Rochelle Steven

A review of the impacts of nature based recreation on birds.

Nature based recreation such as wildlife viewing, hiking, running, cycling, canoeing, horse riding and dog walking can have negative environmental effects. A review of the recreation ecology literature published in English language academic journals identified 69 papers from 1978 to 2010 that examined the effect of these activities on birds. Sixty-one of the papers (88%) found negative impacts, including changes in bird physiology (all 11 papers), immediate behaviour (37 out of 41 papers), as well as changes in abundance (28 out of 33 papers) and reproductive success (28 out of 33 papers). Previous studies are concentrated in a few countries (United States, England, Argentina and New Zealand), mostly in cool temperate or temperate climatic zones, often in shoreline or wetland habitats, and mostly on insectivore, carnivore and crustaceovore/molluscivore foraging guilds. There is limited research in some regions with both high bird diversity and nature based recreation such as mainland Australia, Central America, Asia, and Africa, and for popular activities such as mountain bike riding and horse riding. It is clear, however, that non-motorised nature based recreation has negative impacts on a diversity of birds from a range of habitats in different climatic zones and regions of the world.

A population accounting approach to assess tourism contributions to conservation of IUCN-redlisted mammal species.

Over 1,000 mammal species are red-listed by IUCN, as Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable. Conservation of many threatened mammal species, even inside protected areas, depends on costly active day-to-day defence against poaching, bushmeat hunting, invasive species and habitat encroachment. Many parks agencies worldwide now rely heavily on tourism for routine operational funding: >50% in some cases. This puts rare mammals at a new risk, from downturns in tourism driven by external socioeconomic factors. Using the survival of individual animals as a metric or currency of successful conservation, we calculate here what proportions of remaining populations of IUCN-redlisted mammal species are currently supported by funds from tourism. This proportion is ≥5% for over half of the species where relevant data exist, ≥15% for one fifth, and up to 66% in a few cases. Many of these species, especially the most endangered, survive only in one single remaining subpopulation. These proportions are not correlated either with global population sizes or recognition as wildlife tourism icons. Most of the more heavily tourism-dependent species, however, are medium sized (>7.5 kg) or larger. Historically, biological concern over the growth of tourism in protected areas has centered on direct disturbance to wildlife. These results show that conservation of threatened mammal species has become reliant on revenue from tourism to a previously unsuspected degree. On the one hand, this provides new opportunities for conservation funding; but on the other, dependence on such an uncertain source of funding is a new, large and growing threat to red-listed species.

Birdwatching and avitourism: a global review of research into its participant markets, distribution and impacts, highlighting future research priorities to inform sustainable avitourism management

Avitourism is an emerging sub-sector of the nature-based tourism industry, where tourist travel motivations are focused around birdwatching. Certain aspects of the industry are yet to be examined adequately. This paper reviews patterns among 66 research studies published between 1989 and 2014 that examine avitourism, its participants and stakeholders across several research themes. There is a distinct northern hemisphere bias (n = 46) in avitourism research effort, with research dominated by studies of the avitourists themselves (n = 35). Key objectives of studies reviewed were primarily concerned with the economic impacts of avitourism (n = 21), the motivations of birders as avitourists (n = 18) and increasing our understanding of the avitourism market (n = 12). Ten studies specifically examined the types of birds or bird-related events (i.e. migrations) avitourists seek. Few studies (n = 6) have examined the negative impacts on birds arising from avitourism. The sustainability of avitourism is dependent upon understanding both the avitourism product and the willingness of avitourists to see particular species. Enhanced understanding of avitourism opportunities and avitourist desires could guide industry growth, assist the economies of many communities, highlight birds and habitats vulnerable to the negative impacts of avitourism, and help finance conservation work. A series of priority research themes are outlined.

