Lands Adjacent to the Town of Banff Planning Project. Banff Resident Trail Recreation Survey 2001

Transcription

1 Lands Adjacent to the Town of Banff Planning Project Banff Resident Trail Recreation Survey

2 Prepared by: Melissa Mauro M.A. Student, Department of Geography Memorial University of Newfoundland Reviewed by: Dr. Alistair Bath Department of Geography Memorial University of Newfoundland August 30, 2002 A copy of this report may be obtained from: Parks Canada P.O. Box 900 Banff, AB T1L 1K2 A copy of this report may be viewed at: Banff National Park Library Warden Office 2

3 Executive Summary The Banff Resident Trail Recreation Study is part of the Lands Adjacent to the Town of Banff (LATB) planning project. The goal of the study was to develop a comprehensive understanding of Banff residents summer use of recreational trails in the area surrounding the townsite. The study objectives were to: describe residents trail use patterns; measure the relative importance of factors influencing these patterns; determine residents awareness of ecological concepts, issues and objectives related to human use management in the LATB; describe residents attitudes toward selected aspects of human use management in general, and within the context of the LATB specifically; use the above information to construct profiles of major trail user groups; and examine selected relationships between the above aspects of trail use. Key Findings In general, the top 10 trails and their relative rankings (i.e., according to the percentage of residents using them) are consistent across all four seasons. These trails were: Fenland Trail, Marsh Loop, trail between Bow Falls and the Hoodoos Viewpoint, Sundance Trail, trail around Johnson Lake, Sulphur Mtn. Trail and the four paved roads. In general, the five trails that are used most for different activities do not overlap. Exceptions to this pattern are the Fenland trail and the trail between Bow Falls and the Hoodoos Viewpoint. The majority of respondents make relatively limited use of the available formal trail network (0-9 different trails) in any given season. The exception to this is summer when 62% of respondents use it moderately or extensively. Hiking/walking is by far the predominant primary summer trail activity (47.7%), followed by cycling (17.9%). Most residents (89.8%) participated in two or more different activities on LATB trails and almost one-third (31.3%) participated in 5 or more activities. 3

4 Executive Summary Key Findings (continued) Residents considered all of the motivators that were measured as important reasons to participate in their primary trail activities. This suggests that collectively, resident s seek a wide variety of recreational experiences in the LATB. Experiencing Nature and Exercise were the two most important motivators, while Being with Similar People and Exhilaration/Stimulation were the two least important. In general, residents trail choice was more strongly influenced by biophysical attributes of the trail environment than by physical attributes of the trail itself. Trail choice was more strongly influenced by social attributes associated with the volume of other trail users they expected to encounter than the types of trail users. On average, residents awareness/knowledge of selected key ecological concepts associated with human use management in the LATB is fairly high. Residents tended to be most accepting of those of measures that would not considerably or permanently impact upon their ability to use the existing trails and least accepting of those that would. At the same time, it is important to note that taking no action was the least acceptable of all the options. Residents neither agreed nor disagreed as to the appropriateness of the current level of human use management in the LATB in general, and on trail restrictions in particular. Attitudes regarding the adequacy of the current amount of trail opportunities conflicted: residents tended to agree that are enough trails in the area near the townsite, but also agreed (slightly) that new trails should be developed so that there are more recreational opportunities for residents. A possible interpretation of this result could be that residents believe there are enough actual, physical trails, but that trail opportunities are more limited. Residents agree that some trails in the LATB should be dedicated for the sole use of mountain bikers, horseback riders or people on foot. Virtually all of the above findings differed among the primary activity groups; understanding and taking into account these differences is essential to the planning process. 4

5 Table of Contents Executive Summary Page 3 Introduction Page 8 Goals and Objectives Page 9 Study Area Page 10 Survey Methods Page 12 Results Demographics All Respondents Page 15 Activity Groups Page 17 Trail Use Patterns Page 19 Formal Trail Use Page 20 Summer Trail Activities Page 27 Summary of Findings Page 40 Factors That Influence Trail Use Patterns Page 41 Recreational Motivation Page 42 Summary of Findings Page 56 Trail Preferences Page 57 Summary of Findings Page 78 Awareness of Ecological Concepts, Issues and Objectives Page 80 Summary of Findings Page 85 5

6 Table of Contents (continued) Results (continued) Attitudes Toward Human Use Management Page 86 Acceptability of Potential Management Actions Page 87 Level of & Approach to Human Use Management Page 108 Trail Opportunities Page 111 Dedicating Trails for Single Use Page 114 Summary of Findings Page 117 Activity Group Profiles Page 120 Hiking/Walking Page 121 Cycling Page 123 Horseback Riding Page 125 Driving Page 127 Nature-Centred Activities Page 129 Running/Jogging Page 131 Dog-walking Page 133 Implications for Planning and Management Page 135 6

7 Table of Contents (continued) Appendix A: Survey Questionnaire Page 139 Appendix B: Survey Sampling Methods Page 148 Appendix C: Summer Trail Activities Page 149 Appendix D: Q4-6 Trails Used Most Page 150 Appendix E: LATB Planning Zones Page 155 Appendix F: Primary Summer Trail Activities Page 156 Appendix G: Suggested Management Actions Page 157 Appendix H: Preferred Sources of Trail Management Information Page 164 7

