期刊名称：Recreation and Society in Africa, Asia and Latin America
印刷版ISSN：1916-7873
出版年度：2012
卷号：3
期号：1
语种：English
出版社：Sustainable Programs to Reduce Educational and Avocational Disadvantages (SPREAD)
摘要：Sacred groves are forested sites that have cultural or spiritual significance. They exist around the world and represent a long-held tradition of community management of forests. While most sacred sites are not tourist destinations, tourism may represent a method to provide additional protection for sacred sites, including revenue to help with management and conservation. Tourism can celebrate the cultural aspects of the site, in the case of cultural heritage tourism, or ignore them as is often the case with mass tourism.This paper presents the results of research in two countries with numerous sacred groves: Ghana and India. Ethnographic research was conducted at five sacred forests that allow tourism, in 2006 at two sites in Ghana, and in 2009 at three sites in the state of Meghalaya, India. The research focused on community attitudes toward the sacred forest and tourism. A qualitative, ethnographic research methodology was used, including semi-structured, open-ended interviews. A total of 103 residents were interviewed, 59 in Ghana and 44 in India. Three main research questions were explored: How do residents near a sacred grove perceive current and potential future tourism to the grove? How are residents and the sacred grove affected by tourism? What do residents envision for the future of the sacred grove? Case studies of each site are presented, as well as a comparison of the five sites.Research in Ghana and India revealed sites with a range of stages of tourism development and levels of revenue sharing. Each site has a different history of local community and/or external support as well as approaches to manage tourists. A number of factors contribute to pressures on the groves, including cultural changes and natural resource demands. In some cases, economic incentives can link with traditional protection for successful natural resource conservation. Tourism represents both a possible benefit to groves through recognition and valuing of the site that can lead to funding and conservation support, but also a threat to sacred sites due to the negative consequences of possible over-use, such as solid waste disposal and ecological impacts. Support for traditional rituals, community resource management, and education programs associated with the groves is recommended. Culturally sensitive tourism guidelines and tourism profit sharing plans, developed with the input of sacred grove stakeholders and custodians, are needed. Visitor carrying capacity should be considered, as well as the possible implications of designating sacred groves as World Heritage Sites.
