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Data-informed support of applied visitor use management on public lands

Status
Completed
Start Date
May, 2026

Recreation use continues to rise across public lands, making effective visitor use management more important than ever to protect resources, sustain high-quality experiences, and maintain a mosaic of recreation opportunities across the public lands system. Understanding the recreating public, as well as manager perspectives and realities, are critical for informing the spectrum of visitor use management needs. Such needs include education and communication, such as signage design and messaging; engineering, such as providing food storage boxes in wilderness; strategic planning; and, in some cases, implementing a recreation allocation system that limits use. 

Visitor use management (VUM), particularly within contexts where use and interest are high, is challenging, and the currently available resources to help managers navigate planning and implementation are often broad and high level. This project aims to support federal land managers in applied settings who are faced with high use and interest challenges. We provide this support with published research, applied science products, and manager-oriented training materials. 

A scenic vista of pine trees and mountains
Photo Credit
Forest Service/Nate Lowe

There is no single approach to visitor use management, in all times and places, that accommodates the varying preferences of visitors and the needs of managers. But integrating current insights gained through scientific literature review, and social science conducted with visitors, members of the public, and federal land managers provides an opportunity for visitor use management that provides flexibility, maximizes access for all, is data-driven, builds on the experiences of other managers in different contexts, and meets agency requirements. This ongoing project is advancing both fundamental research and, interrelatedly, manager-oriented training and applied science in support of visitor use management.

Data-informed support for visitor use management can come in a variety of ways, from broadly understanding the state-of-the-science around visitor use management to specific insights into what motivates visitors to volunteer their time and energy to help steward the land. Through literature review, surveying visitors, and conducting in-depth interviews with managers, we have developed knowledge that can support specific elements of visitor use management such as messaging that supports volunteerism, interpreting and updating encounter standards embedded in official planning documents like Forest Plans, and identifying a site’s capacity and designing a recreation allocation systems.  

  • Phillips, Kelsey E.; Armatas, Christopher A.; Rice, William L.; Zou, Sharon Suiwen; Pitas, Nicholas. 2026. Muddling through it: Analyzing public land manager perspectives on recreation allocation. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism. 53: 101015. https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/80205.pdf
  • Rice, William L.; Phillips, Kelsey E.; Armatas, Christopher A.; Pitas, Nicholas A.; Zou, Suiwen Sharon; Fuesler, Abigail. 2025. A systematic review of visitor preferences concerning recreation allocation. Socio-Ecological Practice Research. https://www.fs.usda.gov/rm/pubs_journals/2025/rmrs_2025_rice_w001.pdf
  • Rice, William L.; Armatas, Christopher A. 2024. Wildland encounter norms across time and activity type: Stable preferences and shifting thresholds. Journal of Leisure Research. https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/68069
  • Thomas, Elena R.; Rice, William L.; Armatas, Christopher A.; Thomsen, Jennifer M. 2024. The effect of place attachment and leisure identity on wildland stewardship. Leisure Sciences. https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/67361
  • Thomsen, Jennifer M.; Rice, William L.; Rushing, Jaclyn F.; Armatas, Christopher A. 2023. U.S. wilderness in the 21st century: A scoping review of wilderness visitor use management research from 2000 to 2020. Journal of Leisure Research. 54(1): 3-25. https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/65705
  • Rice, William L.; Armatas, Christopher A. 2024. Answering the dam question: Visitor perspectives on removing and maintaining dams in wilderness. International Journal of Wilderness. 30(1). https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/67804
  • Thomas, Elena R.; Rice, William L.; Rushing, Jaclyn R.; Thomsen, Jennifer M.; Armatas, Christopher A. 2022. Constraints to wilderness recreation: A scoping review of existing research. International Journal of Wilderness. 28(2): 18-35. https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/65704
  • Rice, William L.; Armatas, Christopher A.; Thomsen, Jennifer M.; Rushing, Jaclyn R. 2021. Distribution of visitor use management research in U.S. Wilderness from 2000 to 2020: A scoping review. International Journal of Wilderness. 27(3): 46-61. https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/65701

Extracting applicable knowledge from peer-reviewed publications can be challenging and, therefore, we aim to conduct site-specific science whenever possible. These applied science studies often include co-producing methods, jointly implementing data collection with managers, collaboratively creating analyses, and synthesizing findings in manager-oriented reports to results are most helpful for application. Our applied science studies have supported managers focused on the wilderness stewardship planning process, developing a user capacity for a Wild and Scenic River, and potentially designing a recreation allocation system. The methods used range from synthesizing existing data to understand the level of recreation restrictions existing in Colorado, to asking visitors about their visitor experience, desired conditions, preferred approaches to recreation allocation (such as lottery or advanced reservation), and the booking windows (for example, one week in advance) for planning a trip that are most convenient. The project team has conducted applied social science from southern Florida to northwest Washington.

