Andrade-Rivas, F. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2024

Toward Sustainable Biocultural Tourism: An Integrated Spatial Analysis of Cultural and Biodiversity Richness in Colombia

O_LITourism plays a vital role in both economic development and depending on the scale, it can also aid environmental conservation. Tourism planning often considers culture-based and nature-based tourism separately, failing to recognize the synergies between them, with the potential to market locations as biocultural destinations. C_LIO_LIUsing Colombia as a case study, we created metrics of taxonomic biological diversity as measured by vertebrate species richness (including birds, mammals, freshwater fishes, reptiles, and amphibians) and institutionalized cultural richness (by counting the number of UNESCO world heritage sites, intangible cultural heritage sites, museums, endemic music festivals, Afro-Colombian territories, and Indigenous reserves), and evaluated the spatial correlations between them. C_LIO_LITo determine biocultural tourism potential, we evaluated whether biocultural richness was accessible, and mapped potential biocultural tourism supply. By mapping areas of sports fisheries, birdwatching destinations, and airport arrivals we also estimated spatial demand. We also analyzed the difference between demand and supply to assess the realized and untapped potential for biocultural destinations. C_LIO_LIWhile biocultural richness is high in the Amazon, Pacific, and Caribbean regions, we found that there are no win-win-win locations where culture, species richness, and accessibility are all high. Areas with great potential for biocultural tourism development largely coincide with designated Indigenous reserves and Afro-Colombian territories. C_LIO_LIThis study underscores the power of integrating cultural and biological variables to reshape the tourism sector. Our paper offers practical recommendations for policymakers, conservation organizations, and local communities seeking to create transformative and inclusive tourism experiences. C_LI

ecology↗

bioRxiv2024

Can't carve air, can't weave names: Plant species used in Colombian artisan crafts are not equally assessed for vulnerability at the international and national level

Humanity has maintained cultural connections with our environments for time immemorial. Plants and artisan crafts are a prime example, as craft purpose, skill, design, and species used can vary greatly between communities and the loss of a critical plant species can result in a loss of access to cultural craft practices. To mitigate global biodiversity loss, conservationists are faced with the challenge of assessing species vulnerability to extinction and prioritizing species for conservation funding using information instruments, like the IUCN red list. This process does not necessarily consider a species cultural importance. In this paper we sought to address this gap for plant species used in artisan crafts in Colombia. We aim to answer the following: (1) how represented are endemic species in artisan crafts; (2) how threatened are artisan craft species according to (a) international and (b) national vulnerability status? We used the number of species-associated common names as a proxy for cultural awareness. We found that continentally regional species were far more represented in Colombian artisan crafts than national endemics. We also found a strong positive relationship between number of common names and national vulnerability assessment status, but no statistically significant relationship for international vulnerability status. Based on our results, well-known plants used in Colombian artisan crafts are more likely to be assessed nationally than internationally. While the IUCN is thorough in their recommendations, more can be done to prioritize the inclusion of conservation assessments for species based on their contributions to cultural diversity. Positionality statementWe are 14 scientists and practitioners who are deeply committed to the conservation of nature and culture in a changing world. We are trained in diverse fields including ecology, evolutionary biology, botany, music, anthropology, law, and public health. We all have postgraduate academic education (Masters or PhDs underway) but most of us are early career scholars. Six of us grew up in Colombia and we represent many places including Mexico, the United States, Ireland, Chile, Brazil, Germany, and Viet Nam. None of us self-identify as Indigenous.

ecology↗