LANDSCAPE LAB - Tourist Destinations as Landscape Laboratories - Tools for Sustainable Tourism LIFE04 ENV/FI/000308

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1 LANDSCAPE LAB - Tourist Destinations as Landscape Laboratories - Tools for Sustainable Tourism LIFE04 ENV/FI/ Project description Environmental issues Beneficiaries Administrative data Read more Contact details: Project Manager: Jukka JOKIMAEKI Tel: jukka.jokimaki@urova.fi Project description: Background Tourism is likely to become the largest single economic activity in the EU. It currently accounts for 5.5% of the EU s GNP. Environmental questions and the concept of sustainable tourism are considered under the EU Commission s Action Plan to Assist Tourism, and the Green Paper produced on the role of the EU in the field of tourism. Member States are currently attempting to control mass tourism so as to preserve popular areas. Several member states require environmental impact assessments to be made in connection with new tourism development projects. To manage the environmental impact of tourism, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have launched local visitor management initiatives. The LANDSCAPE LAB project sees tourist destinations as landscape laboratories, where tools for sustainable tourism are developed and demonstrated. The test ground is the Ylläs-Levi area in Finnish Lapland. Objectives The project would test the idea of landscape laboratories in the Ylläs-Levi area in Finnish Lapland. A tool-kit for assessing the sustainability of outdoor nature-based tourism would be created and demonstrated. A monitoring package of ecological, cultural and social indicators would be produced. The project would disseminate knowledge of the current state and evolution of the use of sustainable tourism management and land-use planning. This would help

2 prevent negative environmental impacts from tourism, improve the environment at tourist destinations and provide hardy plant species for possible restoration actions. A multidisciplinary planning and management forum would also be created. The project planned to deliver tools and practices to manage increasing tourism volumes. It is obvious that nature protection issues (regulated EU-wide) are receiving a larger role in the construction and expansion of tourism areas. Results LANDSCAPE LAB finalised all technical tasks as planned, and produced several reports about the effects of tourism on nature and landscape characteristics, nature based recreational activities, environmental attitudes and land use, that can serve as assessment and monitoring guides for sustainable tourism in Northern conditions. The project has delivered a lot of dissemination material and popular articles/reviews for the local and national Finnish media. However, though working towards the objectives, the project spent considerable time on background issues. Turning the extensive surveys and information collection into guidelines and recommendations, which could be used further beyond the project sphere, was difficult. The beneficiary is used to mostly sharing its findings with the scientific community. Therefore, the results are generally addressed the scientific community and institutions dealing with sustainable tourism issues but have also a direct value for the local expanding tourism industry and for the related land-use planning and infrastructure development. The number of visitors to Lapland is increasing, and tourist activities are expanding to more sensitive areas and are now taking place all the year round. The project delivered several decision-making and planning aids, which are area- and region-specific. It results could have a significant impact on how tourist areas are planned in the future. There is a demand for participatory planning and decision-making to manage conflicts of interest. A sketchy plan for the continuation of the aims of the project after its official end date was drafted. The plan referred to planned activities to maintain the project's results but also highlighted the scientific aspects. The project might be able to produce some practical tools for planning sustainable tourism in sensitive areas. Certain scientific aspects for example, studies on birds as early warning indicators did not deliver any immediate benefits for planners and decision-makers, but might prove beneficial in the long run. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Communication Plan (see "Read more" section). Environmental issues addressed: Themes

3 Land-use & Planning - Sensitive and protected areas management Land-use & Planning - Spatial planning Services & Commerce - Tourism and Accommodation Keywords landscape protection monitoring system environmental impact assessment sensitive area environmental impact of tourism Target EU Legislation Environmental management & assessment Directive 85/337 - Assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the enviro... Natura 2000 sites Not applicable Beneficiaries: Coordinator Type of organisation Description Partners University of Lapland Public enterprise The beneficiary is an academic institution. The department responsible for the implementation, the Arctic Centre, focuses on cold climate related issues. Geological Survey of Finland Forest Research Institute/Kolari, Finland Arktes Oy, Finland Forest Research Institute/Rovaniemi, Finland Rovaniemi Education Federation, Finland MTT Agrifood, Finland Metsähallitus (Forest and Park Service), Finland Game and Fisheries Research Institute, Finland University of Oulu, Finland Municipality of Kittilä, Finland Municipality of Kolari, Finland Administrative data: Project reference LIFE04 ENV/FI/000308

