Exploring the links between local management and conservation applying the ecosystem services concept: conservation and tourism service in Camargue, France

Abstract

This article aims at testing whether the ecosystem services framework helps in understanding the link between local management and biodiversity conservation. Tourism was analysed in Camargue (France), a wetland area of high biodiversity value, via semi-structured interviews with local stakeholders. Three types of stakeholders were interviewed: protected area managers, livestock farmers and public institutions. This was done to examine whether they manage the land to enable tourism and/or maintain or restore the ecological state of ecosystems. It was found that tourism sustainability is taken into account by protected area managers and livestock farmers. Management measures are partly taken to facilitate tourism and partly to make it compatible with the stakeholders' main activity as well as with the required ecological state of the ecosystem. Conversely, public institutions that are in charge of tourism do not consider damage caused to ecosystems, which has led to the unsustainable use of beaches. We argue that the ecosystem services concept is useful for conservation provided that both sides of land management are taken into account: the use of ecosystem services and the maintenance or restoration of ecosystems. The sustainability of the use of ecosystem services should be central in future research and implementation.