Implications of bird watching for the management of National Parks

This work explores the bird watching as the fast growing nature-based activity, which is often lost within a broader typology of nature-based recreation or within the wildlife viewing subgroup. The rationale for this work is to better understand this group within the broader framework of ecotourism and nature-based pursuits, as well as to understand the intra-group characteristics of bird watchers and their implications to the management of National Parks. More specifically, this work examines the significance of birds in both ecocentric and anthropocentric pursuits and the group of bird watchers. In examining the implications for National Parks I discuss natural resources management and visitor management, integrative management, various management frameworks, other tools assisting visitor management, park policy and management targeting birders, and marketing strategies for parks. Finally, I use Point Pelee National Park as an example of management for birding-renowned area and suggest ideas for future research based on gaps found in the literature.