Manager-oriented reports and other science products:

  • Watts, Andrea; Armatas, Chris. 2026. First come, first served or lottery - Informing recreation allocation strategies with visitor preferences. Science You Can Use (in 5 Minutes), March 2026. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p. https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/80207.pdf
  • Fuesler, Abigail; Rice, William L.; Armatas, Christopher A.; Johnson, Hayley A. 2025. Alpine Lakes Wilderness: Recreation allocation study. Technical Report / 2025. Missoula, MT: University of Montana, Wildland and Recreation Management Research Laboratory. 23 p. https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/80472.pdf 
  • Fuesler, Abigail; Rice, William L.; Armatas, Christopher A.; Phillips, Kelsey E.; Omolara, Phoebe. 2025. Palomar Ranger District: Recreation allocation study. Technical Report. Missoula, MT: University of Montana, Wildland and Recreation Management Research Laboratory. 18 p. https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/80206.pdf 
  • Rice, William L.; Foster, Miranda; Park, Soyoung; Armatas, Christopher. A. 2025. A Mosaic of Management: Exploring and Mapping Recreation Confinement in Parks and Protected Areas in Colorado. An ArcGIS Storymap. URL: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/3345314fdbb3407ea3b494e92a2dca08

Visitor use management is a community-rooted endeavor, and being transparent with regard to existing and potentially influential science is a best practice. Further, public land management units often experience significant changes over time, which can lead to a lack of awareness about what has been done in the past. Therefore, our project emphasizes the importance of data archival, which facilitate public accessibility, turnover-resilient awareness, and the potential for future analysis and trends studies. 

Data archives, including raw data, methods details, and manager-oriented reports:

  • Rice, W. L., Johnson, H.A., Vergara, A., Armatas, C.A., and Thomsen, J.M. 2026. Stephen Mather Wilderness, North Cascades National Park: Visitor survey data collected in 2024. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2026-0022
  • Armatas, C. A., T. I. Mudford, and J. M. Thomsen. 2025. Salmon Wild and Scenic River: Visitor survey data collected between North Fork and Corn Creek in 2021 and 2022. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2025-0044
  • Armatas, C. A., G. Oppler, J. M. Thomsen, L. Miller, and I. Wheeler. 2025. Salmon River corridor monitoring data from summer of 2020: Counts of river floaters and vehicles on riveradjacent road. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2025-0043
  • Armatas, C. A., W. L. Rice, J. M. Thomsen, J. Fox Rushing, and J. Rojas. 2024. Wilderness areas in Everglades National Park: Visitor survey data from 2023. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2024-0082
  • Rice, W. L., P. J. Whitney, E. R. Thomas, and C. A. Armatas. 2024. Rattlesnake National Recreation Area and Wilderness (RNRAW): Visitor survey data from 2022-2023. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2024-0005.
Person in hooded turquoise shirt looks down at map in hands, overlooking a valley surrounded by high peaks.
Photo Credit
Chris Armatas

Mapping out the rest of the hike, or the future directions of collaborative project require deliberation among the group.

This project focuses on ensuring the lessons learned through fundamental research, applied science studies, and broader planning experience within the USFS are synthesized into applicable training materials for facilitating delivery of an in-person training. Currently, the team is developing a curriculum for an in-person training focused on recreation allocation design, which will be based upon the guidebook listed below.

  • Phillips, Kelsey E.; Rice, William L.; Armatas, Christopher A.; Pitas, Nick; Zou, Suiwen (Sharon). 2024. Allocating recreation with fairness at the forefront: A research-based planning and management guidebook. Missoula, MT: University of Montana, Wildland and Recreation Management Research Laboratory. 31 p. https://www.fs.usda.gov/rm/pubs_journals/2024/rmrs_2024_phillips_k001.pdf
A cluster of five low-slung tents set up together in an alpine meadow with a high peak in the distance.
Photo Credit
Chris Armatas

Sustainable camping in designated Wilderness

The project team continues to evolve as it considers the various challenges facing planners and managers addressing visitor use management. Currently, the project team is conceptualizing applied pilot studies that will support the agency as it navigates the requirements of several sections of the EXPLORE Act. In the future, the team hopes to develop a broad set of training materials as well, which can support different elements of the visitor use management process, including strategic planning needs such as capacity setting and specific implementation needs such as messaging and sign design. 

People

  • Person
    Chris A. Armatas, PhD

    Chris A. Armatas, PhD

    Research Social Scientist
    https://research.fs.usda.gov/about/people/christopher.armatas
  • Person
    Jaclyn Rushing, PhD

    Jaclyn Rushing, PhD

    Social Scientist
    https://research.fs.usda.gov/about/people/jaclyn.rushing
  • University of Montana, Parks, Tourism, and Recreation Management Program
    Will Rice

    Will Rice

  • University of Montana, Parks, Tourism, and Recreation Management Program
    Jenn Thomsen

    Jenn Thomsen

  • University of Montana, Parks, Tourism, and Recreation Management Program
    Abigail Fuesler

    Abigail Fuesler

  • USDA Forest Service
    Liz Townley

    Liz Townley

Publications

Last updated May 14, 2026
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