Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado: The Inquiry Process

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary
Introduction
Inquiry Process
Discussion
Conclusion
References

Executive Summary

Anthropology is the study of humans and their cultural, sociocultural, environmental, and geographical dimensions of survival in the past and present. Enhanced applicability of historical context nurtures traditional aboriginal production. It encourages reproduction, repetition, research, and recreation of items and sites to develop a worldwide presence and develop indigenous identity. Tourism is critical for heritage conservation and the sustainability of local culture. Culture is increasingly crucial to the tourism business, adding to its distinctiveness in a worldwide market. Conversely, tourism is crucial for fostering culture and producing cash that may be used to further the promotion and enhancement of national heritage, cultural activity, and innovation. Historic architecture and monuments can be considered an attraction for tourism growth, which functions as a platform for stressing the quality of the ambiance and recreation activities. However, the unregulated quantity and intensity of tourists regularly degrades the environment’s quality and jeopardizes the ecosystem’s functions of the national park.

Introduction

Anthropology is the science that examines people and their historical, sociological, ecological, and geographical facets of existence in the past and modern. Cultural anthropology forms the four subfields of anthropology: archeology, biochemical and biophysical anthropology, and linguistics. Evolutionary psychologists are experts in culture and individuals’ ideals, customs, and psychological and behavioral organization. As a conversation, a cultural legacy has been ingrained in a community through mythology and hallowed locations, and the creation of a historic environment. Cultural legacy components are progressively being converted into financial power, allowing towns, communities, and countries to participate in worldwide economic transactions such as barter and tourism. Increased relevance of cultural history fosters traditional indigenous output and promotes replication, duplication, exploration, and recreating of artifacts and sites to establish their place on the global map and generate local identities. This paper aims to develop an inquiry process into Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado by highlighting the impacts of tourism on the historical site and the residents’ local culture.

Inquiry Process

The relevant assertions explain why the elements and qualities of Mesa Verde National Park are significant enough to deserve national park unit classification. Arguments of importance explain why a particular topic is significant from a global, provincial, local, and comprehensive system perspective. These assertions are connected to the park unit’s mission and are backed up by facts, investigation, and agreement. For example, Mesa Verde, being the first national park devoted entirely to the achievements of prehistoric civilization, was instrumental in establishing the field of restoration archeology. This illustrious tradition stretches all the way back to the early years of the conservation area, with key publications by famous scholars, and it remains an integral aspect of park management today. In addition, the park being a historic preservation site, attracts most tourists from all walks of life.

Annual listings of World Heritage Site (WHS) assets and Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) components are published by UNESCO’s cultural delegations in Paris. Conversely, while the primary goal of these UNESCO acknowledgments is to protect and maintain these sites, they have frequently resulted in a considerable surge in travelers (Santa-Cruz, Francisco, and Tomás, 2017). The increase is particularly from neighboring nations to these locations, establishing a strong link between these designations and tourism (Santa-Cruz, Francisco, and Tomás, 2017). Thus, it is counterintuitive that, while UNESCO’s primary goal in designating WHS is to encourage their conservation and preservation, certain places place a higher premium on visitor growth (Dans, Eva, and Pablo, 2018). In this sense, heritage becomes a crucial factor in visitors’ decision to visit a specific area. Moreover, there has been a rise in concern about the effects of tourism on historical monuments in recent years. Thus, it is vital to bolstering scientific research on the features of heritage tourism.

Discussion

Tourism is an essential factor when it comes to historic preservation and the culture of residents. Additionally, tourism presents both positive and negative effects on heritage and cultural sites. The positive influences work towards the improvement and sustainability of the place. On the other hand, adverse impacts are seen to threaten the continued existence of the tourist attraction site. Under this section, the essay analyzes the various effects tourism has had on Mesa Verde National Park and the culture of people living around the cultural site.

Impacts of Tourism on Local Culture

Culture is becoming an exceptionally crucial component of the tourism industry, contributing to its uniqueness in a competitive globalized economy. Simultaneously, tourism is critical for promoting culture and generating revenue that may be used to promote and enhance cultural identity, cultural output, and creativity (Chen et al. 498). In both the short and long term, the influx of transient visitors with different aims and capabilities than the native population affects the local society and its people’s standard of living and culture (Chen et al. 499). Numerous beneficial and destructive repercussions have been recorded in areas where tourism has developed enormously. The higher the society’s reliance on tourism, the more likely inhabitants and the local tourist sector are to modify local customs and behaviors to accommodate visitors’ wants (Chang et al. 2). Any progress entails some degree of intervention with nature, and thus, overdevelopment is detrimental to nature. There is a possibility that the native flora and animals may be harmed. Local residents have been displaced due to a lack of coastal development.

