Linking Culture and the Environment

M.E. Johnston and G.D. Twynam 105
by Dr P. Prokosch, who was in attendance at the St Petersburg meeting
(Prokosch, 1998). While the focus of the project was on tourism, the goals of
the WWF project clearly reflect a primary concern with enhancing support
for conservation in the Arctic and with recognizing the needs and rights of
local people (see Pedersen, 1998). Although not framed initially as a project
in sustainable tourism, these philosophical emphases and the practical
approaches used in the programme place this effort firmly within the sustainable
tourism movement.
Following a networking and information-seeking stage, WWF held a
conference in Longyearbyen, Norway, in January 1996 to identify ways in
which guidelines for Arctic tourism could be established. Participants
included tour operators, government representatives, tourism researchers,
residents of Arctic communities, members of indigenous peoples’ organizations
and other interest groups (Johnston and Mason, 1997). At this initial
meeting, participants drafted a memorandum of understanding that outlined
key principles for Arctic tourism guidelines, and proposed a process
for putting these into operation. This work was continued in August as a
smaller group refined the principles and began developing codes of conduct.
The project was described in a document entitled Common Ground. The
document discussed the nature of conservation concerns regarding Arctic
tourism, identified ten principles for environmentally and culturally appropriate
tourism in the Arctic and outlined codes of conduct for operators,
tourists and communities (Johnston and Mason, 1997).
The initiative to this point was focused on elaborating the principles for
Arctic tourism that reflect a commitment to sustainable tourism ideals. For
example, one emphasis is that tourism should recognize and respect local
culture (Johnston and Mason, 1997). The codes of conduct were intended to
provide rules of behaviour for operators and for tourists regarding their
interaction with the environment, wildlife and the people of the Arctic. The
codes identify specific actions that should or should not take place within
the context of the ten principles. For example, the first principle stated that
tourism and conservation should be compatible. The code of conduct for
tour operators states in relation to this principle that operators should: support
conservation; plan tourism activities so they do not conflict with conservation
efforts; ensure that clients understand the laws and regulations as
they apply to import and export products made from wildlife; develop an
environmental management plan for daily operations; and, do post-trip
evaluations to confirm that activities were conducted in an environmentally
sound manner (WWF, 1997). The code for tourists advised that tourists
should: support reputable, conservation-minded operators and
suppliers; get the necessary permits before visiting protected areas; not disturb
the wildlife and leave areas as they found them; follow the laws and
regulations that protect wildlife; provide feedback to operators on their
environmental practice; and, support and join in Arctic conservation
projects and organizations (WWF, 1997). Each point in the codes of conduct
is directly linked to a principle, providing a strong context and internal
coherence.