Tourism Revenue as a Conservation Tool for Threatened Birds in Protected Areas

Many bird populations worldwide are at risk of extinction, and rely heavily on protected area networks for their continued conservation. Tourism to these areas contributes to conservation by generating revenue for management. Here we quantify the contribution of tourism revenue for bird species in the IUCN Red List, using a simple accounting method. Relevant data are available for 90 (16%) of the 562 critically endangered and endangered species. Contributions of tourism to bird conservation are highest, 10–64%, in South America, Africa, and their neighbouring islands. Critically endangered bird species rely on tourism more heavily than endangered species (p<0.02). Many protected areas could also enhance their management budgets by promoting birdwatching tourism specifically.

Publishing not perishing: how research students transition from novice to knowledgeable using systematic quantitative literature reviews

Current understandings suggest that three aspects of writing practice underpin the research student publication process: knowledge creation, text production and identity formation. Publishing a literature review is the first opportunity most students have to publish. This article compares the pedagogical benefits of different literature review methods. It discusses why narrative reviews are challenging for novices both in terms of process and outcomes (publications) whereas other types of reviews, such as meta-analyses, are the province of multi-skilled teams working intensively for extended periods. Case studies are used to highlight how a new systematic quantitative literature review method, developed for the social and natural sciences, is beneficial as students can more readily create knowledge, produce text, and so transition from novice to knowledgeable and publish rather than perish.

Avitourism and Australian Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas

Formal protected areas will not provide adequate protection to conserve all biodiversity, and are not always designated using systematic or strategic criteria. Using a systematic process, the Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) network was designed to highlight areas of conservation significance for birds (i.e. IBA trigger species), and more recently general biodiversity. Land use activities that take place in IBAs are diverse, including consumptive and non-consumptive activities. Avitourism in Australia, generally a non-consumptive activity, is reliant on the IBA network and the birds IBAs aim to protect. However, companies tend not to mention IBAs in their marketing. Furthermore, avitourism, like other nature-based tourism has the potential to be both a threatening process as well as a conservation tool. We aimed to assess the current use of IBAs among Australian-based avitour companies’ marketing, giving some indication of which IBAs are visited by avitourists on organised tours. We reviewed online avitour itineraries, recorded sites featuring in descriptions of avitours and which IBA trigger species are used to sell those tours. Of the 209 avitours reviewed, Queensland is the most featured state (n = 59 tours), and 73% feature at least one IBA. Daintree (n = 22) and Bruny Island (n = 17) IBAs are the most popular, nationally. Trigger species represent 34% (n = 254 out of 747) of species used in avitour descriptions. The most popular trigger species’ are wetland species including; Brolga (n = 37), Black-necked Stork (n = 30) and Magpie Goose (n = 27). Opportunities exist to increase collaboration between avitour companies and IBA stakeholders. Our results can provide guidance for managing sustainability of the avitourism industry at sites that feature heavily in avitour descriptions and enhance potential cooperation between avitour companies, IBA stakeholders and bird conservation organisations.

Insights into the attributes of Pacific Island destinations that appeal to avitourists

Avitourism is a specific type of bird-focussed nature-based tourism that can potentially contribute to community development and avian conservation. The details of the most memorable as well as the most desired destinations for avitourists are relatively underexamined. To sample the global birding population, questionnaires were distributed electronically via birding forums, birder mailing lists and social media sites asking about birders’ destination preferences. A total of 303 respondents identified their most memorable destinations and 290 their most desired destinations. Among the destinations identified, Pacific Islands were stated as memorable (n = 23) and desired destinations (n = 55). New Zealand was the most memorable destination for 17 of the 23 respondents and the most desired was Papua New Guinea (33 of the 55 respondents). Key aspects that made New Zealand memorable were the presence of multiple endemic species and seabirds, while birds of paradise are the main attraction for birders wanting to visit Papua New Guinea. Understanding what biological attributes appeal to avitourists may help island destinations increase their market share in avitourism. Targeted marketing and management of the industry can bring benefits to Pacific Island communities, which in turn can enhance conservation.

