Environmental impact assessment of ecotourism in protected areas

Ecotourism is an undeniable fact of modern life, which can have positive and negative effects on the environment. Today, parks and protected areas are hub for recreational activities, and despite the limitations that are applied on these activities, tracks, trails, roads, lookouts, fixed campsites and other types of accommodation generate negative impacts on the environment. Ecotourism have often direct impacts on soil, vegetation, wildlife, water resources, air quality, noise, social and economic aspects, land use change and land cover. According to the needs of human to nature and tourism and the undesirable effects of over-exploitation on the environment, tourism environmental impact assessment is necessary for protected areas. This study aimed to assess the environmental impacts of tourism development in protected areas. We can say that, tourism and visit of the pristine and protected areas, without attention to the ecological carrying capacity, can cause soil compaction and erosion, loss of vegetation, wildlife disturbance and so on. Eventually this process, leads to reduce the conservation values, and satisfaction of the tourists demands. Hence, tourism in protected areas is both a threat and an opportunity to the long-term conservation of the species and areas.