Post on 06-Jan-2016
description
Park Planning and Social Science Informing General Management Plans:An Ozark National Scenic Riverways
Case Study
Erin Tucker (SIUC)
Logan Park, Ph.D. (SIUC)
Ryan Sharp Ph.D. (NPS)
Ken Chilman, Ph.D. (SIUC)
George Wright Society 2011
Photo from commons.wikipedia.org
Planning
• General Management Plan
• History– RVIMS– RAVI
Ozark National Scenic Riverways
• Ozark Highlands of SE Missouri
• 134 miles of river
• 1.4 million visitors/year
• Boating, canoeing, swimming, fishing, tubing, hiking, horseback riding, and camping
Research Questions
• What are river use levels currently?
• What is the range of conditions available on the river with respect to crowding and conflict?
Study Methods
1. Visitor Use Levels• Sampling approach• Data collection
2. Questionnaire• Sampling approach• 532 visitors surveyed; 93% response rate
Study Results: Visitor Use Levels
Study Results: Questionnaire
Trip Characteristics
Boaters• Ave. trip length= 5.1
hours• Local
Floaters• Multiple days• Mid-western
Discussion and Conclusions
Monitoring
• Frequent, affordable, effective
• Best monitoring plan is one you can actually conduct!
Social Impacts
• Crowding
• Conflict
Acknowledgements
• Joel Ramtahal (SIUC)
• Ross Smith, Jacob Nordmann, Sean Patrick (SIUC)
• Dr. James Price, Russ Runge, and all of the ONSR NPS staff
• Keri Cahill (NPS, Denver Service Center)