8 Introduction The Lands Adjacent to the Town of Banff (LATB) Planning Project A strategic goal of the 1997 Banff National Park Management Plan is to prepare a Human Use Strategy for Banff National Park. The overall intent of the Strategy is to identify social or human use objectives that complement ecological management goals identified in the park management plan. The area near the Banff townsite is a particular focus since many residents and visitors attracted to and residing in the town of Banff are drawn to the adjacent landscape for recreational purposes. These recreational opportunities often overlap important wildlife habitat in peripheral areas of the town of Banff. As a result, the Lands Adjacent to the Town of Banff (LATB) planning project was initiated. Understanding human use of the land peripheral to the Banff townsite is critical in setting management objectives that meet human use and ecological needs. To describe existing patterns of human use in peripheral areas of the town of Banff, four social science research projects were conducted in 2001: trail inventory, recreational trail use monitoring, motorist day-use area survey, and a Banff resident trail recreation study. Banff Resident Trail Recreation Study Why a study of residents? Given the proximity of the LATB to the Banff community, there are several important reasons to focus on describing and understanding Banff residents use of trails in the area. First, residents patterns of trail use in the LATB likely differ somewhat from those of visitors. Determining these patterns is an important first step toward identifying the social and biophysical impacts of residents trail use (both positive and negative) in the LATB. Second, residents likely perceive and value the LATB and the recreational opportunities it affords differently than visitors. Understanding the types of recreational trail experiences that residents seek in the LATB helps to explain and potentially predict their use patterns. It also sheds light on the unique ways that residents are or can be affected by actions taken to manage trail use in the area. Finally, residents support for human use management strategies and specific actions with the LATB is essential if such efforts are to succeed. Determining residents attitudes toward human use management and the reasons for their attitudes will help park managers and planners to better work with residents in the planning process. 8

9 Goals and Objectives Goal The goal of the Banff Resident Trail Recreation Study was to develop a comprehensive understanding of Banff residents summer use of recreational trails in the area surrounding the townsite. This included: describing selected spatial and temporal trail activity patterns, factors that influence these patterns, attitudes towards human use management on trails in the region, and relationships between these three aspects of human use. To achieve this goal a door-to-door, drop-off and collect survey of residents was carried out in August 2001 and a series of focus groups designed to complement the survey work was conducted with Banff residents and local user groups in October This report presents the results of the survey only. Readers are encouraged to review the focus group findings to gain a richer understanding of the questions explored in the study (see: Mauro et al, Lands Adjacent to the Town of Banff Planning Project, Focus Group Report: Residents/Local User Groups. 16pp.+Appendices). Objectives The study objectives were to: describe residents trail use patterns; measure the relative importance of factors influencing these patterns; determine residents awareness of ecological concepts, issues and objectives related to human use management in the LATB; describe residents attitudes toward selected aspects of human use management in general, and within the context of the LATB specifically; use the above information to construct profiles of major trail user groups; and examine selected relationships between the above aspects of trail use. 9

10 Study Area: the Lands Adjacent to the Town of Banff The study area is peripheral to the Town of Banff boundary and comprises approximately 18,437 ha. It extends west from the Lake Minnewanka day- use area and causeway to the Fireside picnic site adjacent to Five-Mile Creek. It includes the montane valley bottom between those points, and is bounded to the north by the Banff Mount Norquay Ski Area and the Norquay- Cascade Wildlife Corridor. The southward extension of the study area extends part way up the adjacent mountains slopes of Sulphur Mountain, Mount Rundle, and abuts Harvie Heights, Municipal District of Bighorn, to the east. The study area is one of the most developed areas in Banff National Park. It includes a portion of the TransCanada Highway (TCH) and CP Rail, campground facilities, outlying commercial accommodations, a golf course, and several day-use areas (e.g. Sulphur Mountain Gondola, Cave and Basin, Vermilion Lakes, Fireside, Cascade Ponds, C-Level Cirque, Bankhead, Johnson Lake, and Lake Minnewanka). A network of ~463 km of trails (both formal i.e., signed and maintained by Parks Canada and informal) crisscrosses the study area. From an ecological perspective the LATB is comprised primarily of montane habitat characterized by grassland, wetland and forested communities and supports a large and diverse range of wildlife including three large carnivore species. Several important wildlife corridors are located in the lower elevation montane surrounding the Banff townsite. In recent years, a number of human use management actions have been taken to improve the quality of wildlife habitat and to restore wildlife movement in the LATB. These have included facility removal and relocation, permanent and seasonal area and trail closures, and voluntary area and trail restrictions. From time to time, temporary trail and/or area closures or other measures are enacted to prevent wildlife-human conflicts such as injurious encounters with bears, wolves or cougars or human disturbance of wildlife at critical times (e.g., during wolf denning or the berry season). 10

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12 Survey Methods Questionnaire Development The survey questionnaire and accompanying trail map were developed through an iterative process of review and revision. Individuals involved in various stages of the review process were: Dr. Alistair Bath (Memorial University of Newfoundland), Dr. Bonnie McFarlane (Natural Resources Canada/Parks Canada), Mike den Otter, Wayne Tucker, Eva Katic, Dave Dalman and Darrell Zell (Parks Canada) and Randall MacKay (Town of Banff). The questionnaire and map were also pretested and subsequently revised as necessary. The final questionnaire contained sections on: demographics, trails used, activities participated in, recreational motivations, trail preferences, awareness of area ecology and concepts related to human use management, and attitudes toward human use management. Most trail use questions focused on the summer (i.e., snow-free) season only; however a few also addressed use in other seasons. The questionnaire was produced in French and English. A copy of the English version is attached as Appendix A. Survey Implementation The survey was conducted between August 9 th and 31 st, 2001 using a door-to-door, drop-off and collect method. To sample the area efficiently in this period of time, the town was divided into 14 survey zones (identical to those used in the 2000 Banff Municipal Census) and each survey assistant worked her way through two or three zones to which she had been assigned. Up to three in-person attempts were made to contact residents at their homes and solicit their participation in the survey. A questionnaire was left with each individual who agreed to fill one out and arrangements were made to pick up the completed questionnaire at a later date. Survey assistants returned to the home at that pre-arranged time to retrieve the questionnaire. Up to three in-person attempts at pick-up were made. Details of contact attempts, eligibility of residents, refusals, and successful retrieval of completed questionnaires were recorded in a survey sampling log. 12

