David T. Schaller
Department of Geography
University of Minnesota
Since 1950, tourism has rapidly grown as an economic activity,
and it will soon be the world's largest industry. (Whelan 1991:4).
In recent years, increasing numbers of tourists have sought vacations
in which they can explore and enjoy wilderness areas. Little attention,
however, has been paid to a phenomenon following in the wake of
increasing public interest in the environment--the growth of "ecocenters."
Though similar in many ways to visitors' centers at national parks,
ecocenters usually focus on a particular animal species for which
the area is known. They typically are located in a rural town
adjacent to a popular nature or wilderness reserve and may be
considered important factors in the development of a tourism base
for the economy (Lewis 1995). In addition to the IWC, examples
of such ecocenters include the International Crane Foundation
in Baraboo, Wisconsin; the Sigurd Olson Institute's Loon Project
in Ashland, Wisconsin; and the National Bighorn Sheep Interpretive
Center in Wyoming. In Minnesota, there are also proposals for
a North American Bear Center and a White-tailed Deer Center.
Little is known, however, about the role such ecocenters play
in regional tourism. Several scholars have examined the role of
heritage centers in local economies (Johnson and Thomas 1992,
Hall and McArthur 1993), but these centers are clearly major attractions
in their own right. Ecocenters, on the other hand, are more likely
secondary attractions, relying to a great extent upon the touristic
appeal of the primary attractions--typically a nearby park or
nature reserve. Cassells and Valentine (1990) have proposed a
tripartite typology for nature tourism analysis in which tourist
activities are either dependent on, enhanced by, or incidental
to their natural setting. Modifying this typology offers a useful
means to evaluate the appeal of an ecocenter as either dependent
on its proximity to a nature-based attraction, enhanced by such
proximity, or incidental to it. The degree of this dependence
also highlights the extent to which the ecocenter itself contributes
to tourism visitation in the area. Location is clearly a critical
factor in an ecocenter's relationship with the nearby wilderness
area.
When choosing the site for its ecocenter in the mid 1980s, the
Committee for an International Wolf Center considered several
places, both in Ely and on Minnesota's North Shore. Though both
areas are gateways to the BWCA, the North Shore is closer to the
Twin Cities and attracts significantly greater numbers of tourists
year-round (Minnesota Department of Tourism 1994). The matter
provoked a good deal of debate among concerned parties (Feasibility
Report 1987). After weighing various criteria including proximity
to wolves and wilderness, site features, community support and
tourism potential, the Committee selected Ely (Committee for an
International Wolf Center 1988). In the early 1990s, the IWC constructed
its new facility on a hill several miles east of downtown Ely.
Also located at the site is the U.S. Forest Service's Kawishiwi
Wilderness Permit Station and a U.S. Customs Office.
Adjacent to the IWC is a 1.25 acre fenced enclosure, where the
resident pack of four wolves live. An observation window in the
Wolf Center allows visitors to watch the wolves throughout the
day. Within its 17,000 square feet is a 6,000 square foot exhibit,
"Wolves and Humans," donated by the Science Museum of Minnesota,
a small theater, a gift shop, and office space. Other activities
for visitors include naturalist-led walks, evening wolf howls,
and weekend educational programs. Admission in 1995 was $4.00
for adults and $2.50 for senior citizens and children.
The Wolf Center has gained considerable publicity in the regional
and national media. However, early projections of 113,000 visitors
annually have not materialized. In 1995, only 50,000 of the estimated
160,000 to 250,000 tourists to Ely visited the ecocenter. Elsewhere
in rural Minnesota, of course, the economic impact of 50,000 visitors
to an ecocenter would be considerable. In an existing tourist
destination like Ely, such an impact is more difficult to estimate,
since these visitors may have vacationed in the area whether or
not the IWC existed. Only after the Wolf Center's dependence on
its environs is known, however, can its economic impact on the
regional economy be assessed.
