Understanding users’ perceptions of trail resource impacts and how they affect experiences: An integrated approach

Moore, Roger L.; Leung, Yu‐Fai; Matisoff, Craig; Dorwart, Catherine E.; Parker, A A

doi:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2012.06.016

Cited by 37 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Studies have also examined how visitors' values influence their perceptions of social and environmental impacts in protected areas (Byrne, Wolch, & Zhang, 2009;Cessford, 2003;Jacob & Schreyer, 1980;Priskin, 2003;Vaske et al, 1995) and how perceptions of impacts affect visitor's experiences (Dorwart, Moore, & Leung, 2010;Kaplan, Kaplan, & Ryan, 1998;Lynn & Brown, 2003;Moore et al, 2012). Most of these studies rely on two theories found in the natural resource management literature: (i) interpersonal conflict theory, developed by Jacob and Schreyer (1980) and (ii) social value conflict theory, developed by Vaske and colleagues (Vaske et al, 1995;Vittersø et al, 2004).…”

Section: Visitors' Values and Protected Areasmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Seeing red’ in national parks: How visitors’ values affect perceptions and park experiences

et al. 2015

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People's reasons for visiting national parks have been well researched. So too have their park activities and how diverse activities potentially affect visitors' park experiences (e.g. perceptions of overcrowding). Far less research has examined how park users' environmental values might affect their perceptions of other users and the appropriateness of different activities-a potential source of conflict. Relationships between personal environmental values and environmental and social perceptions are complex and interactive in the context of park visitation. Visitors' encounters with other users can powerfully affect their experience and enjoyment of parks, in turn reflecting such factors as values-related expectations and judgments in the context of national parks. Personal and social values may also play an important role in influencing whether different activities are perceived as 'out of place' in the context of national park place meaning, yet the conceptualization of values within geographic literature on parks remains comparatively weak. This paper utilizes a definition of values, derived from a concise review of the geography and social psychology literatures, to explain the results of survey research we undertook within national parks in Queensland, Australia. We use a 'values-behavior hierarchy' conceptual framework to consider how the personal environmental values of a sample of park visitors (n=404) potentially affected patterns of park visitation, user activities, and user conflicts. Findings suggest that visitors' environmental values shaped how they perceived other park users and the appropriateness of their activities. This has international implications for geographic research and other disciplines and professions involved in national park visitation, park use, and human impacts, on and of these powerful places.

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Section: Visitors' Values and Protected Areasmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Seeing red’ in national parks: How visitors’ values affect perceptions and park experiences

et al. 2015

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“…2. Moore et al (2012) stated that unmaintained trail impacts are negatively perceived by visitors and have an overall adverse effect on visitor experiences, providing support for proper trail design and maintenance. Ballantyne et al (2014) recommended that management should seek to minimize the creation of informal trails by hardening popular routes and centralizing visitor flow.…”

Section: Decision Treesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trail impact monitoring in Rocky Mountain National Park, USA

et al. 2016

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Abstract. This paper examines impacts of increased visitation leading to human trampling of vegetation and soil along several trails in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) to understand how abiotic factors and level of use can influence trail conditions. RMNP is one of the most visited national parks in the USA, with 3.3 million visitors in 2012 across 1075 km 2 and 571 km of hiking trails. 95 % of the park is designated wilderness, making the balance between preservation and visitor use challenging. This research involves the application of trail condition assessments to 56 km of trails to determine prevailing factors and what, if any, connection between them exist. The study looked at a variety of inventory and impact indicators and standards to determine their importance and to develop a baseline condition of trails. The data can be used for future comparison and evaluation of development trends. We found that trail widening (mean trail width 88.9 cm) and soil loss (cross-sectional area 172.7 cm 2 ) are the most visible effects of trail degradation. Further statistical analyses of data identified the role and influence of various factors (e.g., use level and topography). Insights into the influence of these factors can lead to the selection of appropriate management measures to avoid or minimize negative consequences from increased visitation.

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“…Although the technical reasons for walking off-trail can be broadly understood (Root & Knapik 1972;Bryan 1977), the volitional reasons reflect the differences between levels of knowledge, morality or experience among visitors (Symmonds et al 2000;Park et al 2008;Moore et al 2012). The observations conducted in PNP confirmed those obtained in the Cadillac Mts.…”

Section: Natural and Environmental Impact Of Visitors Walking Off-trailmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trail management, off-trail walking and visitor impact in the Pieniny Mts National Park (Polish Carpathians)

Kolasińska¹,

Adamski²,

Ciapała³

et al. 2015

ecomont

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The objective of this study was to determine the numbers and percentages of various groups of visitors hiking off trail, the motives driving visitors to do so and the damaging impact on nature and the environment. Sections of eight routes in the Pieniny Mts. National Park (NP) were selected for the study. On average, 29.4 % of visitors were found to have strayed from the official routes, with children being the most prominent group (38.2 %). The groups led by guides left the trails significantly less than other groups (24.2 % and 30.5 % respectively). Technical reasons for leaving a trail, e. g. crowds or obstacles on the route, predominated over volitional reasons, such as taking photographs or resting (56.8 % and 43.2 % respectively). The proportion of persons walking off route drops significantly when the route has kerbs (Z = 2.10638; p = 0.0352), and a convenient trail surface (7.06311; p<0.0001). Additionally, a negative correlation was found between walking off the route and the mean (ρ = −0.2048; p = 0.0018) and minimum width of the route (ρ = −0.3244; p < 0.0001). A significant correlation was found between the type of habitat surrounding the route and the damaged surface (H = 37.4932; df = 2; p < 0.0001). In forest habitats, the breadth of the zone where vegetation was completely absent was significantly larger than in mixed habitats (Z = 5.35021; p < 0.0001), and non-forest habitats (Z = 5.35331; p < 0.0001). Similarly, in forest habitats the surface of the zone with damaged vegetation was significantly larger than in the remaining habitats (H = 154.7565; df = 2; p < 0.0001). The total length of informal trails branching off from the study areas was 242 m, which constituted 63 % of total length of the stages of the studied routes.

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Understanding users’ perceptions of trail resource impacts and how they affect experiences: An integrated approach

Cited by 37 publications

References 21 publications

‘Seeing red’ in national parks: How visitors’ values affect perceptions and park experiences

‘Seeing red’ in national parks: How visitors’ values affect perceptions and park experiences

Trail impact monitoring in Rocky Mountain National Park, USA

Trail management, off-trail walking and visitor impact in the Pieniny Mts National Park (Polish Carpathians)

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