title: Responsible nature-based tourism: Rotorua Canopy Tours in the Dansey Road Scenic Reserve in New Zealand; a critical review

authors: Senarathna, Dinesha Rasanjalie

subjects: Nature-based tourism

abstract: The overall objective is to examine whether the Rotorua Canopy Tours (RCTs) in the Dansey Road Scenic Reserve (DRSR) follows the rules of sustainability. Tourism is primarily based on the natural environment because it plays a vital role for attracting tourists to various destinations. Consequently, massive tourist demand creates a huge stress on the natural environment. This has resulted in creating different concepts from time to time such as sustainable tourism, responsible tourism, ecotourism and ethical tourism in order to salvage the environment from tourism’s often predatory practices. New Zealand is popular as a clean and green country which has led to dramatic tourist flows to its unspoiled natural environments. This enormous demand emphasises the necessity for responsible nature-based tourism. My research seeks to discover whether any efforts are being made to render attractions more environmentally friendly. Such actions should ensure that commodification of the environment does not jeopardize its long-term sustainability.
This research uses a case study, RCTs, as an activity in the nature-based tourism sector to determine whether it offers a sustainable form of tourism. The research site in the DRSR was selected because it is known as the only native forest zipline canopy tour in New Zealand and brands itself as nature-friendly. This research focuses on how its owners conduct their activities and how they direct tourists to behave responsibly when on tour, in order to determine whether they fulfil the requirements of responsible nature-based tourism. The study scrutinizes how they discourse about the activities they have set up and their environmental consequences. It also examines how the conservation programme run by the Department of Conservation that they collaborate with addresses responsible tourism.
A qualitative research methodology was used for this research because my interest was in obtaining social perspectives and attitudes of the people involved in the commodification of nature. I was particularly interested about how they conceive responsible nature tourism and how they believe it can be implemented. Such issues are difficult to understand when using statistical or other quantitative methods and analysis. Critical discourse analysis was applied for data analysis. Both pros and cons have been identified in the various perceptions of key stakeholders on implementing sustainability principles to nature-based tourism. Even though the operators are making efforts to conserve the native birds, they need to have support of other stakeholders to make it effective and productive.

text: Responsible nature-based tourism: Rotorua Canopy Tours in the Dansey Road Scenic Reserve in New Zealand; a critical review The overall objective is to examine whether the Rotorua Canopy Tours (RCTs) in the Dansey Road Scenic Reserve (DRSR) follows the rules of sustainability. Tourism is primarily based on the natural environment because it plays a vital role for attracting tourists to various destinations. Consequently, massive tourist demand creates a huge stress on the natural environment. This has resulted in creating different concepts from time to time such as sustainable tourism, responsible tourism, ecotourism and ethical tourism in order to salvage the environment from tourism’s often predatory practices. New Zealand is popular as a clean and green country which has led to dramatic tourist flows to its unspoiled natural environments. This enormous demand emphasises the necessity for responsible nature-based tourism. My research seeks to discover whether any efforts are being made to render attractions more environmentally friendly. Such actions should ensure that commodification of the environment does not jeopardize its long-term sustainability.
This research uses a case study, RCTs, as an activity in the nature-based tourism sector to determine whether it offers a sustainable form of tourism. The research site in the DRSR was selected because it is known as the only native forest zipline canopy tour in New Zealand and brands itself as nature-friendly. This research focuses on how its owners conduct their activities and how they direct tourists to behave responsibly when on tour, in order to determine whether they fulfil the requirements of responsible nature-based tourism. The study scrutinizes how they discourse about the activities they have set up and their environmental consequences. It also examines how the conservation programme run by the Department of Conservation that they collaborate with addresses responsible tourism.
A qualitative research methodology was used for this research because my interest was in obtaining social perspectives and attitudes of the people involved in the commodification of nature. I was particularly interested about how they conceive responsible nature tourism and how they believe it can be implemented. Such issues are difficult to understand when using statistical or other quantitative methods and analysis. Critical discourse analysis was applied for data analysis. Both pros and cons have been identified in the various perceptions of key stakeholders on implementing sustainability principles to nature-based tourism. Even though the operators are making efforts to conserve the native birds, they need to have support of other stakeholders to make it effective and productive.

