Recreation as a Social-Ecological Complex Adaptive System

Abstract

The environment and society are both the context for and product of human actions and interactions. Outdoor recreation is the primary interaction many people have with the environment and it is an interaction that greatly contributes to human well-being. To sustainably manage the social and ecological components of outdoor recreation, an integrative and dynamic systems perspective is needed. Analyses that link recreation management and recreational experiences to both social and ecological outcomes across multiple sales and over time are not developed. This article will outline how a number of fragmented recreation management frameworks such as the recreation experience model, beneficial outcomes, the recreation opportunity spectrum, limits of acceptable change, and constraints theory can be organized within a larger social-ecological framework. The outdoor recreation meta-framework presented here links structuration theory from the social sciences with theories of complex adaptive systems and hierarchical patch dynamics from ecology to understand the human and ecological drivers for and responses to outdoor recreation.

The nature of the pandemic: Exploring the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic upon recreation visitor behaviors and experiences in parks and protected areas

“…The context of this study is also important as this theory-in-use was examined not just at one site or location, but across an entire National Forest system. Thus, while this study did not explicitly examine and test an SES model, study findings lend themselves to certain components of the SES conceptual framework, which serves to explore interconnected systems and their adaptive functions within the broader recreation ecosystem ( Anderies et al, 2004 ; Morse, 2020 ).…”

“…The recent increase in demand for outdoor recreation has been demonstrated to strain the natural resources, infrastructure, communities, and visitors’ experiences which rely upon PPAs ( Cole, 2021 ; Hauslohner & Thebault, 2020 ). Oftentimes, PPAs are researched and managed within a narrow scope, concerned with only specific issues at unique locations or time periods ( Ferguson et al, 2021 ; Morse, 2020 ). This narrow scope can be problematic as recreation does not take place in a vacuum; rather, each component of the recreation experience is interconnected, like a ripple in a pond.…”

“…This narrow scope can be problematic as recreation does not take place in a vacuum; rather, each component of the recreation experience is interconnected, like a ripple in a pond. This recognition led to the development of an adaptive social-ecological systems (SES) framework which considers the complex, dynamic, and integrated relationships within entire systems ( Morse, 2020 ). Thus, the SES conceptual framework considers the multiple scales and associated feedback loops between and within social and ecological sub-systems ( Anderies et al, 2004 ; Walker et al, 2006 ).…”

“…Thus, the SES conceptual framework considers the multiple scales and associated feedback loops between and within social and ecological sub-systems ( Anderies et al, 2004 ; Walker et al, 2006 ). For example, SES considers the preexisting interaction and connections between visitors, resources, managers, communities, stakeholders, and external environments (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic) and recognizes the interconnected impacts stemming from increasing PPA visitation ( Ferguson et al, 2021 ; Morse, 2020 ). In addition, SES provides an ideal conceptual framework to explore the complex human-nature connection that is vital for informing equitable social, environmental, and economic policy ( Anderies et al, 2004 ; Cole & Hall, 1992; Marion & Cole, 1996; Outdoor Foundation, 2021).…”

Environmental Uncertainty and Manager's Personnel Value Effect on Environmental Disclosure

“…Structural theory illustrates a framework for investigating the internal and external structures of using management accounting information (Pierce, 2016), the manager's experience, and other networks of managers (Coad et al, 2018). The theory of structuration uses accounting and management disciplines (Makrygiannikis & Lisa Jack, 2018), management (Kholeif & Jack, 2019), and social sciences (Morse, 2020). Bellamy et al (2020) described that environmental disclosure illustrates information about the impacts and practices regarding the company's environment.…”