The effectiveness of these measures is a subject of ongoing monitoring and discussion.

The broader question of how much visitation the Roraima summit can tolerate without unacceptable ecological impact is one that does not have a simple answer.

The number of visitors is currently limited by the permit and guide requirements, and the social and economic benefits to the Pemón community from trekking tourism are real.

But the ecological limits of the summit ecosystem — how many visitors, in what patterns of movement and behavior, over what time periods — are not precisely known, and the precautionary approach would suggest erring on the side of more restrictive limits rather than waiting for visible damage to inform the decision.

The Age Of The Rocks And The Age Of The Mountain