With more individuals in a region, more ecological resources may be required, resulting in biodiversity loss. Landfill disposal issues arise, and if not appropriately addressed, they can deteriorate the situation (Chang et al. 10). Due to increased foot traffic, increased transportation, increased noise, and inappropriate, illegal dumping, pollution levels in the area rise, disrupting the region’s natural balance. Due to the region’s significant traffic, the infrastructure may not keep up with the increasing demand, resulting in overcrowding, poor cleanliness, and illness outbreaks among visitors and locals (Chang et al. 10). The presence of strangers in the region can disrupt the indigenous culture and cause discontent among the populace. Residents may adopt tourist-style lives due to the demonstration impact, resulting in the erosion of indigenous cultural practices (Chang et al. 12). Specific individuals may engage in illegal activity to profit from visitors, resulting in a rise in crime and anti-social behavior, as well as a degradation of cultural and ethical values.

Impacts of Tourism on Historical Preservation

A progressive feedback system defines the interaction between historic preservation and the condition of the surrounding environment. Historic structures and monuments may be viewed as a magnet for tourist development, which in turn serves as a vehicle for emphasizing the atmosphere’s quality and recreational areas. The unrestricted volume and concentration of tourists frequently harm the ecosystem’s quality and endanger the heritage ecological diversity. Therefore, the following, as discussed herein, are the various impacts tourism has on historic preservation. First, contamination within cultural heritage sites occurs due to inadequate environmental considerations in building designs, resulting in an unstable environment from an urban scape perspective (Sawant 2017). As a result, advertising for some activities such as motels, eateries, and recreational spaces that are established as profitable primarily results in the transformation of the surroundings, whether from an aesthetic or commercial standpoint.

Second, tourism aids in the repair and maintenance of historic structures and places. Thus, this is accomplished by collecting admission fees, merchandise sales, and contributions (Fu 2019). International tourism has boosted efforts to restore and preserve historical buildings and monuments in the USA. For instance, Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado and the Olympic National Park in Washington are among the most famous historical sites in the country. Lastly, increased affluence of economic operations, leisure time, and urban growth, alone or in combination, all exert pressure on historically significant locations utilized for tourist development, particularly those that incorporate natural habitats (Fu 2019). These forces may wreak havoc on the natural ecosystem through trash, contamination, erosion, plant biodiversity loss, animal eviction, and widespread misuse. When these issues grow prevalent, the affected region may be demolished.

Conclusion

The information that anthropology imparts is priceless, particularly in the interconnected age. Individuals from many origins come into incredible encounters in various situations, from tourism to movement and institutional work. Anthropology helps the study of every element of human activity. Furthermore, it enables individuals to understand themselves, their past, current, and future. Anthropology enhances the global community to communicate with one another. Culture is increasingly essential to the tourist business, adding to its distinctiveness in a worldwide market. Conversely, tourism is crucial for fostering culture and producing cash that may be utilized to promote further and enhance national heritage, cultural production, and innovation. For instance, numerous helpful and detrimental consequences have been documented in locations where tourism has exploded in popularity.

Tourism contributes to the rehabilitation and preservation of ancient buildings and locations. Thus, entry fees, retail sales, and donations are used to attain this. Mesa Verde National Park is a dynamic connection between the past and the present, reflecting the breadth of humanity. Verde’s protected areas serve as an environmental laboratory for studying the museum’s diverse species composition, natural environment, formation, and physical functions while preserving wilderness characteristics and stunning views. However, individuals may embrace tourist-style lifestyles due to the demonstration’s influence, eroding local traditional customs. People may participate in unlawful activities to benefit from tourists, increasing criminality, sociopathic behavior, and deterioration of moral and social norms. Additionally, the uncontrolled quantity and intensity of tourists regularly degrade the ecosystem’s integrity and jeopardize the natural variety of the cultural legacy.

References

Chang, Kaowen Grace, Hungju Chien, Hungyao Cheng, and Hsin-I. Chen. 2018. “The Impacts of Tourism Development in Rural Indigenous Destinations: An Investigation of the Local Residents’ Perception Using Choice Modeling.” Sustainability 10(12): 1-15.

Chen, Joseph S., Wei Wang, Oystein Jensen, Hyangmi Kim, and Wan-Yu Liu. 2021. “Perceived Impacts of Tourism in the Arctic.” Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change 19(4): 494-508.

Dans, Eva Parga, and Pablo Alonso González. 2018. “The Altamira Controversy: Assessing the Economic Impact of a World Heritage Site for Planning and Tourism Management.” Journal of Cultural Heritage no. 30, 180-189.

Fu, Xiaoxiao. 2019. “Existential Authenticity and Destination Loyalty: Evidence from Heritage Tourists.” Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, no. 12, 84-94.

Santa-Cruz, Francisco González, and Tomás López-Guzmán. 2017. “Culture, Tourism and World Heritage Sites.” Tourism Management Perspectives no. 24, 111-116.

Sawant, Madhuri. 2018. “Socio-economic impacts of tourism development at Aurangabad district.” Research & Consultancy, Marathwada University: Aurangabad, India. 1-8.

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