Background

Economic incentives are imperative for nature conservation, and ecotourism, when done correctly, combines environmental – and biodiversity – awareness and sustainability with local economic benefit.

Rainforests are among the most extensive, diverse and valuable forests in the world. The rainforests of Asia and the Pacific region together account for about one-fifth of the world’s forests and cover around 26 percent of the land area in the region, or 734 million hectares. Asia-Pacific accounts for 18 percent of the global forest cover, where Southeast Asia contain the third largest forested area in the world and scores of rich biodiversity sites. Rainforests also support economic development and contribute to the  livelihoods of the community, provide environmental services, and help habitats for biodiversity, including genetic resources.

Conserving ecosystem balance, biodiversity and the existence of forest resources as the life support system for development is essential when sustainably utilizing the potential forest resources to improve the economy, support the livelihoods of communities, deliver wood, non-wood products and landscape ecosystem services, and protect biodiversity protection. In order to meet future generations’ needs, a balance of social, environment and economic aspects need to be considered when  developing sustainable development platforms. To develop these platforms, collaborative actions, and low-carbon and green development need to be promoted. Ecotourism potentially fits in these parameters and can serve as an  effective tool for sustainable forest development.

Ecotourism plays an important role in raising awareness of sustainable forest development, motivating people to conserve forests, and teaching the importance of conserving biodiversity  for human livelihood. It provides economic, social and cultural incentives for the local people while staying an environmentally friendly way to conserving high biodiversity value consistent with commitments to nationally determined contributions (NDCs), Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Millienium Development Goals (MDGs), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), among others.

Objectives

The parallel session on the subtheme “Ecotourism and Conservation of Biodiversity” at the 3^rd Asia-Pacific Rainforest Summit aims to discuss and consolidate:

1. The role of ecotourism in economic development and biodiversity conservation
2. Guidance on tourism activities to minimize disturbance to biodiversity in conservation areas
3. Enhancing capacity building of a rural communities around conservation areas to receive benefits from ecotourism and biodiversity conservation
4. Influence of social media in increasing public awareness of developing ecotourism and biodiversity conservation
5. Coordination, information sharing and lessons from regional and international institution working in ecotourism and conservation of biodiversity

Expected Outcomes

The expected outcomes of the parallel session on the  subtheme “Ecotourism and Conservation of Biodiversity” are:

1. Exchange of knowledge and information among stakeholders, who are actively working on ecotourism and conservation of biodiversity
2. Improved incentives for managing ecotourism and conserving of biodiversity
3. Recommendations on ecotourism and conservation of biodiversity

A commitment to real action related to ecotourism and conservation of biodiversity

Agenda

•  Intrepid travel
•  Guidance on tourism activities to minimize disturbance to biodiversity in conservation areas
•  Community based ecotourism and biodiversity conservation