Strategies & Tactics for Managing Social Impacts in Wilderness

Transcription

1 Strategies & Tactics for Managing Social Impacts in Wilderness Dr. Troy E. Hall University of Idaho Overview Common concerns related to experience quality & their causes Illustrations from interviews with visitors Overview of strategies and tactics Case studies of ways tactics have been combined 1

2 Wilderness Experiences Outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation Photo: Lisa Eidson Types of Impacts Crowding Loss of privacy Conflict Stress Photo: Brad Johnson Right when we first walked in to where there s all those campsites, there was a crowd there and we don t want to be like next to everybody you know, camp right next to all them. 2

3 Impacts to experiences are determined by several factors Frequency of use Type of User & Behavior Envl. Conditions Personal Chars. Spatial Distribution of Use Intensity of Impact Area of Impact Total Impact Amount/Frequency of Use There are far too many people up here This is probably about as heavy use as we re going to for fishing It s beautiful, pristine, but at this point there are too many people It s early and there s already a ton of people up here There s a zillion cars and we passed a lot of people. 3

4 Amount/Frequency of Use Use level?? Encounters Visitor Experience Trailhead Obsidian Falls Three Sisters Wilderness 1 mile Amount/Frequency of Use Many factors influence the use experience relationship Major differences seem to occur between no encounters and a few encounters Photo: George Wuerthner 4

5 Spatial Distribution of Use Number of Visitors Distribution of Use, Mt. Jefferson 2006 Marion Lake Pamelia Lake Whitewater Duffy Lake Pine Ridge Triangulation Breitenbush Lake PCT South Breitenbush Woodpecker Big Meadows Crown Lake Maxwell Roaring Creek Cheat Creek Bingham Ridge Crag Spatial Distribution of Use Often management concern is for areas of concentrated use 5

6 Spatial Distribution of Use Day Use Destinations Every place that we found that was kind of an inlet was occupied by a camp group. So that was kind of disappointing. Spatial Distribution of Use Campsite Clusters Being camped near the other people did detract from our experience when you have people chopping incessantly and then there were a couple of 10-year-old kids that were running around and kept coming up to us and talking to us. They re kids, but that s not why I come out here. I didn t want to meet any neat kids. 6

7 Behavior and Type of Use Impact of others is often due to more than just the number of encounters Major factors Group size Mode of travel Behavior Behavior and Type of Use We ran into a few people on top of Horton Pass and that was the first people we had seen so that was cool. We talked about going up and how it was, we sort of enjoyed that. Then we came down and there were more people, just huge groups of people. We ran into a group of like 8 people. We really didn t interact with them, but it is sort of negative. You think, man, that s a huge group. 7

8 Behavior and Type of Use Between our near neighbors who were noisy and not particularly interested in abiding by the regulations and so forth, our camp experience was probably less than optimal Somebody abandoned the camp and just left the fire going Leaving a fire burning, it s criminal stupidity. Environmental Conditions Environment affects the number and duration of encounters Photo: Wilderness.net 8

9 Personal Characteristics Nature of the group and motivations Purists Expectations Photo: Brad Johnson Strategies & Tactics 9

10 Each factor can be influenced by management Frequency of use Spatial distribution of use Type of user & behavior Environmental conditions Personal characteristics Reduce/limit use Modify location of use Prohibit/discourage behaviors Modify location of use Modify user expectations The 7 strategies for management of impacts 1. Limit/reduce use 2. Modify type of use and/or visitor behavior 3. Modify timing of use 4. Modify location of use 5. Increase resistance of resource 6. Modify user expectations 7. Maintain and/or restore the resource 10

11 Considerations in selecting a strategy Know the problem Its causes Its extent Trends Select a strategy Consider factors that affect magnitude of impact Select tactics Specific tools Each strategy has multiple possible tactics Considerations in selecting a strategy Select tactics, based on Effectiveness Cost Visitor burden Repercussions for other areas (side effects) Photo: Brad Johnson 11

12 Tactics Indirect Education Site manipulation Fees Direct Regulations Use limitation Modify User Expectations Tactics are mostly indirect Print materials One-on-one Often limited utility for some impacts 12

13 Modify Type of Use and/or Behavior Tactics range from indirect to direct LNT Mandatory briefings Restrictions Can be highly effective for some impacts, not for others Modify Type of Use and/or Behavior Sometimes can be accomplished by other indirect means 13

14 Modify the Location of Use Designated campsites Site manipulation Tactics for Limiting/Reducing Use Education On site Off site Site changes Reduce trailhead parking Fees 14

