Small sight—Big might: Economic impact of bird tourism shows opportunities for rural communities and biodiversity conservation

have increased by 20% between 2011 and 2016, outpacing participation in hunting and fishing [2]. Wildlife-related tourism can provide direct benefits to wildlife and wildlife conservation efforts if tourists engage as conservation partners during their activities within a given place [3]. As the conservation of biological diversity becomes a global priority in the face of climate change, opportunities exist to highlight the relationship between wildlife-related tourism, eco- nomic diversification for communities, and conservation action. Among increasing wildlife-related tourists in the U.S., birdwatchers, also called birders, have seen steady increases in participation and are considered the world’s largest group of “eco-tourists” [4]. Birdwatchers can also include local residents within a community. Birding can be defined as “observation, identification, and photography of birds for recreational pur- poses” [5]. Birding tourism, like many wildlife tourism activities, requires interaction between a visitor and a local community and depends on the ecological integrity of a specific location to support the bird species that draw tourists to a particular place. Many of the places that draw birding tourism are also remote, requiring significant expenditures to access. Studies show that birding tourists tend to be well-educated, wealthy, and committed to their chosen tourism activity [6]. The growth and popularity of birding has provided new revenue to rural communities, regions, and countries [6,7]. Expenses related to wildlife viewing in the U.S. increased 29%

from 2011 to 2018 [2]. In 2016, there were 45 million birders in the U.S. spending $39 billion on travel and equipment aimed at observing birds [6]. Thus, tourism experiences can be enhanced by the conservation activities within a given community that in turn strengthens a model of economic development based on ecological integrity. Growth in wildlife viewing is also happening at a time of unprecedented declines in global biodiversity [8]. Effective and immediate conservation action at a global scale is required to reduce and halt the decline [8,9]. Alaska, is one of the few remaining storehouses of intact habitat and complete wildlife assemblages. Thus, Alaska plays a central role in global conservation action [9]. It is home to the world’s largest concentration of shore birds and is a globally significant breeding hotspot for migratory birds. Alaska supports over one third of the world’s shorebird populations some of which breed nowhere else and are threatened by habitat loss and climate change [10]. Alaska’s high-quality bird habitat provides unmatched viewing opportunities for rare and threatened species. Over 550 species of birds have been documented across Alaska’s vast land- scape [11,12]. Alaska also holds the most globally-significant Important Bird Areas (IBAs) of any U.S. state. Many of Alaska’s Important Bird Areas do not have conservation status and thus are not protected [13]. Yet, IBAs are essential places or habitat for birds’ nesting, foraging, and migrating [14]. While birds can be observed in Alaska year-round, the best birding season extends from

May until September, overlapping with the presence of migratory birds for which Alaska serves as a globally important migratory stop-over and breeding ground [11,15]. Most bird- watchers visit Alaska in June followed by July and August [16]. Between 2001 and 2019, the number of users of ebird, a citizen science bird observation app, increased nine-fold for sub- missions in Alaska [17]. Similarly, the reported average birding effort per birder has increased from five submissions per birder in 2008 to over 40 submissions per birder in 2020 [17]. Despite increasing birdwatching trends in Alaska, relatively little is known about bird tour- ism’s influence on Alaska’s regional economies. Such information informs policy supporting bird habitat conservation and sustainable economic development. Nature-based tourism is often seen as a tool for habitat conservation in regions that are economically disadvantaged and where investments into e.g. local transportation infrastructure can both serve local com- munities and a growing visitor industry [18]. Given immediate global habitat conservation needs, Alaska can diversify local economies and attract new revenue for the remote regions of PLOS ONE Economic impact of bird tourism in Alaska PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0268594 July 6, 2022 2 / 18