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The Social Impact of Tourism on Small Rural Communities-Apuseni

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The Social Impact of Tourism on Small Rural Communities-Apuseni The Social Impact of Tourism on Small Rural Communities - Apuseni Mountain Region, Romania A thesis submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture in School of Architecture and Interior Design of the college of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning by Benjamin Romero B.A. Miami University May 2018 Committee Chair: Michael McInturf, AIA Abstract Romania’s cultural heritage and natural environment are some of the country’s strongest assets. The country has several UNESCO World Heritage sites and the Transylvania region is rich with history. The natural landscape is home to almost half of Europe’s brown bears, wolves, and lynx. Though the rural regions of the country have these valuable amenities, it is challenged with many issues including illegal logging; poor public infrastructure; poverty; and depopulation. This thesis aims to review the possibilities that tourism has to improve the economy and welfare of local communities in the rural mountains of Romania. Through the review of case studies and literature, the possible pros and cons of tourism on the environment and local host communities is established and is summarized. The findings suggest that when planned and managed properly, tourism has the capacity to elevate local revenue and ecological preservation. This research is used to establish a responsive framework for a program and design proposal for sites located in and near the small commune of Pietroasa in Bihor County. A few miles outside of the commune, a previously disturbed site in the Apuseni Natural Park is proposed to be restored with environmental sensitivity as well as be the location of a lodge for tourists to experience the protected natural park and surrounding area. These buildings are proposed to be prefabricated off site, in the town of Pietroasa. This fabrication building has the capacity to also facilitate other program, including education and training space. Additional program is proposed to further attract tourists, housed in mixed-use buildings, organized around a public square that will both benefit the local community and attract outside visitors. ii iii Table of Contents Introduction / Brief Romanian History 1 Apuseni Mountain Region: Assets and Issues 3 Assets 3 Issues 3 Tourism: Types and Definitions 8 Rural Tourism 8 Agricultural Tourism 9 Ecological Tourism 9 Active Tourism 11 Volunteer Tourism 11 Slow Tourism 13 Sustainable Tourism 14 Case Studies: Effect of Rural Tourism on Local Households 15 Oolong Nature Reserve, China 15 Findings - Oolong Nature Reserve, China 16 Six Countries, Southern Africa 18 Findings - Six Countries, Southern Africa 19 Costa Rica 19 Findings - Costa Rica 20 Tourism Opportunities Appropriate For The Apuseni Mountain Region 22 Project Proposal 23 Bibliography 29 iv List of Illustrations Illustration 1. Regional statistics - Illustration by Author. 5 Illustration 2. Ecological Tourism - Illustration by Author. 10 Illustration 3. Active Tourism - Illustration by Author. 11 Illustration 4. Volunteer Tourism - Illustration by Author. 13 Illustration 5. Slow Tourism - Illustration by Author. 14 Illustration 6. Apuseni Natural Park - Illustration by Author. 25 Illustration 7. Apuseni Natural Park, Tourist Lodging - Illustration by Author. 26 Illustration 8. Connectivity to Glăvoi campground and proposed lodging - Illustration by Author. 27 Illustration 9. Proposed site in Pietroasa - Illustration by Author. 27 Illustration 10. Proposed mixed-use buildings and town square - Illustration by Author. 28 v Introduction / Brief Romanian History The Apuseni region of Romania is full of rich culture, pristine landscapes, and is home to a large and biodiverse population of flora and fauna. The region also faces problems of illegal logging, poverty, and depopulation. This thesis aims to explore the possibilities that tourism can offer, to both be able to capitalize from the natural amenities offered as well as alleviate the pressures that simultaneously plague the region. To understand the current climate of the rural parts of Romania, a brief summary of recent Romanian history will help give context to both how the region is in its current state as well as help acknowledge and learn from the mistakes of the past. In 1948, Romania, became a satellite of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and was governed by a communist regime from 1948 to 1989.1 Teodorescu et al. state that “after 1960 there was the desire of territory systematization so that urban infrastructure costs should be optimal, being performed through reducing urban dispersion, by building vertically and by providing a large number of houses for a growing number