An evaluation of Appalachian Trail hikers' knowledge of minimum impact skills and practices

Abstract

As the number of visitors to national parks and related areas continues to rise and the types of visitors and activities continue to diversify, educating visitors in minimum skills can help to protect parks and related areas. Educating visitors in these skills can be a challenge, especially on the Appalachian Trail (AT) that travels through state, federal, municipal and private lands. This paper examines overall minimum impact knowledge of AT hikers. Study findings will help managers to understand how much visitors know about minimum impact skills and how they can be most effective in educating hikers about minimum impact skills. Study data are drawn from a survey of nearly 2000 AT hikers in the summer and fall of 1999.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the 2001 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium

Citation

Newman, Peter; Manning, Robert; Bacon, Jim; Graefe, Alan; Kyle, Gerard. 2002. An evaluation of Appalachian Trail hikers' knowledge of minimum impact skills and practices. In: Todd, Sharon, comp., ed. 2002. Proceedings of the 2001 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-289. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station. 163-167.