Adaptations of a Yucatec Maya Multiple-Use Ecological Management Strategy to Ecotourism
Over the last 40 years, the Yucatan Peninsula has experienced the implementation and promotion of development programs that have economically and ecologically shaped this region of Mexico. Nowadays, tourist development has become the principal catalyst of social, economic, and ecological changes in...
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2008-12-01
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doaj-573e3a2fb0394083968f659ecbb14d332020-11-24T20:58:00ZengResilience AllianceEcology and Society1708-30872008-12-011323110.5751/ES-02627-1302312627Adaptations of a Yucatec Maya Multiple-Use Ecological Management Strategy to EcotourismEduardo García-Frapolli0Víctor M. Toledo1Joan Martinez-Alier2Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas, UNAMCentro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas, UNAMInstitut de Ciencia i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autonoma de BarcelonaOver the last 40 years, the Yucatan Peninsula has experienced the implementation and promotion of development programs that have economically and ecologically shaped this region of Mexico. Nowadays, tourist development has become the principal catalyst of social, economic, and ecological changes in the region. All these programs, which are based on a specialization rationale, have historically clashed with traditional Yucatec Maya management of natural resources. Using participant observation, informal and semi-structured interviews, and life-history interviews, we carried out an assessment of a Yucatec Maya natural resources management system implemented by three indigenous communities located within a natural protected area. The assessment, intended as an examination of the land-use practices and productive strategies currently implemented by households, was framed within an ecological-economic approach to ecosystems appropriation. To examine the influence of tourism on the multiple-use strategy, we contrasted productive activities among households engaged primarily in ecotourism with those more oriented toward traditional agriculture. Results show that households from these communities allocated an annual average of 586 work days to implement a total of 15 activities in five different land-use units, and that those figures vary significantly in accordance with households' productive strategy (agriculture oriented or service oriented). As the region is quickly becoming an important tourist destination and ecotourism is replacing many traditional activities, we discuss the need for a balance between traditional and alternative economic activities that will allow Yucatec Maya communities to diversify their economic options without compromising existing local management practices.http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol13/iss2/art31/ecotourismhuman appropriationMéxicomultiple userural metabolismYucatec Maya |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Eduardo García-Frapolli Víctor M. Toledo Joan Martinez-Alier |
spellingShingle |
Eduardo García-Frapolli Víctor M. Toledo Joan Martinez-Alier Adaptations of a Yucatec Maya Multiple-Use Ecological Management Strategy to Ecotourism Ecology and Society ecotourism human appropriation Mé xico multiple use rural metabolism Yucatec Maya |
author_facet |
Eduardo García-Frapolli Víctor M. Toledo Joan Martinez-Alier |
author_sort |
Eduardo García-Frapolli |
title |
Adaptations of a Yucatec Maya Multiple-Use Ecological Management Strategy to Ecotourism |
title_short |
Adaptations of a Yucatec Maya Multiple-Use Ecological Management Strategy to Ecotourism |
title_full |
Adaptations of a Yucatec Maya Multiple-Use Ecological Management Strategy to Ecotourism |
title_fullStr |
Adaptations of a Yucatec Maya Multiple-Use Ecological Management Strategy to Ecotourism |
title_full_unstemmed |
Adaptations of a Yucatec Maya Multiple-Use Ecological Management Strategy to Ecotourism |
title_sort |
adaptations of a yucatec maya multiple-use ecological management strategy to ecotourism |
publisher |
Resilience Alliance |
series |
Ecology and Society |
issn |
1708-3087 |
publishDate |
2008-12-01 |
description |
Over the last 40 years, the Yucatan Peninsula has experienced the implementation and promotion of development programs that have economically and ecologically shaped this region of Mexico. Nowadays, tourist development has become the principal catalyst of social, economic, and ecological changes in the region. All these programs, which are based on a specialization rationale, have historically clashed with traditional Yucatec Maya management of natural resources. Using participant observation, informal and semi-structured interviews, and life-history interviews, we carried out an assessment of a Yucatec Maya natural resources management system implemented by three indigenous communities located within a natural protected area. The assessment, intended as an examination of the land-use practices and productive strategies currently implemented by households, was framed within an ecological-economic approach to ecosystems appropriation. To examine the influence of tourism on the multiple-use strategy, we contrasted productive activities among households engaged primarily in ecotourism with those more oriented toward traditional agriculture. Results show that households from these communities allocated an annual average of 586 work days to implement a total of 15 activities in five different land-use units, and that those figures vary significantly in accordance with households' productive strategy (agriculture oriented or service oriented). As the region is quickly becoming an important tourist destination and ecotourism is replacing many traditional activities, we discuss the need for a balance between traditional and alternative economic activities that will allow Yucatec Maya communities to diversify their economic options without compromising existing local management practices. |
topic |
ecotourism human appropriation Mé xico multiple use rural metabolism Yucatec Maya |
url |
http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol13/iss2/art31/ |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT eduardogarciafrapolli adaptationsofayucatecmayamultipleuseecologicalmanagementstrategytoecotourism AT victormtoledo adaptationsofayucatecmayamultipleuseecologicalmanagementstrategytoecotourism AT joanmartinezalier adaptationsofayucatecmayamultipleuseecologicalmanagementstrategytoecotourism |
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