13 Survey Methods Sample Selection To select potential respondents, a two-stage sampling design was used. It involved: (1) selecting every fourth individual residential dwelling unit within a given sampling zone (a systematic random sample ) and then (2) randomly selecting one individual within the dwelling unit to complete the questionnaire. Specific details on sampling are contained in Appendix B. Only individuals 18 years of age or older who had been residing in the Town of Banff for at least two consecutive months as of the day that contact was made with them by survey personnel, and who had the ability to complete the questionnaire in either English or French were considered eligible for the survey. This included permanent, summer seasonal, transient and week-end residents. This survey population was estimated at ~8 500 based on information from the 2000 Banff Municipal Census and informed/educated guesses of the number of seasonal workers and transient summer residents in Banff in summer. Response The survey contact rate was calculated as follows: # of dwellings where contact was made with an occupant # of dwellings where contact was attempted The overall contact rate was 68% but varied widely across survey zones (min.=49.5%, max.=85.7%, SD=9.9). The survey response rate was calculated as follows: # of questionnaires collected # of eligible residents contacted A total of 618 questionnaires were returned, resulting in an overall response rate of 58.0%. Response rates also varied widely across survey zones (min.= 41.2%, max.=77%, SD=10.7). Due to time and financial constraints, no follow-up was done with non-respondents to assess the potential for sampling bias. 13

14 Survey Methods Statistical Procedures and Accuracy of Results A variety of parametric and non-parametric statistical procedures were used to analyze the survey data. The significance level chosen for all analyses is p=.05. Reliability of the findings is a function of the number of valid responses. For example, a given question for which there are 433 valid responses would have a 4.7% margin of error at the 95% confidence level. In other words, if the survey was administered repeatedly to randomly selected groups of 433 residents (all of whom supplied valid responses), the results would be the same, plus or minus 4.7%, 19 times out of 20 (i..e., 95% of the time). As the number of valid responses decreases, the confidence interval increases. reported on in this study may be statistically significant due to the power of the statistical test employed and the large sample sizes, however, this difference may not be meaningful in a real-world context (i.e., not substantively significant). The opposite can also be true: analyses involving small sample sizes (n<30) may not detect statistically significant results, but can still suggest meaningful relationships or differences that warrant further exploration and consideration. Sample sizes vary throughout this report and readers should bear these considerations in mind. As with any statistical analyses, it is important to understand the distinction between statistical significance and substantive significance. Some relationships 14

15 Results: Demographics All respondents Demographic questions collected basic information about respondents (e.g., gender, age and residence characteristics) that may help to describe or explain differences in trail use patterns, recreational motivations or preferences, or attitudes toward trail management. Gender 51.6% of respondents were female and 48.4% were male (n=562) Age Mean age was years (SD=13.94, n=550). Respondents ages ranged between 18 and 87. Over half (54.9%) of respondents are between the ages of 26 and % of respondents were 66 years of age or older Percentage (%) 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Figure 1: Q19 Respondent Age 16.9% 28.5% 26.4% 15.1% 6.9% 6.2% and over Age (years) n=550 15

16 Demographics All Respondents Residence characteristics Q13 Do you live here year-round (your only residence), on a seasonal basis (for a limited time such as summer or winter) or on a part-time basis (e.g., weekends, or periods of up to several weeks)? 91% of respondents live in Banff year-round, 8.3% on a seasonal basis and.7% on a part-time basis (n=554). 29.7% of year-round residents have lived in Banff 5 years or less versus 81.3% of seasonal residents nearly half (47.9%) of seasonal resident respondents were spending their first summer in Banff 95.7% of seasonal residents normally live in Banff during summer (July/ August); 60% live in Banff in spring (May/June), 30.4% in fall (Sept.-Nov.) and 15.6% in winter (Dec.-April) [*NOTE: Percents do not total 100% because a resident is counted more than once if they live in Banff in multiple seasons. Percentage (%) 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% Figure 2: Q14-16 Including this year, how many years have you lived in Banff / been coming here on a seasonal or part-time basis? 0% 1 2 to 5 6 to to 20 > 20 Years Year-round n=509 Seasonal n=48 Part-time n=4 16