year: 2017

title: Direct extrusion 3D printing for a softer PLA-based bio-polymer composite in pellet form

authors: Singamneni, Sarat

subjects: polymer composite

abstract: Fused deposition modelling is the most popular method of 3D printing with a variety of polymers, but the raw materials are commonly in the filament form. Research has demonstrated the ability to use pellets for this process, which are easier to produce than filaments. Apart from the savings on the pre-processing, the approach also combines the good attributes of both injection moulding and 3D printing and referred to as extrusion 3D printing. Direct printing of pellets is especially suited for thermosensitive polymers, with which, repeated or excessive heating may lead to degeneration. Also, polymers that are too soft do not qualify for filament-based extrusion. PLA is a popular choice for fused deposition modelling in the filament form but is often too brittle. A softer version of PLA composite based on PBAT and cellulose fibres is proposed here for 3D printing. Considering the lack of stiffness of the filaments, direct extrusion from pellet form is evaluated. Regardless of form, the polymer material system satisfied the stringent conditions of consolidation as dictated by the dynamic combination of extrusion and rasterised material deposition. Experimental evaluation based on meso-structural and mechanical property analyses indicate the new pellet-based material system to be suitable and to perform well. The novelty of the material and process combination is that the printed samples were actually comparable mechanically to the injection moulded counterparts, which is an extraordinary achievement, considering the shortcomings typical of material consolidation in additive manufacturing.

text: Direct extrusion 3D printing for a softer PLA-based bio-polymer composite in pellet form Fused deposition modelling is the most popular method of 3D printing with a variety of polymers, but the raw materials are commonly in the filament form. Research has demonstrated the ability to use pellets for this process, which are easier to produce than filaments. Apart from the savings on the pre-processing, the approach also combines the good attributes of both injection moulding and 3D printing and referred to as extrusion 3D printing. Direct printing of pellets is especially suited for thermosensitive polymers, with which, repeated or excessive heating may lead to degeneration. Also, polymers that are too soft do not qualify for filament-based extrusion. PLA is a popular choice for fused deposition modelling in the filament form but is often too brittle. A softer version of PLA composite based on PBAT and cellulose fibres is proposed here for 3D printing. Considering the lack of stiffness of the filaments, direct extrusion from pellet form is evaluated. Regardless of form, the polymer material system satisfied the stringent conditions of consolidation as dictated by the dynamic combination of extrusion and rasterised material deposition. Experimental evaluation based on meso-structural and mechanical property analyses indicate the new pellet-based material system to be suitable and to perform well. The novelty of the material and process combination is that the printed samples were actually comparable mechanically to the injection moulded counterparts, which is an extraordinary achievement, considering the shortcomings typical of material consolidation in additive manufacturing.

year: 2021

title: Racism and bullying as correlates for considering ending psychology training in Aotearoa New Zealand

authors: Tan, Kyle K. H.

abstract: Despite global calls to enhance culturally safe care for Indigenous and minoritised groups, little attention has been given to exploring students’ experiences in psychology training programmes to meet these needs. A series of chi-square tests was performed to examine group differences for participants in the Kia Whakapapa Pounaumu survey (n = 107) in their consideration of ending their training and their decision to seek professional help. Over half (55%) of students reported having considered ending their psychology training. Our findings show that students who have experienced or witnessed forms of injustice such as institutional racism, microaggressions, and bullying, encounter additional barriers in completing their training. If psychology bodies wish to redress the harm caused to Indigenous and minoritised groups in the discipline of psychology, they must ensure the training programmes themselves do not perpetuate harm.

text: Racism and bullying as correlates for considering ending psychology training in Aotearoa New Zealand Despite global calls to enhance culturally safe care for Indigenous and minoritised groups, little attention has been given to exploring students’ experiences in psychology training programmes to meet these needs. A series of chi-square tests was performed to examine group differences for participants in the Kia Whakapapa Pounaumu survey (n = 107) in their consideration of ending their training and their decision to seek professional help. Over half (55%) of students reported having considered ending their psychology training. Our findings show that students who have experienced or witnessed forms of injustice such as institutional racism, microaggressions, and bullying, encounter additional barriers in completing their training. If psychology bodies wish to redress the harm caused to Indigenous and minoritised groups in the discipline of psychology, they must ensure the training programmes themselves do not perpetuate harm.

year: 2025