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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine visitors' perceptions and to determine how their perceptions affected overall recreation experiences along a 2.9-mile segment of the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A purposive sample of 28 visitors was selected for this study. The study consisted of three parts, including a trail impact assessment of the target trail, a visitor employed photography (VEP) exercise, and a brief post-trip interview. This paper focused specifically on the VEP exercise. After analysis was completed, four perceptual themes emerged: nature-oriented details, scenic values, management influences, presence of other people, and depreciative behavior. We concluded that using VEP could help improve understanding of the relationships among resource impacts, perceptions, and outdoor recreation experiences. In addition, it could be useful to future trail management and supplement other visitor data collection methods.
Parent Publication
Citation
Dorwart, Catherine E.; Moore, Roger L.; Leung, Yu-Fai. 2007. Visitor employed photography: its potential and use in evaluating visitors'' perceptions of resource impacts in trail and park settings. In: Burns, R.; Robinson, K., comps. Proceedings of the 2006 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium; 2006 April 9-11; Bolton Landing, NY. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-14. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 307-315.