17 Demographics Activity Groups Groups were delineated according to the activity that you participate in the most in summer (a detailed description of how the groups were delineated is found on slide 37). The following slides summarize age, duration of residence and gender for seven major groups. Figure 3: Mean Ages of Primary Activity Groups Figure 4: Mean Duration of Residence of Primary Activity Groups Dog-walking (n=27, SD=10.08) 42.2 Dog-walking (n=27, SD=14.34) 20.3 Running/Jogging (n=21, SD=10.95) Nature-Centred activities (n=16, SD=11.20) Running/Jogging (n=21, SD=8.89) 12.6 Nature-Centred activities (n=16, SD=11.81) 11.5 Driving (n=25, SD=18.01) 43.6 Driving (n=25, SD=16.32) 14.8 Horseback riding (n=9, SD=10.97) 38.1 Horseback riding (n=9, SD=13.21) 24.2 Cycling (n=98, SD=10.55) 34.6 Cycling (n=100, SD=9.57) 9.7 Hiking/Walking (n=255, SD=14.49) Mean Age (years) Hiking/Walking (n=257, SD=15.26) Mean Duration of Residence (years) 17

18 Demographics Activity Groups Gender The percentage of females versus males for each of the primary activity groups was: Hiking/Walking (n=258): Female = 59.3% Male = 40.7% Cycling (n=99): Female = 34.3% Male = 65.7% Horseback Riding (n=9): Female = 66.7% Male = 33.3% Driving (n=26): Female = 57.7% Male = 42.3 Nature-Centred activities (n=16): Female = 31.3% Male = 68.7 Running/Jogging (n=22): Female = 68.3% Male = 31.8% Dog-walking (n=27): Female = 55.6% Male = 44.4% 18

19 Results: Trail Use Patterns Introduction Identifying residents trail use patterns contributes to the developing picture of human activity on the LATB landscape, and highlights important considerations for area management. For example, describing how trail use is distributed across the region or how use varies from season to season can help to suggest relationships between ecological phenomena and human activities. In combination with knowledge of recreational motivations and preferences, trail use patterns also help to describe the types of recreational experiences that the LATB trail network currently supports for Banff residents. For example, informal trails may provide some residents with a relaxing, quiet escape from town and others with a challenging physical workout. Actions taken to manage use on that trail could affect these two experiences differently and it is important for managers to be aware of these potential impacts. The study collected information on the following aspects of trail use: seasonal patterns of formal trail use in the LATB and use of these trails outside of daylight hours; a variety of parameters related to use of LATB trails in summer (e.g., identification of the trails used most in summer, their distribution across the LATB, the proportion that are formal versus informal or combinations thereof, etc.); and residents summer trail activities in the LATB. 19

20 Trail Use Patterns Formal Trail Use Formal Trails: seasonal use and use outside of daylight hours Q1 presented residents with a check-list of 27 formal trails including four paved roads which, although open to vehicular traffic, are also used for a variety of trail activities. These 27 trails encompass virtually all of the trails within the LATB that are signed and maintained by Parks Canada. Respondents were asked to indicate which trails they use in which seasons. Seasons were defined as follows: Spring (May/June), Summer (July/Aug), Fall (Sept.- Nov.) and Winter (Dec.-April). To determine which, if any, trails respondents use outside of daylight hours, they were also asked to check each trail that they had ever used before dawn or after dusk. Top ten trails seasonally In general, the top 10 trails and their relative rankings (i.e., according to the percentage of residents using them) are consistent across all four seasons. These trails were: Fenland Trail, Marsh Loop, trail between Bow Falls and the Hoodoos Viewpoint, Sundance Trail, trail around Johnson Lake, Sulphur Mtn. Trail and the four paved roads. Notable exceptions to this top 10 ranking occur in winter when the Spray Loop and Cascade Fire Road, as groomed ski trails, ranked 4 th and 6 th respectively (used by 33.9% and 29.3% of respondents). Vermilion Lakes Road was used by the greatest percentage of residents in all four seasons (use ranged from 50.1% to 78.1% of respondents in winter and summer respectively). 20

21 Trail Use Patterns Formal Trail Use Formal Trails: seasonal use and use outside of daylight hours (continued) Use of paved roads versus proper trails The Golf Course, Minnewanka Loop and Vermilion Lakes roads are very popular with residents. They are among the top four trails used in spring, summer and fall. In winter, the Mt. Norquay road is the second highest used trail (most likely due to ski hill visits). In summer, the most popular proper trail i.e., excluding paved roads is Johnson Lake (used by 64.9% of residents). In spring, fall and winter the Fenland Trail is most popular (used by 50.4%, 53.4% and 34.5% respectively). Use of trails outside of daylight hours Well over half of residents (59.5%) have never used any of the formal trails listed in Q1 outside of daylight hours. Only 5.7% of residents have ever used 1/3 or more of these trails outside of daylight hours. Of the trails that have been used outside of daylight hours, the four paved roads were used by the greatest numbers of respondents. Johnson Lake was the highest ranking proper trail with regard to use outside of daylight hours, followed by the trail between Bow Falls and the Hoodoos. 21

22 Trail Use Patterns Formal Trail Use Percentage (%) of Respondents 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Figure 5: Q1 Respondent's Seasonal Use of Formal Trails Spring Summer Fall Winter n=525 n=561 n=511 n=501 Trai l 22

23 Trail Use Patterns Formal Trail Use Figure 6: Q1 Have you ever used this trail before dawn or after dusk? 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 23 Percentage (%) Vermilion Lakes Rd. Minnewanka Loop Fenland Trail Golf Course Rd. Marsh Loop Mt. Norquay Rd. Bow Falls to the Hoodoos Sundance Trail Johnson Lake Sulphur Mtn. Trail Spray River Loop Lake Minnewanka Trail Sundance Canyon Loop Cascade Ponds to Johnson Lake Healy Creek Upper Stoney Squaw C-Level Cirque Rundle Riverside Lower Stoney Squaw Cascade Fire Rd. Stewart Canyon Two-Jack Canal Gondola to Spray Loop Cascade Amphitheatre Cory Pass Cory-Edith Loop Edith Pass Trail n=

