Nature
Lodge
Feasibility Study
Preliminary Report Introduction
Prepared by
Fermata Inc.
Ted Lee Eubanks, Jr.
President, Fermata Inc.
3011 N. Lamar, Suite 306
Austin, Texas 78705
July 26, 1999
Introduction
I contend that properly managed nature-based commercial
tourism ventures are the only real means of generating significant
levels of additional funding for protected areas . . . "David
Morgans"
At the invitation of Presidian, operating
under an agreement with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
(TPWD), Fermata undertook a preliminary analysis of a select group
of TPWD State Parks and Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) as to their
suitability for the development of private-sector nature lodging.
Fermata devoted this initial effort to a general assessment of the
primary factors that would influence suitability: nature resource
diversity and recreational opportunities, environmental sensitivity
and carrying capacity, social carrying capacity (both present and
projected), community support or opposition, and the perspectives
of existing staff.
For this initial
analysis Fermata Inc. first analyzed the secondary data (existing
TPWD information, and publications describing the attributes of
the specific sites). These data, in our opinion, are inconsistent
and questionable. For example, we found that annual visitation numbers
were of dubious merit (impacting our approximation of carrying capacity).
Second, we collected primary data through a series of interviews
with staff. Finally, Fermata Inc. personnel had first-hand knowledge
of each of the parks, and the firm relied significantly upon the
opinions and expertise of internal staff in judging the suitability
of specific sites.
These data are sufficient, we believe,
to allow Fermata Inc. to recommend a set of sites that are suitable
for a more extensive set of studies to determine their appropriateness.
However, both Presidian and TPWD must recognize that these assessments
are at best general, and significant primary data gathering and
analysis (consumer surveys, detailed visitation studies, nature
resource inventories) will be necessary before final selections
will be possible.
Bill Carter, writing in National
Parks — Private Sectors Role, stated:
"…the private sector has established a range of
largely transient services within protected areas (tours and some
retailing outlets) with permanent accommodation provided outside
the protected area. Despite the considerable business in operating
(and developing) accommodation and other facilities within protected
areas, the general trend is for the public sector to undertake this
activity itself or discourage this type of use. The result is that
facilities lag behind demand, carrying capacity is exceeded at peak
times, quality often does not match expectation and the laissez
faire approach to management continues with dispersed impacts."
Through our series of standardized
set of interviews, we experienced the entire range of opinions and
approaches described by Carter. Generally speaking, personnel associated
with the Wildlife Management Areas discouraged this type of use,
feeling that lands with Wildlife Management Areas should be excluded
from consideration for additional development. Conversely, most
State Park superintendents were supportive of the concept, yet questioned
the ability of TWPD to bring such a project to fruition. Many questioned
how the State Park itself would benefit from such a facility, referring
at times to recent experiences with similar entrepreneurial efforts.
Although not determinant, these opinions were integrated into the
overall assessment.
In the end, the four primary sites
recommended for additional study are relatively simple to identify.
In truth, these sites (in fact, complexes of sites) literally "jumped
off of the page." The staff at Fermata Inc. unanimously agreed
with these selections. In addition, the staff recommended three
additional sites or categories of sites that should be weighed for
their appropriateness.
Fermata Inc. specializes in resource-based
tourism, recreation, and education. From our perspective, nature
lodging should be resource driven, with programming being the prime
determinant in how the facility itself is placed, designed, and
constructed. The opinions expressed in this report, therefore, should
not be construed outside of this important set of parameters.
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