The National Wildlife Refuge System, which is administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service in the U.S. Dept. of the Interior, comprises 585 refuges on more than 96 million acres of land and water that preserve habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds, threatened and endangered species, and other wildlife. Refuges also provide wildlife-related activities such as hunting and fishing to nearly 40 million visitors every year. This is testimony on a report being released on this date which: (1) describes changing factors that the refuge system experienced from FY 2002 through 2007, including funding and staffing changes; and (2) examines how habitat management and visitor services changed during this period. Illustrations.
The National Wildlife Refuge System, which is administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service in the Dept. of the Interior, comprises 585 refuges on more than 96 million acres of land and water that preserve habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds, threatened and endangered species, and other wildlife. Refuges also provide wildlife-related activities such as hunting and fishing to nearly 40 million visitors every year. This report: (1) describes changing factors that the refuge system experienced from FY 2002 through 2007, including funding and staffing changes; and (2) examines how habitat management and visitor services changed during this period. Illustrations.
Between fiscal years 2002 and 2007, the refuge system experienced funding and staffing level fluctuations, the introduction of several new policy initiatives, and the increased influence of external factors such as extreme weather that threaten wildlife habitat and visitor infrastructure. Although core funding -- measured as obligations for refuge operations, maintenance, and fire management -- increased each year, inflation-adjusted core funding peaked in fiscal year 2003 at about $391 million -- 6.8 percent above fiscal year 2002 funding. Inflation-adjusted core funding ended the period 2.3 percent below peak levels, but 4.3 percent above fiscal year 2002 levels by fiscal year 2007. Core refuge staffing levels peaked in fiscal year 2004 at 3,610 full-time equivalents -- 10.0 percent above the fiscal year 2002 level -- and then declined more slowly than funding levels. By fiscal year 2007, staffing levels fell to 4.0 percent below peak levels, but 5.5 percent above fiscal year 2002 levels. Through fiscal year 2007, the number of permanent employees utilised by the refuge system declined to 7.5 percent below peak levels. During this period, refuge system officials initiated new policies that: (1) reduced staff positions and reallocated funds and staff among refuges to better align staff levels with funding; (2) required refuge staff to focus on a legislative mandate to complete refuge conservation plans by 2012; (3) shifted to constructing a larger number of smaller visitor structures, such as informational kiosks, and fewer large visitor centres to spread visitor service funds across more refuges; (4) increased the number of full-time law enforcement officers and their associated training and experience requirements; and (5) resulted in additional administrative work. During this period, external factors that complicate refuge staffs' ability to protect and restore habitat quality also increased, including severe storms and development around refuges.
In order to respond to the dynamic changes taking place in the competitive world of tourism, marketing programs need to be constantly adjusted and updated to take account of new market research. Recent Advances in Tourism Marketing Research offers tourism marketers an excellent basis for developing and evaluating their marketing efforts. The book explores exciting new approaches to conducting tourism marketing research and presents applications which will help you develop and implement new tourism marketing strategies in your business.Chapters in Recent Advances in Tourism Marketing Research reflect the recent explosion of high quality tourism marketing research. Authors come from a number of disciplines and perspectives, ranging from more traditional programs such as hotel, restaurant, and tourism management and leisure studies to geography, urban and regional planning, and sociology. This fusion of diverse ideas gives you innovative insight into important tourism marketing issues including: market segmentation importance-performance analysis tourism demand forecasting destination choice modeling experience-based sampling methods qualitative methods in tourism researchRecent Advances in Tourism Marketing Research positions international tourism within the broader context of the worldwide services economy. It shows marketing and tourism professionals the significance of changing tourism issues and trends based on results of current research which will drive future marketing strategies, and it helps them see their own strategies in light of the future. This unique book helps tourism marketers shape the future of their marketing programs for a tourism product that challenges traditional ways of conducting tourism business. Destination promoters, decisionmakers, and planners in tourism and students and educators of tourism, hospitality, and leisure studies worldwide will find the diversity and originality of the research presented in Recent Advances in Tourism Marketing Research essential for developing successful marketing strategies now and in the future. Also, libraries of schools that have leisure and recreation, tourism, hospitality, marketing, and service programs will want to make this invaluable resource readily available to their patrons.
IUCN's Protected Areas Management Categories, which classify protected areas according to their management objectives, are today accepted as the benchmark for defining, recording, and classifying protected areas. They are recognized by international bodies such as the United Nations as well as many national governments. As a result, they are increasingly being incorporated into government legislation. These guidelines provide as much clarity as possible regarding the meaning and application of the Categories. They describe the definition of the Categories and discuss application in particular biomes and management approaches.
