Abstract
An on-site visitor survey instrument was developed to examine visitor perceptions of resource impacts resulting from backcountry hiking activities. The survey was conducted in the Bear Lake Corridor of Rocky Mountain National Park, CO and examined visitor characteristics that may influence visitor perceptions of specific resource conditions. Findings indicate that visitors are more perceptive of recreation-related resource impacts that are the result of undesirable behavior and, while visitors do perceive resource impacts, visitors tend to be more affected by crowding. Factors such as local ecological knowledge and knowledge of minimal-impact practices positively influence visitor perceptions of resource impacts. These findings support the use of visitor education on ecological knowledge and minimum-impact as a means of increasing visitor awareness of recreation impact issues.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Brooks JJ, Titre JP (2003) A multi-method assessment of recreation impacts at Rocky Mountain National Park. National Park Service Report, Estes Park, Colorado
D’Antonio AL (2010) Recreation resource impacts in the Bear Lake Road Corridor of Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USU: an assessment of resource conditions and visitor perceptions. Thesis, Utah State University
Dorwart CE, Moore RL, Leung Y-F (2009) Visitors’ perceptions of a trail environment and effects on experiences: a model for nature-based recreation experiences. Leisure Sciences 32:33–54
Ericsson G, Heberlein TA (2003) Attitudes of hunters, locals, and the general public in Sweden now that the wolves are back. Biological Conservation 111:149–159
Farrell TA, Hall TE, White DD (2001) Wilderness campers’ perception and evaluation of campsite impacts. Journal of Leisure Research 33:229–250
Fishbein M, Ajzen I (1975) Belief, attitude, intention, and behavior: an introduction to theory and research. Addison-Wesley, Reading
Gamble L, Lawson S, Monz CA, Newman PL (2007) Modeling the effects of alternative transportation on resource protection and visitor experiences in Rocky Mountain National Park. Alternative transportation in the parks and public lands program, project proposal
Hammitt WE, Cole DN (1998) Wildland recreation: ecology and management. Wiley, New York
Hammitt WE, Backlund EA, Bixler RD (2004) Experience use history, place bonding, and resource substitution of trout anglers during recreation engagements. Journal of Leisure Research 36:356–378
Ibitayo OO, Virdin RJ (1996) Visitor and manager perceptions of depreciative behaviors in Urban Park settings. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration 14:6–51
Kaczensky P, Blazic M, Gossow H (2004) Public attitude towards brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Slovenia. Biological Conservation 118:661–674
Karlsson J, Sjostrom M (2007) Human attitudes towards wolves, a matter of distance. Biological Conservation 137:610–616
Knudson DM, Curry EB (1981) Campers’ perception of site deterioration and crowding. Journal of Forestry 79:92–94
Laven D, Manning R, Krymkowski DH (2005) The relationship between visitor-based standards of quality and existing conditions in parks and outdoor recreation. Leisure Sciences 27:157–173
Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics (2010) Leave no trace—outdoor ethics for frontcountry. http://www.lnt.org/programs/frontcountry.php. Accessed 1 Aug 2010
Leujak W, Ormond RFG (2007) Visitor perceptions and the shifting social carrying capacity of South Sinai’s coral reeds. Environmental Management 39:472–489
Leung Y, Attarian A (2003) Frontcountry visitor information/education programs: are there lessons for wilderness? International Journal of Wilderness 9:32–33
Leung Y, Marion JL (2000) Recreation impact and management in wilderness: a state-of-knowledge review. In: Cole DN, McCool SF, Borrie WT, O’Loughlin J (eds) Proceedings of wilderness science in a time of change conference, vol 5, wilderness ecosystems, threats and management. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Ogden, pp 23–48
Lynn NA, Brown RD (2003) Effects of recreational use impacts on hiking experiences in natural areas. Landscape and Urban Planning 64:77–87
Manning RE (2011a) Studies in outdoor recreation: search and research for satisfaction. Oregon State University Press, Corvallis
Manning RE, Lawson S, Newman P, Budrul M, Vallerie W, Laven D, Bacon J (2004) Visitor perceptions of recreation-related resource impacts. In: Buckley R (ed) The environmental impacts of ecotourism. CABI, London, pp 259–271
McFarlane BL, Stumpf-Allen RCG, Watson DO (2006) Public perceptions of natural disturbance in Canada’s national parks: the case of the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins). Biological Conservation 130:340–348
Monz CA (2009) Climbers’ attitudes toward recreation resource impacts in the Adirondack Park’s Giant Mountain Wilderness. International Journal of Wilderness 15:26–33
Muller M, Job H (2009) Managing natural disturbance in protected areas: tourists’ attitude towards the bark beetle in a German national park. Biological Conservation 142:283–375
National Park Service (2010) Visitor statistics [data file]. http://www.nature.nps.gov/stats/. Accessed 15 Dec 2010
Newman P, Lawson S, Monz C (2010) Integrated approach to transportation and visitor use management at Rocky Mountain National Park. National Park Service Report, Estes Park, pp 72–105
Roggenbuck JR, Williams DR, Watson AE (1993) Defining acceptable conditions in wilderness. Environmental Management 17:187–197
van Riper C, Manning, RE (2011) Perceived impacts of outdoor recreation on the summit of Cascade Mountain, New York. Adirondack Journal of Environmental Studies, 16. http://www.ajes.org/v16/vanriper2010.php
White DD, Hall TE, Farrell TA (2001) Influence of ecological impacts and other campsite characteristics on wilderness visitors’ campsite choices. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration 19:83–87
White DD, Virden RJ, van Riper CJ (2008) Effects of place identity, place dependence and experience-use history on perceptions of recreation impacts in a natural setting. Environmental Management 42:647–657
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by funding from the S.J. and Jessie S. Quinney Foundation and the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station. The authors thank Larry Gamble and Judy Visty of the National Park Service for their help with and support of this research. We also thank Annie Weilier, Kevin Dombrock, and Michael Czaja for help in administering the surveys.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
D’Antonio, A., Monz, C., Newman, P. et al. The Effects of Local Ecological Knowledge, Minimum-Impact Knowledge, and Prior Experience on Visitor Perceptions of the Ecological Impacts of Backcountry Recreation. Environmental Management 50, 542–554 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-012-9910-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-012-9910-x