15 Tactics for Limiting/Reducing Use Quotas Limit the number of visitors Limit length of stay Tactics for Limiting/Reducing Use Effectiveness varies Ability or desire to change the site may be low Fees may affect certain populations adversely Education is often not effective to reduce use 15

16 Limit/Reduce Use Limiting use is sometimes the only effective way to reduce encounters However, it is often not well accepted as a strategy for promoting solitude And it has the potential for displacement Limiting overnight use won t solve the problem in day use areas Limits may be a way to protect opportunities at low use places 16

17 Modify the Timing of Use Modifying timing of use is the same as reducing use during certain periods Therefore tactics are same as for limiting/reducing use Two Case Studies 17

18 Mt. Jefferson Wilderness Jefferson Park Collected data over 3 years Collected trail & camp encounter data Documented ecological impacts at sites Jefferson Park Encounters approaching standard Large proportion of overnight use Many campsites, heavily impacted Campsites highly visible around lakeshores Desire for tactics that accomplish multiple objectives 18

19 What strategies might be appropriate? 1. Limit/reduce use 2. Modify type of use and/or visitor behavior 3. Modify timing of use 4. Modify location of use 5. Increase resistance of resource 6. Modify user expectations 7. Maintain and/or restore the resource Limit/reduce use Decision not to limit use through regulation (quota) Avoid promoting Jeff Park Identify high use area on map 19

20 Modify visitor behavior Campfire ban Trailhead information Enforcement Modify location of use Designated campsites If < 250 ft from lake Else, at large camping 20

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22 Evaluation: Educational tactics to reduce use Costs? Low Burden? Low Effective? Can people comply? Yes Will people comply? No Improves conditions? Yes Side effects? Little concern Overall Assessment: Worth the cost Evaluation: Campfire Ban Costs? Moderate (enforcement) Burden? Initial visitor objections, but acceptance today Effective? Can people comply? Yes Will people comply? At this site, mostly yes Improves conditions? Modest effect on solitude Side effect? Positive benefit for resource conditions; little displacement Overall Assessment: Effective 22

23 Evaluation: Designated Sites Costs? Moderate Burden? Preserved freedom option; initial visitor objections, but acceptance today Effective? Can people comply? Depends, here yes Will people comply? Generally, if easy to find Improves conditions? Yes, improves solitude opportunities Side effect? Low. (There are enough sites.) Positive benefit for resource conditions Overall Assessment: Effective Obsidian Falls - Three Sisters Wilderness 23

24 Obsidian Falls Same monitoring data as Mt. Jeff Encounters > standard Often, but not by a large margin Use increasing Large proportion of use is day trips Campsites Obsidian Falls Many sites near trails and water Many good sites away from trails/water 24

25 What strategies might be appropriate? 1. Limit/reduce use 2. Modify type of use and/or visitor behavior 3. Modify timing of use 4. Modify location of use 5. Increase resistance of resource 6. Modify user expectations 7. Maintain and/or restore the resource Tactics to modify location of use Campsite closure/restoration 25

26 Tactics to modify location of use Camping setback (regulation) Tactics to limit/reduce use Educational efforts Training office staff Trailhead information Wilderness information specialists at trailhead 26

27 Tactics to limit/reduce use Limited entry area 27

28 Use Limits Limited day and overnight use 20 groups/day through trailhead Why 20? All available for reservation Available only at two ranger stations Possible due to access Maximized convenience Evaluation: Info/education to reduce use Costs? Low Burden? Low Effective? Can people comply? Yes Will people comply? No Improves conditions? Not really Side effects? Few, because not highly effective Overall Assessment: Marginal 28

29 Evaluation: camping setback to improve solitude Costs? Moderate (enforcement) Burden? Minimal Effective? Can people comply? If they can judge distance Will people comply? Not enough Will social conditions improve? Yes, for campers Side effects? Site proliferation Overall assessment: Immediate adverse effects on # sites; good improvement in solitude Obsidian Falls Three Sisters Wilderness (pre-regulation) 1 mile 29

30 Obsidian Falls Three Sisters Wilderness (post-regulation) 1 mile Evaluation: Use Limits to protect solitude Costs? High Burden? Least desirable Effective? Can people comply? Depends Will people comply? Usually (overnight) Will conditions improve? Solitude yes Side effects? Moderate Displaced those who don t like regulations Modified the timing of use Overall Assessment: Modest improvements in solitude; adverse effect on freedom 30

31 Conclusions Photo: Scott Stouder Conclusions Consider the magnitude of the problem(s) and the causes Consider a mix of strategies be creative Be clear what problem each action is intended to address Think about unintended consequences Displacement? Campsite impacts? Monitor the outcomes 31

32 Photo: Gordon Ash Questions? Troy Hall Conservation Social Sciences University of Idaho