Okaloosa County BOCC — October 22, 2015 — II. k. Ecotourism Projects Update

OKALOOSA COUNTY: ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF ECOTOURISM Erika Zambello Presentation Overview Ecotourism in Okaloosa County: definition 1. Inventory 2. Birding 3. Restoration 4. Artificial Reefs 2 Ecotourism “Environmentally responsible travel to natural areas, in order to enjoy and appreciate nature…promote conservation, have a low visitor impact and provide for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of local people.” Source: http://www.nature.org/greenliving/what-is-ecotourism.xml 3  Ecotourism • Low-impact • Appreciation of local cultures and biodiversity • Support for local conservation efforts • Sustainable benefits to local communities • Local participation in decision-making • Educational 4  Ecotourism : The Numbers • 43% of respondents to travel survey in 2014 said they considered ethical/environment footprint of their trip. • 2013 survey of travel agents found that 24% of respondents said interest in ‘green’ travel is highest ever. • In a 2012 study, 40% of overseas travelers visited historic sites, 23% visited cultural sites, and 20% visited national parks. • In 2014, travelers made 292 million visits to the 370 US National Park Service recreation areas. Source: Center for Responsible Travel, “The Case for Responsible Travel: Trends and Statistics 2015.” 5 Ecotourism Inventory • Online inventory listing natural sites in Okaloosa County • City parks • County parks • Jetties • National seashore • Museums • In future will include artificial reefs 6  Birding • In 2011, $54.9 billion generated through wildlife watching in US • In Florida, impact is $2.7 billion • County has fantastic birding opportunities in multiple habitats • Improving birding marketing and communication • Restoring bird habitat – Veteran’s Park Source: US Fish and Wildlife Service • Nominating sites for the Great Florida Birding Trail 7 Restoration • Improving local ecosystems: environmental, social, and economic benefits • Past projects: dune restoration • Living shorelines • Veteran’s Park at Baywalk 8 Artificial Reefs •Multiple projects funded and ongoing 14 Current Reef Projects • Private Deployments - Still permitting private deployments in LAARS areas 15 Current Reef Projects • Concrete to Reefs • FFWCC $60,000 grant for 40 prefabricated units • FDOT bridge materials • NRDA and RESTORE snorkel reefs 16 Future Reef Projects • Military snorkel park • Choctawhatchee Bay reef • Using a ship/barge as a reef 17 Thank you and questions? 18