Alabel, Sarangani Province — In a proactive effort to build sustainable ecotourism in the region, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) – Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of General Santos City held an orientation on the concept of carrying capacity for ecotourism on November 13. The event, held at the Protected Area Management Office of Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape, aimed to develop a strategic action plan to balance tourism growth with environmental conservation.
The orientation brought together conservation officers, local government units (LGUs), community groups, and other stakeholders who play a key role in ecotourism management, particularly in ecologically sensitive areas like General Santos City. With this collaborative gathering, CENRO-GenSan aims to incorporate carrying capacity guidelines into local ecotourism policies to ensure long-term ecological preservation.
During the session, Mr. Reynaldo Lanuza and Ms. Chona Tura from the Coastal Resources and Ecotourism Research and Development Extension Center (CRERDEC) in Cebu served as resource speakers. They shared insights on the environmental impacts of unregulated tourism activities, including risks such as habitat destruction, pollution, and depletion of natural resources. They emphasized that understanding and respecting the carrying capacity of ecotourism destinations is essential to sustaining these areas for future generations.
“Carrying capacity” was defined during the event as the maximum level of human activity an ecosystem can sustain without suffering irreversible damage. This concept is critical for regions like Sarangani Bay, where the natural beauty attracts tourists but is also home to fragile marine ecosystems.
The orientation was attended by CENRO-GenSan’s Conservation Development Section personnel and the Biodiversity-Friendly Enterprise (BDFE) People’s Organization. Together, these groups will play an instrumental role in advancing sustainable tourism practices that align with environmental preservation and community welfare.
By fostering collaboration across sectors and raising awareness about the significance of carrying capacity, CENRO-GenSan aims to create an ecotourism model that promotes both ecological sustainability and economic opportunities for local communities.
