STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF VISITOR PERCEPTION, EBOLA RISK FACTOR, AND WATER QUALITY OF MOLE NATIONAL PARK FOR SUSTAINABLE ECOTOURISM FUNCTIONS

Abstract

Aligning with Parks’ sustainability, tourist perceptions about integral field conditions for ecotourism functions were studied at Mole in Ghana (Africa) through periodic physicochemical analyses of water using (APHA/AWWA/WEF, 2012) protocols. Optimally, 81.5 wet days with 1,107.38mm rainfall intensity- regulated the park’s dynamic natural primary productivity within six years interval (2005 to 2010), revealing direct insignificant regressive linear relationships (y = 1.7x + 0.2778) in the rainfall pattern interspersed with marginal variations in standard errors of the month-by-month figures (R2 = 0.6839). Zero Ebola records status boosted ecotourism functions, although, foreign visitors’ statistics dropped in 2014 with reciprocal ascendance of locals when the Government of Ghana adopted WHO/CDC Ebola preventive interventions. Routine carrying capacity measures regulated tourist numbers annually. Ground littering, pool contamination, olfactory wild animal odours, and higher entrance fees seldom discouraged 90-95% of the subjects who considered the park’s environs as recreationally moderately attractive. CaCO3 varied widely from 32.03 to 124.72 mg/L similar to turbidity (1.27 - 57.4) NTU, while pH remained neutral (7) in the entire park’s water resources. Boreholes temperatures varied slightly between Laribanga (23.7ᵒС) and Mole (27.8°С) whereas, EC differed significantly (p<0.05) between Mole dam 1b (47.6 µS/cm) and Mole pool (2181 µS/cm). A few water sources exhibited lower TDS, though higher figures also exceeded the Ghana EPA standard (100mg/L), reducing its safety for recreational occupancy. Prognosis integral responses towards improving these water resources by redefining acceptable quality index, modelling of synergies using existing park’s natural resources databases could posterity wise, secure, or improve ecotourism benefits.