Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Between the years of 1990 and 2000, the number of tourists increased with more than hundred percent globally, and more than three hundred percent in Nicaragua. Further, this industry contributes to eleven percent of the gross domestic product of the world and is, from an economic point of view, regarded as one of the biggest industries worldwide. However, tourism often conveys negative secondary effects on the local environment and contributes to unfair use of local cultures for commercial purposes.

To avoid this, the concept of ecotourism has evolved. Ecotourism is a type of tourism that strives to respect local communities and sustainable use of the resources. A common definition of the movement is stated by the International ecotourism society; "Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people".

Ecotourism has recently been established in Datanlí – El Diablo, a natural reserve located between the cities of Matagalpa and Jinotega, in the north of Nicaragua. Due to this, investigations and communications with local communities are now crucial.

The goal of this thesis was to investigate possible changes in the vegetation of the cloud forest, which may be due to impacts of ecotourism. Inventories of the vegetation close to two walking trails were carried out during October to December, 2006. The surveys resulted in calculation of species richness and distribution.