24 Trail Use Patterns Formal Trail Use Extent of Use of Formal Trail Network To measure the extent of residents use of the formal trail network in the LATB, four seasonal indices were created that assigned one point for each of the twenty-seven trails a respondent reported using in Q1. Index scores were categorized as follows: Limited Use (0 9 trails), Moderate Use (10 18 trails) and Extensive Use (19 27 trails). The majority of respondents make relatively limited use of the available formal trail network in any given season. The exception to this is summer when 62% of respondents use it moderately or extensively. A very small percentage of respondents use the formal trail network extensively in winter, spring and fall (ranging between.6% to 9.1%). In summer this figure increases to 20.3%. Figure 7: Q1 Extent of Formal Trail Network Use by Season (score out of a maximum 27 possible trails used) Limited (0-9 trails) Moderate (10-18 trails) Extensive (19-27 trails) Spring (M=7.96, SD=6.07) n = % 27.8% 6.3% Summer (M=12.36, SD=6.84) n = % 41.3% 20.7% Fall (M=8.17, SD=6.70) n = % 29.6% 8.8% Winter (M=4.05, SD=4.02) n = % 9.1%.6%

25 Trail Use Patterns Formal Trail Use Extent of Use of Formal Trail Network Differences by Gender On average, men use the formal trail network within the LATB slightly more extensively than do women in all four seasons [males: means ranging between 4.45 trails used in summer (SD=4.38) and trails used in winter (SD=7.03); corresponding females means ranging between 3.68 (SD=3.63) and (SD=6.55); statistically significant differences were found in all four seasons]. Differences by Age Extent of use increases with age in fall and winter; however, this association is quite weak [Pearson r (495)=.103, p=.022 and r (490)=.151, p=.001 respectively]. Age was not significantly correlated with extent of use in spring or summer [r (509)=-.026, p=.554 and r (527)=.010, p=.825 respectively]. Differences by Duration or Type of Residence For seasonal residents extent of use increases with duration of residence in Banff for all seasons except winter; the strength of this association is moderate to very strong [summer: Pearson r (40)=.407, p=.004; fall: Spearman r s =.892, n=14, p<.0005; winter r s =.612, n=7, p=.072 (not statistically significant); spring: r s =.506, n=27, p=.004]. Extent of use is also positively correlated with duration of residence for year round residents; however, this association is much weaker [summer: Pearson r (491)=.091, p=.021 fall: r (488)=.204, p<.0005; winter: r (489)=..213, p<.0005; spring: r (490)=.069, p=.062, not statistically significant]. These results are affected by the larger sample size. 25

26 Trail Use Patterns Formal Trail Use Summary of Findings In general, the ten trails that are most popular with residents are consistent in all four seasons: Fenland Trail, Marsh Loop, trail between Bow Falls and the Hoodoos Viewpoint, Sundance Trail, trail around Johnson Lake, Sulphur Mtn. Trail and the four paved roads. The Cascade Fire road and the Spray Loop are popular wintertime exceptions. These ten trails also tend to be popular with tourists. Paved roads are quite popular with residents and the Vermilion Lakes Road was the most popular trail among residents in all four seasons. Use of trails outside of daylight hours by residents is likely quite limited. The trails that have been used outside of daylight hours by the greatest percentage of residents were the four paved roads. The majority of residents use a relatively limited number (9 or less) of the available formal trails in the LATB in fall, winter and spring; however, in summer, the majority of residents use the formal trail network either moderately (between 10 and 18 trails) or extensively (19 or more trails). Generally, the longer a resident has lived in Banff, the greater the number of available formal trails that he or she uses. This relationship is stronger for seasonal residents than it is for year-round residents. 26

27 Trail Use Patterns Summer Trail Activities Summer Trail Activities Four main questions about summer trail activities were investigated in the study: What range of summer trail activities does the LATB trail system support for residents as a whole? Which trails do residents use for particular activities? Do any activities tend to concentrate in particular areas within the LATB region? Do individual residents tend to use LATB trails for one activity or several? Do relationships exist between the number of different activities participated in and selected demographic characteristics? Do relationships exist between residents primary summer trail activities and selected demographic characteristics? Addressing the first question is important for understanding the role that the LATB plays, in general, for the Banff community. Addressing the second begins to reveal the specifics of how the LATB fulfills this role. Together with basic user group characteristics investigated in questions three and four, this information can also provide initial direction for comprehensive public involvement in the trail management process because it helps to identify the trail user groups that may be affected by or interested in a given management question. 27

28 Trail Use Patterns Summer Trail Activities Activities Supported by Trails in the LATB Questions 4-6 asked respondents to identify the three trails they use the most in summer. They were then asked to identify all of the activities that they participate in on each of these three trails. A check-list of eleven traditional or common trail activities (e.g., hiking/walking, cycling, horseback riding, etc.) was provided as well as an other option with space to write in an activity. The responses for all trails were pooled to generate a comprehensive list of recreational activities supported by trails in the LATB. Overall, respondents participate in thirty-seven different trail activities including all eleven of the check-list activities. A diverse array of other activities were stated. These can be broadly categorized as follows: activities that require a trail or pathway (e.g., skateboarding or scooter-riding), activities that are facilitated by a trail as a means of easy access to another area or to a non-trail dependent recreational activity (e.g., accessing fishing, swimming, picnicking, etc.), or activities that are facilitated by the environment surrounding the trail (e.g., showing friends the area, meditating, doing artwork or learning ecology. A complete listing of the thirty-seven activities is contained in Appendix C. 28

