Academic Qualifications: 

PhD

Date joined Lakehead: 
2004
Previous Teaching/Work: 

Teaching

Teaching Philosophy

From the classroom, to online, to field base courses, the School of Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism provides an instructor with a variety of teaching opportunities.  In most of these instances, I have attempted to integrate different pedagogical approaches, this includes experiential education, technology, invited guest speakers, and integrating, where possible, community-service learning (CSL). Through CSL, students meet with various community leaders and stakeholders, expand their worldviews, and apply their knowledge to studies in the field, promoting independence and a truly unique educational experience. In each case, student groups work closely with organisations and/or the communities to develop research projects that are locally beneficial.  Some of these examples include a:

  • A collaborative project conducted with the Keepers of Anemki Wajiw and by students in OUTD 3715 (Aboriginal Tourism now Indigenous Tourism) which developed a draft code of conduct that ORPT students, faculty and staff can abide by, when traveling on the traditional territory of the Fort William First Nation.  
  • Working with the Red Rock Indian Band (RRIB) on a multitude of projects like examining tourism potentials like trails, discussing parks and protected areas, and sense of place studies.

 Courses Currently Instructed:

Research Interests: 

Parks management, wildlife management, trail management, last chance tourism, indigenous tourism, battlefield tourism

Refereed publications

Lemelin, R.H. (2019). Entomotourism and the stingless bees of Mexico. Journal of Ecotourism.
DOI: 10.1080/14724049.2019.1615074.

Lemelin, R.H., Boileau, E., & Russell, C. (2019). Entomotourism: The Allure of the Arthropod. Society and Animals Special Issue - The Silent Majority: Invertebrates in Animal Studies. 27, 733-750.

Lemelin, R.H., & Jaramillo, P. (2019). Orange, Black and a Little Bit of White is the New Shade of Conservation: The Role of Tourism in Monarch Butterfly Conservation in Mexico. Journal of Ecotourism. DOI: 10.1080/14724049.2019.1656726.

Lemelin, R.H., Beaulieu, M., Ratz, D. (2019). "Everything Changed!" - The Ramification of the Second World War on the Canadian North. Special Issue "The Future of Polar Tourism", Journal of Tourism Futures. ISSN: 2055-5911

Lemelin, R.H., Dampier, J., Harper, R., Balika, D., & Bowles, R. (2017). Perceptions of Insects: A Visual Analysis. Animals & Society. 25(6), 553-572. DOI: 10.1163/15685306-12341469.

Lemelin, R.H., Shruiff, S., Sampson, C., Anderson, C., Anderson, S., Danahy, J., Kolasa, Z., Vantil, K., Plows, M., Smith, S., & MacDougall, W. (2016). Videography and student engagement: The potentials of battlefield tourism. Historical Encounters, 3(11). Available online: http://hej.hermes-history.net/index.php/HEJ/article/view/54/41.

Lemelin, R.H., Harper, R., Dampier, J., Bowles, R., & Balika, D. (2016). Humans, insects and their interaction: a multi-faceted analysis. Animal Studies Journal, 5(1), 65-79. Available online: http://ro.uow.edu.au/asj/vol5/iss1/5.

Hvenegaard, G.T., Marshall, H., & Lemelin, R.H. (2016). Hot interpretation of controversial topics at Batoche National Historic Site, Saskatchewan, Canada. Journal of Interpretation Research, 21(2), 47-64.

Dampier, J., Shahi, C., Lemelin, R.H., & Luckai, N. (2016). Assessment of potential local and regional induced economic impact of an energy policy change in rural Northwestern Ontario. Energy, Sustainability and Society. DOI: 10.1186/s13705-016-0079-7

Smith, P., Golden, D., Audet, C., & Lemelin, R.H. (2016). Collaborative Research with First Nations in Northern Ontario: The Process and Methodology. Journal of Canadian Studies, 36(1), 81-105.

Books

Lemelin, R.H. (Ed). (2013). The Management of Insects in Recreation and Tourism. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

Müller, D.M., Lundmark, L., & Lemelin, R.H. (Eds.). (2013). New Issues in Polar Tourism: Communities, Environments, Politics. Springer, New York, NY.

Lemelin, R.H., Maher, P., & Liggett, D. (Eds.). (2013). From Talk to Action: How Tourism Is Changing The Polar Regions. Centre for Northern Studies, Lakehead University: Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Lemelin R.H., Dawson, J., Stewart, E. (Eds.). (2012). Last-Chance Tourism: Adapting Tourism Opportunities in a Changing World. Routledge, New York, NY.

 

In the News:
 

March 20, 2026

The Next Mountain Tourism Boom?

New Study on Via Ferrata’s Global Rise Prompts Call for Industry Collaboration

 

October 29, 2025

New Study Identifies Biggest Threats to...

Findings Have Implications for Regions in North America and Nordic Countries with Similar Climates