Pub Date : 2023-07-10DOI: 10.18666/jpra-2023-11923
Robert P. Warner, Jim Sibthorp, Michael Froehly, C. Wainryb, Jennifer M. Taylor
Summer camp is a common seasonal employment setting for emerging adults in North America (American Camp Association, 2016), and although scholars have suggested that camp can be a developmental setting for youth participants (e.g., Garst et al., 2009), far less is known about camp as a developmental employment setting that supports emerging adults’ identity development (Johnson et al., 2011; Povilaitis & Sibthorp, 2022; Warner, Godwin, et al., 2021). Using narrative identity as a theoretical framework, the purpose of this study was to understand if there were differences in evidence of identity-salient meaning-making between emerging adults’ accounts of camp employment and non-camp employment, as well as examine the developmental characteristics of camp employment linked to how emerging adults make meaning about these experiences. To this end, one narrative about camp employment and one narrative about non-camp employment were collected from emerging adults who had worked at least one summer at a camp (N = 67). The results suggested there was more complex meaning-making in participants’ camp employment narratives compared to their non-camp employment narratives. The results also revealed that when participants reported having supportive coworkers and feeling they made a difference their narratives contained more evidence of meaning-making than the narratives of participants that did not report these characteristics. The results provide support for camp employment as a developmental setting by identifying characteristics linked to the meaning emerging adults draw from their experiences working in this setting. Camp administrators may use these results as evidence of the potential non-monetary value of camp employment. Further, these results suggest that when emerging adult staff perceive their camp employment as having a supportive social environment and providing them opportunities to make a difference, the seasonal employment experience is more likely to become an experience that supports their development. These key findings can be used to communicate the value of camp employment to potential employees and those advising them, such as parents or mentors; further, increasing the perceived value of camp employment amongst current staff members only serves to bolster the advocacy for camp work as a developmental setting.
{"title":"A Narrative Identity Approach to Understanding Meaning-making in Summer Camp Employment","authors":"Robert P. Warner, Jim Sibthorp, Michael Froehly, C. Wainryb, Jennifer M. Taylor","doi":"10.18666/jpra-2023-11923","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18666/jpra-2023-11923","url":null,"abstract":"Summer camp is a common seasonal employment setting for emerging adults in North America (American Camp Association, 2016), and although scholars have suggested that camp can be a developmental setting for youth participants (e.g., Garst et al., 2009), far less is known about camp as a developmental employment setting that supports emerging adults’ identity development (Johnson et al., 2011; Povilaitis & Sibthorp, 2022; Warner, Godwin, et al., 2021). Using narrative identity as a theoretical framework, the purpose of this study was to understand if there were differences in evidence of identity-salient meaning-making between emerging adults’ accounts of camp employment and non-camp employment, as well as examine the developmental characteristics of camp employment linked to how emerging adults make meaning about these experiences. To this end, one narrative about camp employment and one narrative about non-camp employment were collected from emerging adults who had worked at least one summer at a camp (N = 67). The results suggested there was more complex meaning-making in participants’ camp employment narratives compared to their non-camp employment narratives. The results also revealed that when participants reported having supportive coworkers and feeling they made a difference their narratives contained more evidence of meaning-making than the narratives of participants that did not report these characteristics. The results provide support for camp employment as a developmental setting by identifying characteristics linked to the meaning emerging adults draw from their experiences working in this setting. Camp administrators may use these results as evidence of the potential non-monetary value of camp employment. Further, these results suggest that when emerging adult staff perceive their camp employment as having a supportive social environment and providing them opportunities to make a difference, the seasonal employment experience is more likely to become an experience that supports their development. These key findings can be used to communicate the value of camp employment to potential employees and those advising them, such as parents or mentors; further, increasing the perceived value of camp employment amongst current staff members only serves to bolster the advocacy for camp work as a developmental setting.","PeriodicalId":46684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Park and Recreation Administration","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44271128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-07-01DOI: 10.18666/jpra-2023-11977
A. Askew, E. White, G. Green
Public lands are an important source of outdoor recreation opportunities. These opportunities provide a variety of public benefits, including promoting physical and mental well-being, contributing to local economies, and raising conservation awareness. In response to current and potential demand, it is ever more important to meet and anticipate infrastructure and user needs. With aging infrastructure (e.g., trails, access points, parking lots), managers face the need to maintain existing, and establish new, recreation opportunities to meet user expectations and contribute to positive perceptions of recreation offerings within the realities of budgetary challenges. Compounding this difficulty is the frequent presence of hierarchical decision-making process within public agencies providing recreation opportunities. For example, within the U.S. Forest Service National Forest System (NFS), recreation investment decisions, such as those under the Great American Outdoors Act, are often made at the regional administrative level after considering the needs and conditions across multiple NFS units within the region. While certain aspects of infrastructure can be measured for quality (i.e., physical attributes like trail conditions), it is difficult to quantify psychological elements of user satisfaction. Recreationist satisfaction is important to promoting supportive and engaged users of public lands. Therefore, a priority for management is understanding how user experiences compare to expectations. Direct ratings from surveys can be useful proxies of user perceptions. For decades, Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) has translated importance