In pursuit of the perfect nature backdrop, some selfie-loving tourists are doing more harm than good to the places that inspire them.
At the Terre Bleu farm near Milton, Ont., thousands of lavender plants paint the grass in long lines of purple. They make a striking image鈥攐ne that draws crowds of people who are looking to find a unique location for photos to post on social media.
But some guests don鈥檛 just leave with beautiful photos. Sometimes, they leave crushed bulbs and flattened stalks in their wake.
It鈥檚 a trend that is increasing, from rural farms in Ontario to the stunning tulip fields of The Netherlands. As more users flock to Instagram and other social media platforms, picturesque locations see a boom in visitors that isn鈥檛 always positive.
Ian Baird, one of the owners of Terre Bleu, says he is tired of seeing people step on his flowers in their attempt to one-up the next person with a creative photography angle.
鈥淲e love it when they鈥檒l sit next to the lavender and carefully respect the lavender,鈥� Baird told 麻豆影视 Kitchener. 鈥淏ut you鈥檒l find people lie in the lavender and crush it. Once it's crushed, we can't harvest it.鈥�
If staff see this happening, they ask visitors to refrain from disturbing the lavender. But Baird said people often respond by saying, 鈥渙h, well, I paid to come in here.鈥�
The farm understands that the beauty of the lavender fields is one of its main draws.
An art installation called 鈥淭he Big Yellow Door鈥� 鈥� aptly named, as it consists of a bright yellow door standing alone in the middle of the lavender field 鈥� is one of the most popular photograph destinations for visitors to the farm. And Terre Bleu鈥檚 website has specific guidelines for photographs laid out, encouraging amateur photography and detailing how to get a permit for professional photography shoots, such as engagement or wedding shoots.
But the farm hopes that visitors don鈥檛 just come for an aesthetic experience. They want visitors to feel connected to nature.
鈥淭he attraction should be a love of lavender,鈥� said Rachel Romero, a visitor to the farm who agrees with Baird鈥檚 frustrations. 鈥淪o when people are walking over what they are coming to photograph, it seems a little counterintuitive.鈥�
When the hills of a Southern Californian city lit up with huge swathes of orange poppies in March of this year, so many tourists travelled to the area to take photos and take in the stunning colours that the area was closed down. Law enforcement from neighbouring jurisdictions had to be called in to manage traffic.
Tourism site Holland.com posted a reminder in May asking visitors to the Dutch countryside to keep their selfies 鈥渢ulip-friendly鈥� by staying outside of the flower fields themselves.
And a sunflower field in Hamilton had to put up signs in 2018 telling people they were not allowed to take photos after amateur photographers wading into the field left trampled flowers in their wake.
That tale is a familiar one to Terre Bleu, which also grows sunflowers. They say their bright yellow flowers have been damaged by visitors as well this summer.
鈥淲e really do want people to visit and see the beautiful flower(s),鈥� Baird said. But, he stressed, guests should remember that Terre Bleu isn鈥檛 a movie set or a static backdrop.
鈥淲e are a farm,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ot a botanical garden and not a photoshoot.鈥�
