control and, Planning.These Guidelines are intended for use by both forest management planners and owners/operators of resource-basedtourism businesses. To ensure that readers are able to make best use of these Guidelines extra effort has been taken toexplain how these Guidelines may be used in conjunction with the forest management plan development process. Anumber of "Tips" are contained in the Guidelines. "Tips" are not presented as "direction;" rather, the team which preparedthe Guidelines felt there was merit to provide information to the user which might be used in any number ofways to assist with managing the forestry/tourism interface.To ensure the continued effectiveness of forest management plans forest management guidelines should be evaluated.Resource-based tourism values and the methods used to protect these values are most often determined through discussionsand negotiations between the resource-based tourism industry and forest management planner. Tourism valuesare quite different than other values that are the subject of forest management planning guidelines. Those features ofthe forest important to the tourist industry are not readily inventoried and are not supported by strong science. In factmany of the values used by the tourist industry are business specific; that is to say what may be important to onetourism business may be of relatively little importance to another. The means, then, of determining the effectiveness ofthese Guidelines must consider the effectiveness and efficiency of negotiations with the understanding that neitherparty to these negotiations may be entirely happy with the negotiated outcome but at the least they have what theyrequire to pursue their business interest.IV