Re: The earlier post on Birds=$: Great news about the economic impact study
set to be released. Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO) consulted with
Professor Philip Xie / Bowling Green State University on the project, so
we're eager to hear the findings.
Ecotourism, or more specifically "bird-tourism", has become a major part of
BSBO's conservation efforts over the last few years. BSBO's primary goal
for the birding festival we host in spring is to generate support for
habitat conservation. Objectives include:
1) Quantifying the number of birders visiting the area
2) Collecting travel and economic impact data from visiting birders
3) Presenting these findings at meetings, conferences, et cetera
Of course, we focus first on ensuring a quality experience for participants;
we want them to have a great time so that they want to come back! We're
also doing our best to showcase all of the other birding areas in this
region besides the Magee Marsh Boardwalk. Yes, everyone should tread those
bodacious birding boards at least once while they're here, but we want
people to know that there are many other great places to go birding in
addition to Magee. As we spread birders out through the region, they're
introduced to all of the great businesses in the area, and crowding on the
boardwalk is reduced.
BSBO has put together a conservation business plan related to bird-tourism.
Components include:
1) Providing quality birder services to bring birders to us: free birding
area maps (made possible through generous funding from ODOW), migration
updates through multiple websites, Facebook and Twitter updates, and travel
information and discounts through our Black Swamp Birds and Business
Alliance.
2) Distributing "birder calling cards," and encouraging birders to leave
them at local business. (Not an original concept, but one BSBO has used
effectively!)
3) Our Black Swamp Birds and Business Alliance markets participating
businesses to birders around the world. The Alliance creates a powerful
network through which we can communicate to our business partners about ways
to provide quality services for birders. The Alliance also allows us to
educate businesses about conservation-minded practices and products such as
serving Bird-friendly coffee, NOT using Styrofoam containers, and so on.
4) Collecting travel and economic impact data from visiting birders
5) Presenting this data to community leaders, local, state, and federal
politicians-and anyone else who will listen.
In 2010, BSBO collected post-event economic impact data from participants in
The Biggest Week In American Birding. Using visitor data collected by Ohio
Division of Wildlife into Magee Marsh WA for roughly a one-month period
between mid-April and mid-May, we estimate that birders spent more than $19
million dollars in this area between mid-April and mid-May.
In 2011, visitation climbed significantly. Our data reflected visitors
stayed longer in the region and subsequently spent more, increasing that
figure for the same time period to just under $24 million dollars.
I cannot over-emphasize the effectiveness of leveraging bird-related
business to generate interest in birds and habitat conservation! We're
working closely with Black Swamp Conservancy (BSC is a NW Ohio landtrust
that's conserved more than 10,000 acres!) to get this information in front
of some of the people who need to hear it the most. Last spring, at the
peak of bird AND birder migration, BSC Executive Director Kevin Joyce and I
hosted a "marsh tour" and invited two bus-loads of politicians, community
leaders, business folks, and wildlife agency representatives to go out
birding with us. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur attended, and we had her on the
Magee Boardwalk for nearly two hours! Her aide said she'd rarely seen
anything that had captivated the Congresswoman so thoroughly. Since then,
birds and bird-related business has become part of the Congresswoman's
standard "bragging rights" about NW Ohio! How cool is that?!
Birds and birding have become a big deal for this region. I was recently
elected to my second term as President of the Ottawa County Visitors' Bureau
Board of Directors: a clear indication that the business community in this
area recognizes the importance of this resource to the area economy.
Businesses are opening earlier in the season, expanding their hours, hiring
more people. Together with our partners at the visitors' bureaus, chambers
of commerce, wildlife agencies, and Black Swamp Conservancy, we've
essentially built a tourism season where there hadn't been much happening.
And in the end, all of those bird-tourists may be the most effective
"weapon" we have in our bird conservation arsenal.
Sorry for the long post, but I thought it was worth sharing!
BIRDS RULE!
Kimberly Kaufman
Executive Director
Black Swamp Bird Observatory
13551 West State Route 2
Oak Harbor, Ohio 43449
419-898-4070
www.bsbobird.org <http://www.bsbobird.org/>
www.ohioyoungbirders.org <http://www.ohioyoungbirders.org/>
www.biggestweekinamericanbirding.com
<http://www.biggestweekinamericanbirding.com/>
Become a fan of BSBO and Ohio Young Birders Club on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/BSBOBIRD
www.facebook.com/OHIOYOUNGBIRDERS <http://www.faceboo.com/OHIOYOUNGBIRDERS>
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BSBOBIRD
BSBO is proud to sponsor <http://www.facebook.com/groups/BirdingOhio/>
______________________________________________________________________
Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.
You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]
|
