Special Guest event with Dr. Juraj Švajda

Welcome to Special Guest talk Growing Tourism and Recreation in National Parks: Adaptive Pathways for Biodiversity Protection and Conservation Outcomes

ANTS and FRONT research programmes welcome you to hear their visiting researcher Associate Professor Juraj Švajda's talk Growing Tourism and Recreation in National Parks: Adaptive Pathways for Biodiversity Protection and Conservation Outcomes (please note that the title has been updated) and participate in the discussion on Thursday, September 25th from 14:00 to 15:30 at Maisemasali (main library, 3rd floor), Linnanmaa campus.

Programme

Coffee & cake

14:05 Opening of the seminar

14:10 Juraj Švajda: “Growing Tourism and Recreation in National Parks: Adaptive Pathways for Biodiversity Protection and Conservation Outcomes”

14:35 Commentary: Prof. Jarkko Saarinen, Leader of FRONT, Geography Research Unit, Faculty of Science.

14:45 Discussion

15:30 Closing of the seminar

Please remember to register for the event by 24th September through the registration link.

Abstract of the talk

Tourism and recreation provide important benefits for national parks, from raising conservation awareness to supporting local economies. Yet visitor use can create ecological pressures, affect visitor experiences, and generate potential conflicts. This talk explores not only the environmental impacts of tourism in protected areas but also the effectiveness of various management tools in mitigating these impacts.

Drawing on research in the Carpathians, Slovakia, and international case studies, the presentation highlights approaches such as trail impact assessment but also examines visitor behavior, experiences, and perceptions, including social carrying capacity, conflicts, and factors influencing visitor patterns. The findings demonstrate that effective park management combines ecological monitoring with social insights, guiding sustainable visitor use while enhancing experiences and stakeholder support. Examples of low-impact design, adaptive management practices, and visitor-focused strategies illustrate how protected areas can balance conservation goals with recreational use.

This visit to Oulu provides an opportunity to exchange knowledge with local experts, compare northern and Carpathian management approaches, and foster collaborations on visitor impact monitoring, behavior analysis, and adaptive management strategies for sustainable protected areas worldwide.

Bio

Juraj Švajda is an Associate Professor at Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, whose expertise includes ecology, protected area management, and the social aspects of natural resource use. His research addresses biodiversity conservation and the impacts of tourism, and he participates in several international projects on ecosystem services and sustainable management.

His three-month visit to the University of Oulu has started in September. The research visit is jointly funded by the VisitANTS Come-and-GOulu and the Resilience Oulu Academy Mobility (ROAM) visitor programmes.

Register here by 24th of September.