4 Duration 01-SEP-2004 to 31-AUG Total budget 1,801, EU contribution 896, Project location Lappi(Finland Suomi) Read more: Project web site Publication: After-LIFE Communication Plan Publication: Case study Publication: Case study Project's website (FIN, SW, EN) Title: After-LIFE Communication Plan (EN) Year: 2007 No of pages: 1 Title: "Successful growth of micropropagated ornamental tree forms in northern Finland" (486 KB) Author: H. Pihlajaniemi, M. Siuruainen, P. Rautio et al. Year: 2007 Editor: Dendrobiology, vol. 57, No of pages: 9 Title: "Territory occupancy and breeding success of the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)around tourist destinations in northern Finland" (144 KB) Author: M.-L. Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki, J. Jokimäki, E. Huhta Year: 2008 Editor: Ornis Fennica, Vol 85., pp.1-11 No of pages: 11 Title: "What determines the area of impact around campsites? A case study in a Finnish national park" (135 KB) Author: Katja Kangas et al. Year: 2007 Editor: For. Snow Landsc. Res No of pages: 12 Title: "Local participation in the evolution of ski resorts: the case of Ylläs and Levi in Finnish Lapland" (421 KB) Author: Seija Tuulentie and Ilona Mettiäinen Year: 2007 Editor: For. Snow Landsc. Res. 81, 1/2: No of pages: 16 Title: "Matkailualueiden kestävyyden indikaattorit" (4.448 KB) Author: J. Jokimäki, M.-L. Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki Year: 2007 Editor: University of Lapland No of pages: 82 Title: "Tunturinlaidan kylästä matkailukeskukseksi : Paikallisten toimijoiden näkökulmia Ylläksen ja Levin matkailukeskusten kehittymiseen ja vuorovaikutteiseen suunnitteluun" (5.737 KB) Author: Ilona Mettiäinen Year: 2007 Editor: University of Lapland No of pages: 126

5 Publication: Case study Title: Matkailualueiden kestävyyden indikaattorit. Author: Jokimäki J., Kaisanlahti-Jokimäri M.L. Year: 2007 Editor: University of Lapland-Arktisen keskuksen tiedottei No of pages: 82 Publication: Case study Title: "Pohjoisen matkailuympäristön kestävät kasvit" (4.270 KB) Author: K. Laine, H. Pihlajaniemi, S. Kananen et al. Year: 2007 Editor: Oulun yliopiston kasvitieteellinen puutarha, Lapin No of pages: 100 Publication: Guidelines-Manual Title: "Maisemalähtöinen maankäytönsuunnittelu luontomatkailukeskuksissa" (5.312 KB) Author: M. Uusitalo, P. Sarala, J. Jokimäki Year: 2007 Editor: University of Lapland No of pages: 90 Publication: Layman report Title: Layman report (EN) Author: Jukka Jokimäki & MarjaLiisa Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki Year: 2008 No of pages: 9 Publication: Proceedings Title: "Environment, local society and sustainable tourism" (2.674 KB) Author: J. Jokimäki, M.-L. Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki, S. Tuulen Year: 2007 Editor: University of Lapland No of pages: 126 Publication: Research findings Title: "Luontomatkailun vaikutukset kasvillisuuteen ja maaston kulumiseen Pallas-Yllästunturin kansallispuistossa" (2.635 KB) Author: P. Sulkava, Y. Norokorpi (eds.) Year: 2007 Editor: Metsähallitus No of pages: 75 Project description Environmental issues Beneficiaries Administrative data Read more