recreation_climate (1)英文电子资料.pdfVIP

The Effects of Climate Change on Recreation and Tourism on the Prairies A Status Report Prepared by the International Institute for Sustainable Development International Institute for Sustainable Development Table of Contents Executive Summary 3 Introduction 4 Recreation and Tourism 4 Impact of Climate on the Mix of Recreation Activities 7 Climate Change Scenarios for the Prairies 7 Water Resources 8 Vegetation 8 Wildlife 8 Effect on Recreation Activities 9 Socio-Economic and Environmental Consequences of a Change in the Mix of Activities 10 Recommendations to Enhance Adaptation 11 References 13 International Institute for Sustainable Development March 97 - Draft Page 2 Executive Summary Outdoor recreation is extremely dependent on the natural resource base and the weather. The resource base determines what kind of activities take place - for example, without water people cannot go swimming or sailing- while the weather determines when the activity will take place. Recreational choices are not only affected by the weather but also by socio-economic factors such as cultural norms, levels of disposable income, school/other holidays, the attractions present and the attractions offered elsewhere. It is generally expected that temperatures will rise in the Prairie Provinces while there is less agreement on whether there will be more or less rain and snow. Higher temperatures, though, are expected to lead to lower water levels in the lakes and greater plant growth making swimming, fishing, sailing and water skiing less pleasurabl