and satisfaction ratings to action plans, a valuable management tool in valid application. However, IPA treats each unit as an “island,” and doesn’t fully address the challenge of comparing conditions and needs across units. A variation of IPA, known as Importance Performance Competitor Analysis (IPCA), compares a focal unit against a competitor. Using the National Visitor Use Monitoring Program (NVUM) satisfaction survey module, we adapted IPCA to the NFS regional organizations. Rather than analyzing unit versus competitor, we assessed each unit against its complementary regional aggregate over several points in time. A classification-based percentage identified the highest priorities regionally, selecting attributes for follow-up with IPA to identify relevant units for management. For two NFS regions, we present examples of translating survey output to reports meaningful for management, either as a snapshot in time or across multiple time points. These methodologies are adaptable to other unit networks under the same managerial oversight, with Likert scale data collected on multiple time periods. The primary objective is to translate survey data to recommended actions over a hierarchical network, which can guide managers in prioritizing needs and sustainable planning. In our examples, we identified region-level p
{"title":"Importance Performance Competitor Analysis for Comprehensive Assessment of National Forest Visitor Satisfaction","authors":"A. Askew, E. White, G. Green","doi":"10.18666/jpra-2023-11977","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18666/jpra-2023-11977","url":null,"abstract":"Public lands are an important source of outdoor recreation opportunities. These opportunities provide a variety of public benefits, including promoting physical and mental well-being, contributing to local economies, and raising conservation awareness. In response to current and potential demand, it is ever more important to meet and anticipate infrastructure and user needs. With aging infrastructure (e.g., trails, access points, parking lots), managers face the need to maintain existing, and establish new, recreation opportunities to meet user expectations and contribute to positive perceptions of recreation offerings within the realities of budgetary challenges. Compounding this difficulty is the frequent presence of hierarchical decision-making process within public agencies providing recreation opportunities. For example, within the U.S. Forest Service National Forest System (NFS), recreation investment decisions, such as those under the Great American Outdoors Act, are often made at the regional administrative level after considering the needs and conditions across multiple NFS units within the region. While certain aspects of infrastructure can be measured for quality (i.e., physical attributes like trail conditions), it is difficult to quantify psychological elements of user satisfaction. Recreationist satisfaction is important to promoting supportive and engaged users of public lands. Therefore, a priority for management is understanding how user experiences compare to expectations. Direct ratings from surveys can be useful proxies of user perceptions. For decades, Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) has translated importance and satisfaction ratings to action plans, a valuable management tool in valid application. However, IPA treats each unit as an “island,” and doesn’t fully address the challenge of comparing conditions and needs across units. A variation of IPA, known as Importance Performance Competitor Analysis (IPCA), compares a focal unit against a competitor. Using the National Visitor Use Monitoring Program (NVUM) satisfaction survey module, we adapted IPCA to the NFS regional organizations. Rather than analyzing unit versus competitor, we assessed each unit against its complementary regional aggregate over several points in time. A classification-based percentage identified the highest priorities regionally, selecting attributes for follow-up with IPA to identify relevant units for management. For two NFS regions, we present examples of translating survey output to reports meaningful for management, either as a snapshot in time or across multiple time points. These methodologies are adaptable to other unit networks under the same managerial oversight, with Likert scale data collected on multiple time periods. The primary objective is to translate survey data to recommended actions over a hierarchical network, which can guide managers in prioritizing needs and sustainable planning. In our examples, we identified region-level p","PeriodicalId":46684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Park and Recreation Administration","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46731280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-05DOI: 10.18666/jpra-2022-11260
E. Gómez, L. Usher, K. T. Centers
Two focus groups were conducted as part of a case study to reflect on dog park success in Norfolk, Virginia. One focus group included administrators from Norfolk Parks and Recreation dog park staff. The second focus group included member residents from neighborhood civic leagues or dog park associations. Two general guiding questions for the focus groups were: (a) What are the essential aspects of successful dog parks? and (b) What policies and procedures were developed for dog parks? Topical areas reflecting the first question included essential aspects of successful dog parks and the general benefits of dog parks. Topical areas reflecting the second question included the reasons why dog parks were established in Norfolk and the policies and procedures for establishing dog parks. City administrators and residents participating in the focus groups agreed overall about why dog parks were established in Norfolk—in response to a community need due to dense population, small yards, and apartment buildings. There was agreement between both groups regarding amenities that make dog parks successful—fencing, water, and shade; however, other amenities for success varied according to structural or functional aspects. Despite the similarities in the two focus group discussions about reasons for dog park establishment, the discussions diverged once researchers asked about policies related to the establishment and maintenance of dog parks. Residents expressed frustration with being charged with half of the establishment and upkeep of the dog park. The discussion followed frameworks of public engagement, power dynamics, and co-production/co-governance. Management implications include revisiting or adjusting policies related to dog park development (including fundraising), taking into consideration a highly transient population and its implications for dog park association leadership, consideration of a dog park liaison, and problems associated with unfenced dog parks. Norfolk dog parks were found to be highly successful and civic leaders noted Norfolk park administrators have been responsive to resident needs, and they were given an opportunity for feedback on the process.
