Canopy walkways for conservation: A tropical biologist’s panacea or fuzzy metrics to justify ecotourism
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Lowman, M. 2009. Canopy walkways for conservation: A tropical biologist’s panacea or fuzzy metrics to justify ecotourism. Biotropica 41:545–548.
Despite its shortfall in rigorous metrics, canopy access has been embraced by local stakeholders as an economic opportunity for forest conservation. Two priorities are important as tropical forests continue to undergo deterioration: (1) promote a new ethic, whereby biologists are encouraged to contribute their tools and discoveries to inspire sustainable economic ventures for local stake holders; and (2) configure metrics for success in conservation activities in terms of socioeconomic as well as scientific acceptance. When constructed and operated locally, canopy access systems may inspire useful outcomes: to facilitate critical ecological research, to bolster local economy, to inspire environmental education, and ultimately to encourage forest conservation at both local and global scales.