The growth of rural tourism creates a paradox: the very natural environment that attracts visitors is often degraded by their anti-environmental behaviors. This study, employing a phenomenological approach, investigated the lived experience of local residents in rural tourism destinations regarding tourists' anti-environmental behaviors, revealing that this phenomenon extends beyond a mere ecological problem. The current research was conducted using a qualitative approach and the methodology of descriptive phenomenology. The study population comprised 14 local residents (male, female, farmer, accommodation owner, local youth, council member, indigenous individuals). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the selected participants using purposive sampling. Data analysis was performed using thematic analysis and phenomenological analysis and classified using the Max Qda (2020) software. Seven main themes were extracted from the analysis of participants' experiences: Imposition of Pollution and Ecological Decline, Socio-Cultural Tension and Erosion, Sense of Invasion and Illegal Ownership, Inequality and Precarious Economic Status, Residents' Behavioral and Motivational Responses, and finally, Management Void and Weak Supervision. Unless the damaged lived experience of local residents is recognized and addressed by policymakers, the development of rural tourism in these areas will not only fail to lead to sustainability but will also accelerate the rapid destruction of the region's ecological and social capital.