29 Trail Use Patterns Summer Trail Activities Trails Used for Particular Activities For each trail named in Q4-6, respondents were also asked to circle the activity that they participated in the most on that particular trail. All circled responses were pooled and activity groups were delineated according to these main trail activities. Independent frequency runs for each main activity group were used to determine: the five trails used most for that main activity 1 ; the proportion of the trails used most that are formal versus informal or a combination thereof; and the distribution of the trails used most throughout the LATB 2. This section presents these detailed results for the majority of activity groups that have a moderate- to high- number of valid responses (i.e., n 27) and briefly highlights key results for the remaining groups. NOTES: Many of the trail responses for Q4-6 are not individual trails but, rather, are routes that combine formal and/or informal trails and/or roads. For example, some cyclists link the Mt. Norquay Road with the Upper and Lower Stoney Squaw trails and the TransCanada Highway to form a loop route. Thus, this route actually encompasses three, individual trails. The top five trails presented here take into account ALL uses of a trail, whether on its own or in combination with other trails or roads. Trails that are commonly used as part of larger route are flagged with an *. Readers are encourage to read Appendix D which lists all the trails and routes that respondents identified in Q4-6, along with their frequencies. This information will allow for a more complete understanding of how respondents use the LATB trails. For planning purposes, BNP has divided the LATB study area into nine, smaller geographic zones: Vermilion, Indian Grounds, Cory/Edith/ Norquay/Cascade, Two-Jack, Fairholme, Tunnel/Hoodoos, Golf Course/Rundle, Sulphur and Cave & Basin/Sundance. A map identifying these zones is found in Appendix E. Two additional zones are considered in this study because of their added utility in understanding how residents use the LATB landscape: Town and Cascade/Minnewanka (the area immediately to the north and west of the Two-Jack zone. 29

30 Trail Use Patterns Summer Trail Activities Trails Used for Particular Activities Hiking/Walking Table 1: Top Five Trails Used for Hiking/Walking as a Main Activity Fenland* Trail Sulphur Mtn. Trail* Trail around Johnson Lake Bow Falls to the Hoodoos Tunnel Mtn. Summit Valid % of Trails Used Most n=432 Percent of trails used most that are: formal 97.1% informal or formal/informal combination 2.2% streets within the town boundary.7% (n=417) Distribution of trails used most: Over half (55.2%) of the trails used most are located in or pass through Vermilion, Sulphur or Tunnel/Hoodoos zones. Approximately ¾ of the trails used most are on the south side of the Trans Canada Highway. None of the trails used most for hiking/walking as a main activity were located in the Fairholme or Indian Grounds zones. 30

31 Trail Use Patterns Summer Trail Activities Trails Used for Particular Activities Cycling Table 2: Top Five Trails Use for Cycling as a Main Activity Spray Loop* Trail Lower Stoney Squaw* Bow Falls to the Hoodoos* Mt. Norquay Road* Minnewanka Loop Valid % of Trails Used Most n=313 Percent of trails used most that are: formal 92.1% informal or formal/informal combination 7.9% (n=266) Distribution of trails used most: Over half (55.4%) of the trails used most are located in Golf Course/Rundle, Sulphur or Cory/ Edith/ Norquay/ Cascade zones. The majority of use in the Golf Course/ Rundle and Sulphur zones is attributed to the Spray Loop which runs through both zones (though other trails are used for biking as a main activity in both zones.) Approximately 65% of the trails used most are on the south side of the Trans Canada Highway. None of the trails used most for cycling as a main activity were located in the Fairholme or Indian Grounds b zones. l a h 31

32 Trail Use Patterns Trails Used for Particular Activities Horseback Riding Table 3: Top Five Trails Used for Horseback Riding as Main Activity Trail Corrals to Cascade Ponds Corrals to the Indian Grounds Tie: Indian Grounds to the Airstrip, Informal trails east end of Tunnel/Hoodoos and Cascade Ponds to Lower Bankhead Note: all of these trails are used as part of longer routes originating at the horse corrals. Valid % of Trails Used Most n=27 Summer Trail Activities Percent of trails used most that are: formal 25.0% informal or formal/informal combination 75.0% (n=12) Distribution of trails used most: 79.2% of the trails used most are located in the Tunnel/ Hoodoos, Two-Jack or Indian Grounds zones. The high percentage of use in Tunnel/Hoodoos (37.5%) is primarily a function of the presence of the horse corrals in that zone; however, routes leading from the corrals into other parts of that zone are also used. The location of the corrals also accounts for the substantial proportion of trails used most (41.7%) that encompass zones on both sides of the Trans Canada Highway. Horseback riding is the only :main activity group that uses trails/routes in the Indian Grounds zone for the trails used most. None of the trails used most for horseback riding as a main activity were located in the Fairholme, Golf Course/Rundle, Sulphur, Cave and Basin/Sundance or Town zones. 32

33 Trail Use Patterns Summer Trail Activities Trails Used for Particular Activities Driving Table 4: Order of Roads Used for Driving as Main Activity Road Minnewanka Loop Golf Course Road Mt. Norquay Road Vermilion Lakes Road Valid % of Roads Used Most * Percent of trails used most that are formal versus informal: Not Applicable Distribution of trails used most: Not applicable *Note: because there are only four paved roads defined as trails in this study, percentages total to 100. n=47 33

