Fig. 9. The Luquillo Experimental Forest Long-Term Ecological Research site. The Luquillo project in Puerto Rico analyzes ecosystem responses to increased tourism. Future development might damage coastal forests and wetlands, which include habitat for endangered species, important nesting beaches for leatherback sea turtles, and coral reef communities. The model's main internal drivers are economic, ethical, political, social, and ecological sustainability. External drivers include sun, rain, natural forest, and a world pool of tourists (purple circle). The model indicates that different stakeholder groups, including local residents, policy makers, tourists, the media, and private industry, will shape the pace and extent of ecological impacts by tourism-related development. The model presents a feedback loop between tourism development and the state of natural resources, because the quality of coral reefs and fish populations determines the number and kind of tourists who will visit the area.

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