Exploring attitudes and understanding of global conservation practice among birders and avitourists for enhanced conservation of birds

Birders are generally nature-oriented; however, their understanding of key bird conservation issues remains under-examined. We surveyed English-speaking birders online and face-to-face, asking questions related to their views on conservation, conservation funding and their understanding of a global bird conservation programme (BirdLife International’s Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas [IBAs]). Most birders who responded to the survey were from Australia, the United Kingdom, South Africa and the USA. Birders tend to value bird conservation in an ecocentric way, often citing the overarching importance of general biodiversity. The ecological roles that birds play were also highlighted, but this varied across socio-demographic groups. Despite their positive support for conservation, less than half of all birders surveyed were familiar with the IBA programme. Familiarity with IBAs was driven by socio-demographic factors, with males more familiar than females and South African birders more familiar than birders from Australia and the United Kingdom. Most birders are willing to make contributions to bird conservation when visiting key birding sites, however they also feel governments should remain the main funders of conservation. Opportunities to enhance engagement between birders and bird conservation groups exist with most indicating a desire to learn more about bird conservation at birding sites. Increasing access to relevant information and presenting opportunities to contribute to conservation at birding sites could provide tangible benefits for bird habitats, protected areas and bird conservation groups.

PPBio Australasia Long Term Ecological Research Sites – flora and fauna database

PPBio (Program for Planned Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research) Australasia Long Term Ecological Research Sites (GIVD ID AU-AU-001) is a system for long-term ecological research (LTER) designed to answer integrated multidisciplinary research questions. PPBio was developed in Brazil with a broad aim of establishing a cost-effective and efficient network of standardized LTER plots to collect comparable information on biodiversity and ecosystem processes around the world. Infrastructure includes permanent plots that follow contour lines (survey lines with all measurements recorded on the horizontal plane) which facilitate orthorectification and validation of satellite imagery. Grids and modules consist of arrays of plots located one kilometre apart (or 500 metres at small sites). Each plot has a 250 metre midline that is permanently marked at 10 m intervals. Plot width varies to suit the taxon or abiotic variable being examined. Small and/or numerous taxa are surveyed in narrow plots (e.g. frogs, reptiles, herbs and grasses are within a 2 m strip on one side of the midline) while wide plots are used for larger or more dispersed organisms (e.g. large trees, birds or small mammals). Low density species (e.g. large mammals such as monkeys, koalas and kangaroos) and additional environmental variables are monitored using the series of grid trails that connect the plots, using standardized sampling methodologies. The first PPBio LTER site at Karawatha Forest Park in Brisbane City (Queensland, Australia) was established in 2007. A second site was established at Lake Broadwater in the Brigalow Belt in 2008. The establishment of a third grid in Chitwan National Park in Nepal was initiated in 2009. A fourth grid with 40 plots was established in Currawinya National Park (western Queensland, Australia) in 2010, and a fifth project establishing modules at Cooloola in the Great Sandy National Park commenced in 2010. To date, vegetation has been measured at four sites (with approximately 99 one hectare plots now completed). Repeat surveys will provide data on vegetation productivity through time. All woody stemmed trees and shrubs are individually tagged and identified within each plot. A hierarchical design was used to sample trees of different size classes in order to estimate tree density. The diameter at breast height (DBH) was measured at 130 cm unless disfigurement made this impossible. Large trees (DBH ≥ 30 cm) were sampled to 20 m either side of the midline (40 m x 250 m ≈ 1 ha). Trees with DBH ≥10 cm were sampled within 10 m either side of the midline (20 m x 250 m ≈ 0.5 ha). All woody stems with DBH ≥1 cm were sampled along a 4 m strip on the right hand side of the midline (4 m x 250 m ≈ 0.1 ha). The location of each tree is recorded in relation to its distance along the transect and distance from the transect. All trees are given an individual identifying number which is tagged to the tree and recorded in the vegetation database.