34 Trail Use Patterns Summer Trail Activities Trails Used for Particular Activities Nature-Centred Activities Table 5: Top Five Trails Used for Nature- Centred Activities as a Main Activity Minnewanka Loop Road Fenland Trail Marsh Loop Trail Vermilion Lakes Road Golf Course Road Valid % of Trails Used Most n=53 Percent of trails used most that are: formal 90.6% informal or formal/informal combination 9.5% (n=53) Distribution of trails used most: Half (50.9%) of the trails used most are located in the Vermilion and Two-Jack zones. 11.3% are in the Cave and Basin/Sundance zone. 67.1% of trails used most are on the south side of the highway None of the trails used most for nature observation as a main activity are located in the Fairholme or Indian Grounds zones. 34

35 Trail Use Patterns Summer Trail Activities Trails Used for Particular Activities Running/Jogging Table 6: Top Five Trails Used for Running/Jogging as a Main Activity Fenland* Marsh Loop Trail Vermilion Lakes Road* Bow Falls to the Hoodoos Tie: Golf Course Road, Sulphur Mtn. Trail and Sundance Trail Valid % of Trails Used Most n=68 Percent of trails used most that are: formal 100% (n=66) Distribution of trails used most: Over half (51.4%) of the trails used most are in the Vermilion, Cave and Basin/Sundance or Tunnel/Hoodoos zones. 97% of the trails used most are on the south side of the Trans Canada Highway. None of the trails used most for running/jogging as a main activity were located in the Fairholme, Indian Grounds or Two-Jack zones. 35

36 Trail Use Patterns Summer Trail Activities Trails Used for Particular Activities Dog-walking Table 7: Top Five Trails Used for Dog-walking as a Main Activity Fenland* Trail Trail around Johnson Lake Vermilion Lakes Road* Bow River Trail* Tie: Marsh Loop and Spray Loop* Valid % of Trails Used Most Percent of trails used most that are: formal 92.7% informal or formal/informal combination 7.3% (n=61) Distribution of trails used most: 62.9% of the trails used most are located in the Vermilion, Two- Jack or Cave and Basin/Sundance zones. 69.2% of the trails used most are on the south side of the Trans Canada Highway. None of the trails used most for dog-walking as a main activity are located in the Fairholme or Indian Grounds zones. n=55 36

37 Trail Use Patterns Summer Trail Activities Number of Trail Activities Participated In An index was created that assigned one point for each different activity that a respondent participated in on the three trails he or she used most in summer (i.e., Q4-6). It should be noted, that the index scores reported below represent the minimum number of activities that an individual may participate in because residents may use trails other than those named in Q4-6 for additional activities. Results All Respondents The average number of trail activities participated in was 3.63 (SD=1.73, n=420). Most residents (89.8%) participated in two or more different activities on LATB trails and almost one-third (31.3%) participated in 5 or more activities. Differences by Gender No statistically significant difference was detected in the average number of trail activities participated in by women (M=3.64, SD =1.65) versus men (M=3.62, SD =1.82) [Independent samples t-test: t (414) =.069, p=..945]. Differences by Age No statistically significant relationship was detected between age & number of trail activities [Pearson s r (406) =.019, p (1-tailed) =.355]. Differences by Duration or Type of residence A weak relationship exists between duration of residence & number of trail activities [Pearson s r (409) =.098, p (1-tailed) =.024]. There was no statistically significant difference between the number of trail activities participated in by year-round (mean rank = , n=385) versus seasonal (mean rank = , n=24) residents [Mann- Whitney U test: U (409) = , p (2-tailed)=.558]. 37

38 Trail Use Patterns Summer Trail Activities Primary Summer Trail Activities Q2 asked respondents to identify, overall, the one activity that they participate in the most in summer. Fifteen different primary activities were identified. Similar activities were consolidated in order to reduce the number of groups for analysis. Figure 8 illustrates the percentage of respondents in each group (see Appendix F for a list of the original categories). Hiking/walking is by far the predominant primary summer trail activity (47.7%), followed by cycling (17.9%) and the not stated group (15.2%). A substantial percentage of respondents (15.2%) checked more than one activity. Written comments suggest that several of these individuals did so purposefully; they felt that checking only one would not accurately represent their use of trails in the LATB. Figure 8: Q2 Overall, what is the activity that you participate in the most on these trails in summer? cycling 17.9% n = 558 not stated** 15.2% dog-walking 4.8% hiking/walking 47.7% roller-blading.2% driving 4.7% running/jogging 4.1% nature-centred activities 2.9% horseback riding 1.6% accessing other areas or non-trail based activities 0.9% 38