of inhabitants”.2 There was a strong emphasis on the efficiency of infrastructure, mainly focused in urban areas, leaving rural regions of the country with little investment in regards to improved public infrastructure such as roads, schools, and utilities. Nicolae Ceauşescu, the communist regime leader from 1965 to 1989, was over thrown in 1989 during a country wide revolution. This revolution started the transition of Romania from a communist state to a more democratic republic.3 As of 2007, Romania has been part of the European Union.4 The rural mountainous regions of Romania make up 37.9% of the nation’s territory and is home to 15.4% of the country population.5 More specifically to the area of focus, The Apuseni Mountains, make up 1 David Turnock et al., Encyclopedia Britannica, s.v. “Romania” December 2017. url: https://www.britannica.com/place/Romania 2 Camelia Teodorescu et al. “Proposal For Functional Conversions - Faur Area, Bucharest.” Urbanism. Arhitectura. Constructii 7, no. 2(2016): 137-38. url: https://search.proquest.com/docview/1771406219? 3 Turnock et al., Encyclopedia Britannica, s.v. “Romania.” 4 Mariana Nae and David Turnock, “The New Bucharest: Two Decades of restructuring.” Cities 28, no. 2 (2011): 206. url: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2010.04.004 1 15% of the rural mountain territory and about 22% of the total rural mountain population. The Apuseni region is made up of a total of 850 villages governed within 122 communes.6 In The Population In The Apuseni Mountains Area: Past, Present and Perspectives (1900-2030), Plăiaş et al. describe the process in which small pockets of domestication occur throughout the region over the course of the past centuries, allowing for the formation of a cultural identity. “This domestication of the mountain was initiated through, deforestation, by needs and means, the result being a void, a clean place, used for creating household and its dependencies, which then turned into pastures and cultivated areas. A more numerous family created another void, for another household and so, by successive steps a grove was created, which included all the members of the family with a common ancestor, common name, name that was then given to the location which turned into a village with a pastoral and forest base economy”.7 Knowledge of the demographic and historical context of the region is needed to properly understand how to leverage the amenities the region has to offer as well as address the issues that exist today. 5 Ioan Plăiaş et al., “The Population In The Apuseni Mountains Area: Past, Present and Perspectives (1900-2030).” Revista Română de Sociologie (2016): 279. url: https://doaj.org/article/121827bc17794a57a5d3bed2765540d0 6 Plăiaş, “The Population In The..,” 280. 7 Ibid: 280. 2 Apuseni Mountain Region: Assets and Issues Assets The Apuseni region has many attributes that are unique from other European Union members and neighboring countries. “The Carpathian Mountains, sweeping in a big arc through Romania, have vast tracts of virgin forest, home to almost half of Europe’s wild population of brown bears, wolves and lynx”.8 The virgin forests and unique foliage not only create an invaluable habitat for the large mammals mentioned, but also for migratory birds. The entirety of the Apuseni Nature Park is designated as a Natura 2000 site to conserve the habitat and protect migratory birds. Natura 2000 is a directive of the European Commission that is applied to all European Union members. These designated sites are not strictly nature reserves but rather the “approach to conservation and sustainable use of the Natura 2000 areas is much wider, largely centered on people working with nature rather than against it”.9 In additional to the wildlife, the region is home to other amenities that tourists are drawn to. The karstic character of the landscape has allowed for the formation of complex cave systems and scenic gorges. Cocean states that “karstic gorges occupy one of the leading positions among the touristic resources, natural or anthropogenic, of the Apuseni Mountains. In fact, three main touristic resources can be identified in this region: caves, karstic gorges and cultural heritage”.10 One aspect of the cultural heritage that Cocean is referring to is the number of UNESCO world heritage sites in the region as well as the cultural richness of Transylvanian. Issues Though the Apuseni region has many strong assets and attractive qualities, it also faces many issues that would have to be addressed if some form of tourism is to be successful. The issues range from illegal logging, poor public infrastructure, poverty, and depopulation. 8 Laurence Peter, “Romania Acts to Save Forests from Logging Spree.” BBC News, May 21, 2015. Accessed December 2017. url: www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32792314. 9
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