2.1.5 Environmental Protection& Carrying Capacity
Environmental protection and carrying capacity are key components in environmental development, Carying capacity refers to a point beyond which further levels of visitation would lead to an unacceptable deterioration in the physical environment and visitor experience. Fennel, (2001) defines it as the amount of use a particular area can absorb over time before there is an unacceptable impact to either other users or the resource base. The environment is valued as a resource that should be protected against extinction. Sum and Hills 0998) define sustainable environment as optimizing carrying capacity while allowing long term extraction of resources