An investigation of human values: Building a foundation for indicators of ecologically sustainable tourism

This thesis introduces a landscape perspective to work toward developing a foundation of indicators of ecological sustainability for tourism. Three topics were used--human values, sustainability and indicators--as organizing themes for the literature review and the case study. In the literature the effects of human value systems on the economic, social, ecological and political dimensions of sustainability were examined. The role of education in achieving sustainability was reviewed also. The findings in the literature were then applied to a case study conducted in the summer of 1994 with local stakeholders in Waterton Lakes National Park and area. The following issues were identified in the research findings: land use and wildlife management concerns, lack of communication and trust between stakeholder groups, jurisdictional boundaries and economic priorities. These findings suggest human values toward human development and use of the natural landscape are fundamental to determining whether tourism is sustainable or unsustainable.