Abstract

GARCIA SIERRA, JORGE HUGO  and  RAMIREZ CARDONA, JESICA LEANDRA. STUDY OF ENVIRONMENTAL LOAD CAPACITY UNIVERSIDAD TECNOLOGICA DE PEREIRA BOTANICAL GARDEN. Luna Azul [online]. 2011, n.32, pp.95-113. ISSN 1909-2474.

The environmental load capacity studies have been developed both nationally and internationally mainly in protected areas but their application in botanical gardens assumes equal importance while bringing about, in the same way as in the first ones, the establishment of criteria that promotes harmony between the fulfillment of conservation objectives with those related to eco-tourism and environmental education. From this perspective, with the development of this study, it is intended to contribute to the harmonic fulfillment of the objectives at Universidad Pedagógica de Pereira Botanical Garden (UTP- BG) thus generating an update to the "Determination of the tourist load capacity", process that had been carried out in 2002. The study attempts to present in this way, a brief theoretical and normative contextualization of the topic, as well as a specific contextualization of the area of study with the purpose of approaching to a greater knowledge and understanding of the situation that wants to be dealt with. From the methodological viewpoint, the contributions from the "Tourism Load Capacity Methodology" are taken up complemented with another conceptualization about eco-systemic and administrative aspects and using a greater objectiveness rigor. Three phases are presented: firstly the touristic phase that takes into consideration the physical capacity in terms of time and space for eco-touristic activities and some correction factors related with the visitors' satisfaction; secondly, one taking into consideration the eco-systemic resilience also applying the respective correction factors, and finally an environmental one which puts together the previous two, retaking the UTP-BG institutional capacity for management and operation of the area.

Keywords : Environmental load capacity; Botanical Garden; ecosystems resilience; management capacity; tourism.

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