Integrating resource, social and managerial indicators of quality into carrying capacity decision making

Abstract

As use in national parks and related areas continues to rise and visitors and types of activities continue to diversify, we are challenged to balance use and preservation in parks, wilderness and related areas. Faced with these challenges, integrative approaches to defining, monitoring and managing ecological, social and managerial setting attributes is crucial. This research outlined in this paper has two objectives. The first objective is to inventory and map selected ecological, social and managerial setting attributes that define wilderness quality in Yosemite National Park. Using GIS technology, overlay maps of these setting attributes will assist in determining the types and distribution of wilderness experiences, associated ecological impacts and concomitant opportunity zones for the wilderness portion of the park. The second objective is to evaluate relative tradeoff's among wilderness setting attributes. Evaluations of these tradeoff's will be analyzed and will allow management to decide how to best mitigate recreational impacts while not hindering, to an unacceptable degree, the freedoms and other qualities often associated with wilderness experiences.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the 2001 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium

Citation

Newman, Peter; Manning, Robert; Valliere, Bill. 2002. Integrating resource, social and managerial indicators of quality into carrying capacity decision making. 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. 233-238.