ANALYSIS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY OF TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AT YANKARI GAME RESERVE, BAUCHI - NIGERIA
ANALYSIS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY OF TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AT YANKARI GAME RESERVE, BAUCHI - NIGERIA
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Date
2012-08
Authors
DANLAMI, BUHARI MOHAMMED
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Abstract
Abstract
Development of tourism Infrastructure at the Yankari Game Reserve,Bauchi, which is
essentially a natural environment, raises obvious questions about its future in terms of the
sustainability of wildlife conservation and biodiversity objectives and the provision of tourism
and recreation. The research set out to answer the question, Has tourism infrastructure already
passed some critical environmental thresholds? Will tourism infrastructure endanger the
ecological well-being of Yankari Game Reserve? These are questions about how much change
in terms of infrastructure provision is acceptable for sustainability of the Game Reserve. This
thesis tries to address these questions at the Game Reserve Basecamp using the Limits of
Acceptable Change (LAC) framework. Limits to change are examined by first surveying the
status of the existing Infrastructure at the Basecamp, then the proposed development to be put in
place and then the attitudes of tourism stakeholders and tourists toward present and future
ecological conditions. Whereas tourists and non-tourists generally view present conditions as
unacceptable in the study area, increased development raises red flags in the minds of both those
who know the Game Reserve and tourists, especially at the Basecamp of the study area. Both
tourists and non-tourists believed that more infrastructure development will lead to “change for
the worse” in a wide range of environmental impact variables. On the other hand, all
respondents agreed strongly that development and pristine environment pulls apart and that more
infrastructure development in the Game Reserve would conflict with Game Reserve objectives.
They however agreed that siting such facility in neighboring village such as Dindima and Mai-
Namaji will bring more benefit to the community
Description
Department of Urban and Regional Planning
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
Keywords
ANALYSIS,, ENVIRONMENTAL,, SUSTAINABILITY,, TOURISM,, INFRASTRUCTURE,, Development,, YANKARI,, GAME,, RESERVE,, BAUCHI,, NIGERIA.