39 Trail Use Patterns Summer Trail Activities Primary Summer Trail Activity Differences by Gender 52.3% of valid respondents were female and 47.7% were male. Gender and primary activity are weakly related: knowing a respondent s primary activity improves the chances of correctly predicting his/her gender by 17.3% [? 2 (6, n=457)= , p=.001,? (gender dependent upon primary activity)=.173]. Men constitute a disproportionately high percentage of cyclists (65.7% ) and of trail users engaged in nature-centred activities (68.8% *). Women constitute a disproportionately high proportion of hikers/walkers (59.3%), horseback riders (66.7%*) and runners (68.2%*). NOTE: The not stated group was excluded from all analyses; rollerblading and accessing other areas or non-trail based activities were excluded from chi-square analysis for gender due to unacceptably small expected cell counts of <5]; rollerblading was excluded from age and duration of residence Kruskal-Wallis analyses due to small sample size Differences by Age Age varied significantly among activity groups [Kruskal-Wallis,? 2 (7, n=456)=20.280, p=.005]. Driver had the highest mean age (M=43.64, SD=18.01, n=25) while residents using LATB trails to access other areas or non-trail based activities had the lowest (M=28.40, SD=7.96, n=5). Differences by Duration of residence Duration of residence varied significantly between primary activity groups [Kruskal-Wallis,? 2 (7, n=460) =21.280, p=.003]. On average, horseback riders have lived in Banff the longest (M=24.20 years, SD=13.21, n=9) followed by the dog-walking group (M=20.30 years, SD=14.30, n=27). The accessing other areas or non-trail based activities and cycling groups had lived in Banff the shortest amount of time (M=9.45 years, SD=7.39, n=5) and (M=9.65 years, SD=9.57, n=100) respectively. * indicates small sample size (i.e., <30) 39

40 Trail Use Patterns Summer Trail Activities Summary of Findings The LATB trails support a wide range of summer recreational activities for residents. These encompass activities that are normally associated with the use of trails in natural areas (e.g., hiking or wildlife viewing) and those that are not (e.g., skateboarding or meditating). Most residents participate in more than one trail activity in the LATB and many participate in five or more. Hiking/walking is by far the predominant primary summer trail activity among residents. Gender, age and duration of residence differ significantly across primary activity groups. The trails used most by residents in summer are distributed across all zones of the LATB except for Fairholme. Use of the Indian Grounds is quite limited and is primarily made by horseback riders. Vermilion, Tunnel/Hoodoos and Two-Jack zones are heavily used for a number of different trail activities relative to the other zones within the LATB. The majority of the trails used most in summer are located on the south side of the Trans Canada Highway. Cyclists had the highest percentage of trails used most that are located on the north side of the highway. The percentage of trails used most in summer that are either informal or a combination of formal/informal is quite small. Horseback riding is the exception informal or formal/informal trails constitute 75% of trails used most. In general, the five trails that are used most for different activities do not overlap. Exceptions to this pattern are the Fenland trail and the trail between Bow Falls and the Hoodoos Viewpoint which were in the top five for three different activities. 40

41 Results: Factors that Influence Trail Use Patterns Introduction A wide range of factors can influence recreationists patterns of trail use. This study focused on two types of influences: Recreational Motivation Why do residents choose to participate in a particular recreational trail activity? What is the relative importance of different reasons or motivators in making that choice? Recreational Trail Preferences Which features of the trail or trail environment are important to resident trail users when choosing a particular trail to use? Does the presence of a specific feature positively or negatively influence that choice? How does this differ among activity groups? Knowledge of motivations can be used by managers to help understand the different types of general recreational experiences that resident user groups seek. Knowledge of trail preferences helps to identify the specific features of the trail environment that contribute to high quality recreational experiences for these groups. 41

42 Factors that Influence Trail Use Patterns Recreational Motivation A central question investigated in this section of the study was whether or not the importance of selected recreational motivators (i.e., reasons for participating in a recreational trail activity) differs for participation in different trail activities. For example, do mountain bikers place greater importance on getting exercise than do horseback riders? Nine motivators were selected based on the recreational literature and on recent recreational surveys conducted in Alberta and in Banff National Park. The motivators were measured by asking respondents to rate the importance of a series of potential reasons why they participate in their primary activity (as defined in the preceding section of this report) using a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 Not at all Important to 5 Very Important. Each motivator was represented by either one or two potential reasons. The motivators and associated reasons are: Experience nature: Be outside, enjoying nature & Experience the natural environment Exploration: Do some exploring & Experience new things Exercise: Get some exercise Exhilaration/Stimulation: Do something exciting & Do something challenging Being with similar people: Be with other people who share my interests Escape physical or social stressors: Get away from the crowds & Be in a peaceful, quiet place Socializing: Enjoy time with family and friends Solitude/Reflection: Get some solitude & Do some thinking Relaxation: Rest and relax 42

43 Factors that Influence Trail Use Patterns Recreational Motivation Experience Nature Exercise Escape Physical/ Social Stressors Relaxation Socializing Exploration Solitude/Reflection Exhilaration/ Stimulation Being with Similar People Figure 9: Mean Importance Ratings for Motivations to Participate in Primary Summer Trail Activities All Respondents (SD=.68, n=529) (SD=.81, n=539) (SD=.80, n=525) (SD=1.05, n=531) (SD=1.10, n=524) (SD=1.02, n=507) (SD=1.03, n=506) (SD=1.07, n=507) (SD=1.15, n=528) Mean importance ratings for all motivators were significantly greater than 3.0 i.e., all motivators were important reasons for participating in trail activities in the LATB. Experiencing Nature and Exercise were the most important motivators: Experiencing Nature Being outside enjoying nature and Experiencing the natural environment were rated as either Important or Very Important by 92.6% and 86.2% of respondents respectively. Exercise 88.5% of respondents rated get some exercise as either Important or Very Important. Exhilaration/Stimulation and Being with Similar People were the least important motivators: Exhilaration/Stimulation Do something exciting and Do something challenging were rated as either Important or Very Important by 54.2% and 52.0% of respondents respectively. Being with Similar People Be with other peoples who share my interests was rated as either Important or Very Important by 54.1% of respondents. 43