{"title":"Focus Groups of Park Administrators and Residents Regarding Dog Park Development and Success: A Case Study in Norfolk, Virginia","authors":"E. Gómez, L. Usher, K. T. Centers","doi":"10.18666/jpra-2022-11260","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18666/jpra-2022-11260","url":null,"abstract":"Two focus groups were conducted as part of a case study to reflect on dog park success in Norfolk, Virginia. One focus group included administrators from Norfolk Parks and Recreation dog park staff. The second focus group included member residents from neighborhood civic leagues or dog park associations. Two general guiding questions for the focus groups were: (a) What are the essential aspects of successful dog parks? and (b) What policies and procedures were developed for dog parks? Topical areas reflecting the first question included essential aspects of successful dog parks and the general benefits of dog parks. Topical areas reflecting the second question included the reasons why dog parks were established in Norfolk and the policies and procedures for establishing dog parks. City administrators and residents participating in the focus groups agreed overall about why dog parks were established in Norfolk—in response to a community need due to dense population, small yards, and apartment buildings. There was agreement between both groups regarding amenities that make dog parks successful—fencing, water, and shade; however, other amenities for success varied according to structural or functional aspects. Despite the similarities in the two focus group discussions about reasons for dog park establishment, the discussions diverged once researchers asked about policies related to the establishment and maintenance of dog parks. Residents expressed frustration with being charged with half of the establishment and upkeep of the dog park. The discussion followed frameworks of public engagement, power dynamics, and co-production/co-governance. Management implications include revisiting or adjusting policies related to dog park development (including fundraising), taking into consideration a highly transient population and its implications for dog park association leadership, consideration of a dog park liaison, and problems associated with unfenced dog parks. Norfolk dog parks were found to be highly successful and civic leaders noted Norfolk park administrators have been responsive to resident needs, and they were given an opportunity for feedback on the process.","PeriodicalId":46684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Park and Recreation Administration","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48813360","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-05DOI: 10.18666/jpra-2022-11484
G. Ellis, Kaylee Jorgensen, Jingxian Jiang, Darlene Locke
Substantial gains have been made in recent years toward understanding techniques for immersing participants in recreation activities. Immersed participants “become physically (or virtually) a part of the experience itself” (Pine & Gilmore, 2020, p. 40); their actions merge with their awareness (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975). As competition in the leisure and travel industries intensifies, managers and program evaluators will need efficient approaches to measure the ebbs and flows of participants’ immersion during participation. The latest research suggests it is not sufficient to use a single number to represent the entire flow of immersion during an activity. Rather, measures of salient features of participants’ “experience journeys” may be needed. Experience journey measurement requires measuring participants’ immersion repeatedly, at successive intervals as an activity unfolds. We developed an efficient way of measuring immersion experience journeys and examined relations between select experience journey characteristics (central tendency, dispersion, and pattern) and two outcomes ordinarily valued by park and recreation managers: enjoyment and proclivity to recommend the activity to other people. We collected experience observations (n=1,189) from 150 youth in a summer camp, who completed questionnaires immediately following each of eight structured activity sessions: swimming, climbing, archery, riflery, dancing, kayaking, fishing, and crafts. Participants shared their immersion experience journeys immediately after the activity by drawing a line through a time-series graph representing their levels of immersion as the activity progressed. Immersion at each time point in the experience journey was measured as the vertical distance from the baseline to the drawn line, at each of 12 sequential observations. The questionnaire also included conventional post-hoc measures of enjoyment and proclivity to recommend the activity. Dispersion and pattern of immersion experience journeys were found to be important predictors of enjoyment and proclivity to recommend. Two measures of central tendency (peak-end average and global average) were also strong predictors. Models using global summaries as the measure of central tendency of immersion explained greater variance than peak-end averages until pattern and dispersion were added to the models. Results point to the potential utility of new and efficient questionnaires for monitoring experience journeys and continuously improving recreation programs and events.
