378
environmental education, but it is also important
to further interpretation of mangrove ecosystems.
• Sites for recreation, such as ecotourism and
kayaking
Ecosystem health is vital to the establishment
and maintenance of the tourism industry. Dive
shops operate because of the presence of healthy
coral reefs and the opportunity to view corals and
colorful fi sh. The same is true for tour companies
that organize mangrove forest and coral reef boat
tours.
In recent years, ecotourism has become
increasingly popular, functioning as a source of
revenue as well as contributing to the conservation of natural environments. However, injudicious ecotourism can undeniably upset the natural
balance and lead to problems. As such, it is
important to consider the nature of different types
of ecotourism as well as their participant
capacities.
Compared with fi gures for 2002, the number
of tourists in Palau is increasing. Tourist visits in
2010 were said to number 90,000. Although
many tourists come to Palau to enjoy coral reef
seascapes, it is also true that mangrove areas have
been used for tourist kayaking activities. Careful
management to ensure the coexistence of tourism
with nature is thus necessary.
In Okinawa, much debate has surrounded possible ways to increase the number of tourists visiting the prefecture. In 2007, 5.9 million people
visited Okinawa, and moves to increase tourist
fi gures to 10 million have been implemented
since then.
Palau has a land area of 487 km
2 and a population of 21,000. In comparison, Okinawa has 4.6
times the land area of Palau (2,276 km
2 ) and a
population of 1.4 million people, 67 times of that
of Palau. When considering environmental
capacities, it is evident that Okinawa has a bigger
resident population and hosts a larger number of
tourists compared to Palau. While comparisons
between Okinawa and Palau should take into
consideration differences in their natural environments and the sizes of their ocean areas, it is
hoped that future approaches may be formulated
bearing in mind their respective present
conditions.
It is therefore vital to understand that tourism
industries cannot fl ourish without a healthy natural environment and attempts toward environmental conservation. Of late, discussions on the
ways in which tourism and nature may coexist
have begun in Okinawa, and attention should to
be paid to the ways in which such discussions are
converted into practical measures for implementation. It is hoped that such debates will be useful
to environmental conservation efforts in Palau.
Interdisciplinary discussion from natural and
social science perspectives will be useful in studies of the carrying capacities of tourist sites in
Palau for their sustainable use.
3.4
Economic Evaluation
of Mangrove Ecosystems
To make an economic evaluation of an ecosystem, its value must be divided into two categories: its market value and its nonmarket value.
The market value is defi ned as the value of natural materials and resources in an ecosystem and is
evaluated as a straightforward market transaction. In mangrove or coral reef ecosystems, for
example, the prices of resources such as fi sh,
shellfi sh, and crabs are used in this calculation.
However, insuffi cient data are available on such
market transactions. For Palau, statistics on fi sh
catches are lacking, and personal transactions
between fi shermen and consumers are common.
Environmental changes also affect fi sh catches
and market prices, but such analyses have not
been conducted.
The nonmarket value of mangrove ecosystems
is also important. This is the value of ecosystem
and/or cultural services. Environmental purifi cation functions, values of recreation sites, and so
on are included in this value. To evaluate this
nonmarket value, a replacement method must be
applied because no prices are assignable for these
values.
In order to evaluate the economic values not
only of mangrove ecosystems but also of any
natural resource, we must quantitatively recognize the environmental situation of the ecosystem
in question and its dynamics. Undoubtedly, this is
M. Tsuchiya et al.
environmental education, but it is also important
to further interpretation of mangrove ecosystems.
• Sites for recreation, such as ecotourism and
kayaking
Ecosystem health is vital to the establishment
and maintenance of the tourism industry. Dive
shops operate because of the presence of healthy
coral reefs and the opportunity to view corals and
colorful fi sh. The same is true for tour companies
that organize mangrove forest and coral reef boat
tours.
In recent years, ecotourism has become
increasingly popular, functioning as a source of
revenue as well as contributing to the conservation of natural environments. However, injudicious ecotourism can undeniably upset the natural
balance and lead to problems. As such, it is
important to consider the nature of different types
of ecotourism as well as their participant
capacities.
Compared with fi gures for 2002, the number
of tourists in Palau is increasing. Tourist visits in
2010 were said to number 90,000. Although
many tourists come to Palau to enjoy coral reef
seascapes, it is also true that mangrove areas have
been used for tourist kayaking activities. Careful
management to ensure the coexistence of tourism
with nature is thus necessary.
In Okinawa, much debate has surrounded possible ways to increase the number of tourists visiting the prefecture. In 2007, 5.9 million people
visited Okinawa, and moves to increase tourist
fi gures to 10 million have been implemented
since then.
Palau has a land area of 487 km
2 and a population of 21,000. In comparison, Okinawa has 4.6
times the land area of Palau (2,276 km
2 ) and a
population of 1.4 million people, 67 times of that
of Palau. When considering environmental
capacities, it is evident that Okinawa has a bigger
resident population and hosts a larger number of
tourists compared to Palau. While comparisons
between Okinawa and Palau should take into
consideration differences in their natural environments and the sizes of their ocean areas, it is
hoped that future approaches may be formulated
bearing in mind their respective present
conditions.
It is therefore vital to understand that tourism
industries cannot fl ourish without a healthy natural environment and attempts toward environmental conservation. Of late, discussions on the
ways in which tourism and nature may coexist
have begun in Okinawa, and attention should to
be paid to the ways in which such discussions are
converted into practical measures for implementation. It is hoped that such debates will be useful
to environmental conservation efforts in Palau.
Interdisciplinary discussion from natural and
social science perspectives will be useful in studies of the carrying capacities of tourist sites in
Palau for their sustainable use.
3.4
Economic Evaluation
of Mangrove Ecosystems
To make an economic evaluation of an ecosystem, its value must be divided into two categories: its market value and its nonmarket value.
The market value is defi ned as the value of natural materials and resources in an ecosystem and is
evaluated as a straightforward market transaction. In mangrove or coral reef ecosystems, for
example, the prices of resources such as fi sh,
shellfi sh, and crabs are used in this calculation.
However, insuffi cient data are available on such
market transactions. For Palau, statistics on fi sh
catches are lacking, and personal transactions
between fi shermen and consumers are common.
Environmental changes also affect fi sh catches
and market prices, but such analyses have not
been conducted.
The nonmarket value of mangrove ecosystems
is also important. This is the value of ecosystem
and/or cultural services. Environmental purifi cation functions, values of recreation sites, and so
on are included in this value. To evaluate this
nonmarket value, a replacement method must be
applied because no prices are assignable for these
values.
In order to evaluate the economic values not
only of mangrove ecosystems but also of any
natural resource, we must quantitatively recognize the environmental situation of the ecosystem
in question and its dynamics. Undoubtedly, this is
M. Tsuchiya et al.