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 April 14, 2009 Overview Common concerns related to experience quality Illustrations from interviews with visitors Overview of strategies t and tactics ti Case studies of ways tactics have been combined Wilderness Experiences Outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation Crowding Loss of privacy Conflict Stress Types of Impacts Photo: Brad Johnson Photo: Lisa Eidson 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. Impacts to experiences are determined by several factors Frequency of use Spatial distribution of use Environmental characteristics Encounters Type of user & behavior Personal characteristics Overall Impact Amount/Frequency of Use There are far too many people up here 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. Church group of ~50 people at Snow Lake 1

2 Environmental characteristics Environmental characteristics Environment affects the number and duration of encounters Use level?? Encounters Visitor Experience Trailhead 1 mile Three Sisters Wilderness Encounters & experience Spatial Distribution of Use Photo: George Wuerthner Many factors influence the use experience relationship Major differences seem to occur between no encounters and a few encounters ber of Visitors Numb Marion Lake Pamelia Lake Distribution of Use, Mt. Jefferson 2006 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 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. 2

3 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. Behavior and Type of Use Impact 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. 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. Personal Characteristics Nature of the group and motivations Purists Expectations Strategies & Tactics to Manage Social Impacts Photo: Brad Johnson 3

4 Strategies for managing impacts 1. Modify user expectations 2. Modify type of use and/or visitor behavior 3. Modify location of use 4. Limit/reduce use 5. Modify timing of use Each factor can be influenced by management Frequency of use Spatial distribution of use Type of user & behavior Environmental characteristics Personal characteristics Reduce/limit use Modify location of use Prohibit/discourage behaviors, uses Modify location of use Modify user expectations 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 Side effects Photo: Brad Johnson Indirect Education Site manipulation Fees Direct Regulations Use limitation Tactics Modify User Expectations Tactics are mostly indirect Print materials One-on-one Often limited utility for some impacts 4

5 Modify Type of Use and/or Behavior 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 Sometimes can be accomplished by other indirect means 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 Tactics for Limiting/Reducing Use Quotas Limit the number of visitors Limit length of stay Limit/Reduce Use Sometimes the only effective way to reduce encounters However, not well accepted as a strategy for promoting solitude Potential for displacement 5

6 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 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 Mt. Jefferson Wilderness Jefferson Park Collected data over 3 years Collected trail & camp encounter data Documented ecological impacts at sites Photos: Greg Lief 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 - Three Sisters Wilderness 6

7 Three Sisters Wilderness (pre-regulation) Same monitoring data as Mt. Jefferson Encounters > standard Often, but not by a large margin Use increasingi Large proportion of use is day trips 1 mile Campsites Many sites near trails and water Many good sites away from trails/water What strategies might be appropriate? 1. Modify user expectations 2. Modify type of use and/or visitor behavior 3. Modify location of use 4. Limit/reduce use 5. Modify timing of use Limit/reduce use Decision not to limit use through regulation (quota) Avoid promoting Jeff Park Identify high use area on map Modify visitor behavior Campfire ban Trailhead information Enforcement 7

8 Site occupancy, Scout Lake Modify location of use # Nights Occupied Designated campsites If < 250 ft from lake Else, at large camping 48 nights of observation; 31 campsites 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 8

9 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 - Three Sisters Wilderness Same monitoring data as Mt. Jefferson Encounters > standard Often, but not by a large margin Use increasingi Large proportion of use is day trips Campsites Many sites near trails and water Many good sites away from trails/water What strategies might be appropriate? 1. Modify user expectations 2. Modify type of use and/or visitor behavior 3. Modify location of use 4. Limit/reduce use 5. Modify timing of use Tactics to modify location of use Campsite closure/restoration 9

10 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 Tactics to limit/reduce use Limited entry area 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 10

11 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 Three Sisters Wilderness (pre-regulation) 1 mile Three Sisters Wilderness (post-regulation) 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 1 mile Conclusions 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 Photo: Scott Stouder 11

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