An Assessment of Environmental and Economic Effects of Tourism in Communities around Wli Waterfalls and Lake Bosomtwi in Ghana
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Date
2016
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Publisher
University of Ghana
Abstract
The study sought to assess the effects of tourism on the environment and economic
activities in the communities around Lake Bosomtwi and Wli Waterfalls. Methodology
used included analysis of water samples from the Lake and Waterfall. Satellite images
covering the period between 1990 and 2010 of land use around the Lake Bosomtwi and
Wli Waterfalls were also analyzed to see if tourism is affecting vegetative cover around
the Lake Bosomtwi and Wli Waterfalls. In addition, a social survey and detailed
observation of anthropogenic activities were also made to determine the perceived effects
of tourism on environment and economic activities. Also, the relationship between
environmental effects on socio–economic activities was investigated. Finally, the level of
participation of residents in the management of the tourism resources in their community
was assessed. Values recorded for physical parameters in the Wli Waterfalls were below
the acceptable limits for WHO standards for drinking water. The values ranged between
23.6oC to 27.9oC (mean= 25.8oC), 6.1-8.7 (mean= 7.5), 2.217μS/cm to 101.117μS/cm
(mean= 43.217μS/cm), 5.2NTU to 39.2 NTU (mean= 14.9 NTU) 8.6mg/L to 32.6mg/L
(mean= 15.9mg/L) for temperature, pH, conductivity, turbidity and TDS respectively.
With the exception of conductivity (1038 μS/cm to 1381 μS/cm; mean= 1263 μS/cm) and
pH (7.4 to 9.6; mean= 8.98), which were above the acceptable limits of WHO standards
for drinking water, the rest of physical parameters recorded in the Lake Bosomtwi were
also below the acceptable limits of WHO standards for drinking water. Coliforms
contents of both water bodies; 505cfc/100mL to 2208cfc/100mL (mean=1078cfc/100mL)
and 584cfc/100mL to 2603cfc/100mL (mean= 1248cfc/100mL) for Wli Waterfalls and
Lake Bosomtwi respectively were far above the acceptable limits for WHO standards for
drinking water. Values recorded for peak periods (festive occasions when influx of tourists was high) were slightly higher than values recorded for the lean periods (nonfestive occasions when influx of tourists was very low). The differences were however not significant. While vegetation cover around Wli Waterfalls experienced a diversity of changes that of Lake Bosomtwi was a continuous decline. Grassland coverage and built up/bare areas on the other hand increased throughout the study period for the two study areas. While the improvement in the vegetation cover could partly be attributed to tourism development at Wli Waterfalls, the decline at Lake Bosomtwi could however not be attributed to tourism development alone. Anthropogenic activities such as farming and expansion in settlements could also be responsible. Social survey and observations made indicates that the residents in communities around Wli Waterfalls do perceive tourism development to be having more positive effects than negative ones on their environmental and economic activities. Residents from communities around Lake Bosomtwi on the other hand perceive tourism development to be having more negative effects than positive ones on their environment. They also believed that economic benefits from tourism development are very minimal. The varied perceptions from the residents in two study areas may be due to the fact that tourism development at the Wli Waterfalls is still at the euphoria stage of Doxey‟s Irridex Model while that of Lake Bosomtwi is at the apathy stage. Responds from residents indicates that residents do not play any meaningful role in the management of tourism resource in their communities and that at best they are at the manipulation level on the ladder of citizen participation. Despite the concerns raised by residents, especially those from Bosomtwi, on the perceived negative effects of tourism on their environment and economic activities,
Description
Thesis(PHD)-University of Ghana, 2016
Keywords
Tourism, Wli Waterfalls, Lake Bosomtwi, Ghana