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Keynote speech director SPA Bhopal

Keynote Speech

‘Synergies between nature and buildings for ecotourism’

Launch of National Student Competition

Honourable Shri Sartaj Singh, Dr.A.K. Bhattacharya, Shri  Himanshu Lal, ladies and gentlemen

It is a pleasure to greet you all today in the Museum of Man, to launch this National Student Competition which seeks to revisit the relationship of man’s built environment with nature and to discover ‘synergies between nature and buildings for ecotourism’. In this museum which charts the history of human civilization, we are asking  young minds to match tradition with innovation and discover new paths in designing man -made structures, with knowledge and understanding, which are in harmony with their natural environment.

Ecotourism can play a very important role in promoting an understanding of nature and our role as custodians of our environment. In the 150 years of conservation of forests, the understanding of the relationship between man and forests has changed. The world has come a long way from the Yosemite National Park in America, which was the first Protected Area and which established the template for other such ‘protected areas’ globally. Conservation of wilderness, of pristine nature meant the exclusion of native tribes living in the area. It was also the beginning of bitter encounters between indigenous communities and environmentalists who were at cross purposes with each other, the Maasai and Ogiek in eastern Africa, Pygmies of central Africa, Karen of Thailand and the Adivasis here in this very region of Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh. The story has been said very eloquently by Mark Dowie in his book ‘Conservation refugees’. In his words, “When conservationists and native peoples acknowledge the interdependence of biodiversity conservation and cultural survival, they can together create a new and much more effective paradigm for conservation.”

“Like most American inventions, the national park idea spread beyond its border and was emulated first in Australia (Royal National Park 1879), then in Canada (Banff 1887), and then in New Zealand (Tongarivo, 1894). Then as Europe colonised the wild reaches of Africa and Asia, it applied the Yosemite model in the Transvaal and Serengeti. ..natives were cleared out so colonials could enjoy the aesthetics of wild nature and selectively hunt the game for trophies.”

Mapping of the Earth’s biologically richest regions by the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) in 1998, showed that 80% of these ecoregions were occupied by 3000 separate indigenous communities, most of which had thrived there for hundreds if not thousands of years. Marcus Colchester, a practicing anthropologist, observes that this has been made possible by indigenous people who have the knowledge and practice of sustainable use of resources.

Debiprasad Chattopadhyaya has written much on the contributions of the Adivasis to Indian culture and civilization. The tribes of Bhils, Gonds, Oraons, Mundas, Hos, Santals, Korkus and Irulas are collectively known as the Adivasis. Their society was built on a foundation of deep respect and recognition of the interdependence of man and nature. A recent study by the All India Coordinated Research Project reveals that the Adivasi community has the knowledge of nine thousand plant species, of which seven thousand five hundred are used for human and veterinary medicine and which are the basis for Ayurvedic medicine. Musical instruments, the bansuri and the dhol are Adivasi inventions. They also developed sustainable agricultural practices. The origins of Hinduism are found in many Adivasi practices. The tribal huts displayed in this museum, and documented by our undergraduate students of  architecture are displayed in the exhibition outside the auditorium. They teach us about human ingenuity in designing shelters. Vernacular architecture develops over generations, working and reworking solutions to geography, culture and lifestyles, and has many lessons to offer. It is continuously evolving, and we, as architects, can be a part of that process with, I repeat, understanding and knowledge.

Vernacular architecture teaches us that any settlement should be sited in areas free from natural hazards, which form a stable landform, where risks of erosion or landslip are minimised, which are above a flood plain. It also shows us that when earthworks are minimised they limit adverse visual impact and reduce exposure to erosion or instability. Vernacular architecture invariably places structures so they follow contour lines and relate to the form of the terrain and build on sides of hills and not on top so that the form of the natural feature is protected. On steep slopes, they design buildings for that unique condition and make use of slopes for service structures. They avoid high land coverage on rough, unique and steep terrain. Vernacular architecture that has developed in fragile ecosystems has designs that do not disturb the natural system and preserves natural features, such as rock outcrops and trees, rather than bulldozing them for ease of construction. Vernacular settlements have taken care to build on well drained soils and normally maintain water balance and water table by avoiding compaction of soil and hardening of surfaces that results in excessive runoff.

Vernacular settlements also show us how to manage vegetation in the site, by utilising existing tree patterns by maintaining the scale, rhythm and form of hedgerows and other linear elements, retaining large masses of trees, natural features with which large scale structures relate well, or clearing areas to create tree masses to relate to building complexes, building in woods rather than treeless fields, maintaining visual continuity by avoiding indiscriminate tree planting, maintaining habitats for wildlife by vegetation management and ensuring that new tree planting complements existing trees to be preserved.

