Developing a culturally and ecologically sensitive ecotourism in a resource extraction-, consumptive recreation-oriented area

Ecotourism has widely been promoted for areas with abundant natural beauty and cultural resources as an economic development tool. While most frequently applied in developing nations. ecotourism may also be an appropriate economic diversification and conservation tool for resource-dependent areas located in advanced industrialized nations such as Northwestern Pennsylvania's Forest County. This paper looks at the formulation of an ecotourism that would be culturally- and ecologically-appropriate for a rural area traditionally engaged in timber and oil extraction. hunting, and fishing. This paper develops working principles as well as activities on "natural" and human-produced "cultural" landscapes for Forest County ecotourism. Such proposed ecotourism activities. while directed to Forest County are relevant to rural American. emergent ecotourism destinations whose names may not be instantly recognizable. but wish to capitalize on their comparative advantages in scenic resources relative to urban areas.