Vernacular architecture plans its orientation with care. It takes advantage of the sun path to gain sunlight in winter or to keep it out in summer, except in the early morning and late afternoon. Vernacular buildings consider wind directions during the seasons, insulate buildings from cold or hot winds, or the lashing monsoon winds and allow for breezes which cool the interior and take into account the daytime and night time direction of wind movement.

Vernacular settlements offer lessons in almost all the design considerations required for buildings for ecotourism. It is very important that a tourist development maintains the identity and integrity of the natural area, does not detract from its scenic values and is subordinate to the dominant landforms or features of the location. Just as views to the development are important, views from the buildings need be planned to take advantage of vistas or create vistas, placed so that they do not block views or located on a slope to take advantage of the view, and keep lower buildings under the line of vision of the one above. When the terrain offers no view, an internal or contained view becomes significant.

Ecotourism activities need to be limited and managed in relation to the environmental capacity of the location, and need to be non-threatening to the environment in terms of crowds, noise and lighting. Use of energy should be optimised by design features and the use of solar energy, overhead power lines should be avoided, artificial lighting designed and located to avoid adverse impact on native fauna. Supply of safe and reliable potable water in sustainable quantity is as necessary as efficiency measures for use of water for maintaining the site landscape. Waste management is another important consideration to avoid contamination of the natural area. Solid and liquid waste disposal must be distance separated and appropriately managed. Depending upon the location, scale and design of the project, liquid waste is normally treated in a package treatment plant incorporating nutrient –stripping capability with  disposal by on-site irrigation, or septic system of adequate capacity, small aerobic treatment system of bio-cycle type or a self contained biological compost system. Separation of wet and dry solid waste and its removal from site on a regular basis, or composting of biological waste is necessary. Recycling systems must be considered  to control waste generation. As a rule, choice of infrastructure service systems should be as unobtrusive and energy efficient as possible.

Sustainability, in ecotourism does not end with design, but needs follow-up in operation and maintenance. Both service providers and tour operators need to adopt a ‘Codes of Practice’, as in some countries such as Australia, Canada and America, which set out the ethics and standards for promoting a better understanding and appreciation of the place. Codes of Practice, when followed, strengthen the conservation effort and enhance the natural integrity of the place visited, respect the sensitivities of the local culture and enable the involvement of the local community in the supply chain which ensures value returns. The objective is to maximise the quality of the experience for both the visitors and the local community.

Ecotourism is the fastest growing sector of the tourism industry, and in the new millennium it has been added to the list of development strategies of international lending agencies, such as the World Bank and Asia Development Bank and others. But the economic advantages of ecotourism are not yet reaching the local communities. For example in Nepal, which is an international eco-tourism destination of repute, 69% of the earnings from tourism never reaches the country, 31% stops in Kathmandu and a mere 1.2% is spent in the villages which tourists pass on their way to Chitwan National Park or the Annapurna Sanctuary. The same situation exists in Kenya’s Maasai Mara Reserve where $11 million revenues are collected in three peak months of business, and 20% is supposed to go directly to the Maasai villages, but none of it arrives.

The dangers of negative impacts of ‘eco-tourism’ are very real, both to the natural environment, which is the attraction in the first place, as well as the local communities. This raises serious questions such as, ecotourism for whom? For tourists? Investors? Outfitters? Lodge managers? Locals? Or for biodiversity and wildlife?

 The answer, perhaps, is for all of the above. But that demands the highest moral and ethical responsibility and commitment from all the stakeholders in ecotourism.

Prof. Ajay Khare

Director,

School of Planning and Architecture,

Bhopal.

17^th November 2011

weblinks for ecotourism

http://www.planeta.com  (Ron Mader is an expert in ecotourism)

http://www.ecotourism.org.au/ (Australia is a leader in ecotourism)

http://www.ecotourism.org/ (There's an Indian society on ecotourism as well)

http://www.airlinecreditcards.com/travelhacker/top-50-ecotourism-websites/  (very informative link)

Thanks to Manjusha Mam for sharing these links to all..

Design issues

the site suffers an acute water shortage.. the design proposal therefore should look into this aspect..

Principles of ecotourism...

Principles of Ecotourism

Ecotourism is about uniting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel. This means that those who implement and participate in ecotourism activities should follow the following ecotourism principles:

• Minimize impact.
• Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect.
• Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts.
• Provide direct financial benefits for conservation.
• Provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people.
• Raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, and social climate.

Hello to all participants!! :)

Dear friends,
The blog is a platform to allow discussions about the student competition. We would like to answer the queries you might have about the design competition ..... Also you are invited to participate in by sharing information, opinion and ideas.