{"title":"Evaluating Participant Experience Journeys: Peak-End Moments, Global Summaries, Dispersion, and Pattern","authors":"G. Ellis, Kaylee Jorgensen, Jingxian Jiang, Darlene Locke","doi":"10.18666/jpra-2022-11484","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18666/jpra-2022-11484","url":null,"abstract":"Substantial gains have been made in recent years toward understanding techniques for immersing participants in recreation activities. Immersed participants “become physically (or virtually) a part of the experience itself” (Pine & Gilmore, 2020, p. 40); their actions merge with their awareness (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975). As competition in the leisure and travel industries intensifies, managers and program evaluators will need efficient approaches to measure the ebbs and flows of participants’ immersion during participation. The latest research suggests it is not sufficient to use a single number to represent the entire flow of immersion during an activity. Rather, measures of salient features of participants’ “experience journeys” may be needed. Experience journey measurement requires measuring participants’ immersion repeatedly, at successive intervals as an activity unfolds. We developed an efficient way of measuring immersion experience journeys and examined relations between select experience journey characteristics (central tendency, dispersion, and pattern) and two outcomes ordinarily valued by park and recreation managers: enjoyment and proclivity to recommend the activity to other people. We collected experience observations (n=1,189) from 150 youth in a summer camp, who completed questionnaires immediately following each of eight structured activity sessions: swimming, climbing, archery, riflery, dancing, kayaking, fishing, and crafts. Participants shared their immersion experience journeys immediately after the activity by drawing a line through a time-series graph representing their levels of immersion as the activity progressed. Immersion at each time point in the experience journey was measured as the vertical distance from the baseline to the drawn line, at each of 12 sequential observations. The questionnaire also included conventional post-hoc measures of enjoyment and proclivity to recommend the activity. Dispersion and pattern of immersion experience journeys were found to be important predictors of enjoyment and proclivity to recommend. Two measures of central tendency (peak-end average and global average) were also strong predictors. Models using global summaries as the measure of central tendency of immersion explained greater variance than peak-end averages until pattern and dispersion were added to the models. Results point to the potential utility of new and efficient questionnaires for monitoring experience journeys and continuously improving recreation programs and events.","PeriodicalId":46684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Park and Recreation Administration","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44815149","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-05-15DOI: 10.18666/jpra-2023-11892
S. Lawson, C. Monz, Abigail M. Larkin
With the ever-increasing availability of passive mobile data products and services, parks and protected areas (PPA) professionals have a growing interest in accessing them to analyze visitor use in PPA. There is substantial potential to use passive mobile data for studies of visitor use in PPA, but there is still much to learn about the suitability of them for this purpose. In this paper we provide an assessment of the current state of passive mobile data, including suggestions about how to evaluate the suitability of these data for PPA applications. Our research note is informed by our experience working with PPA professionals over several decades combined, and by our recent work using passive mobile data for PPA applications. We emphasize that this is a rapidly changing field with new data and approaches emerging on a continual basis. Nonetheless, in this discussion we provide our current perspective.
{"title":"Passive Mobile Data Analysis of Visitor Use in Parks and Protected Areas: Prospects and Challenges","authors":"S. Lawson, C. Monz, Abigail M. Larkin","doi":"10.18666/jpra-2023-11892","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18666/jpra-2023-11892","url":null,"abstract":"With the ever-increasing availability of passive mobile data products and services, parks and protected areas (PPA) professionals have a growing interest in accessing them to analyze visitor use in PPA. There is substantial potential to use passive mobile data for studies of visitor use in PPA, but there is still much to learn about the suitability of them for this purpose. In this paper we provide an assessment of the current state of passive mobile data, including suggestions about how to evaluate the suitability of these data for PPA applications. Our research note is informed by our experience working with PPA professionals over several decades combined, and by our recent work using passive mobile data for PPA applications. We emphasize that this is a rapidly changing field with new data and approaches emerging on a continual basis. Nonetheless, in this discussion we provide our current perspective.","PeriodicalId":46684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Park and Recreation Administration","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46675613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-05-15DOI: 10.18666/jpra-2023-11581
R. Burns, L. Janowicz, J. Moreira, C. Pierskalla, Ross G. Andrew, D. Smaldone
This study focuses on the informal learning methods that take place in an 8-day structured summer camp. The Appalachian GeoSTEMCamp infused outdoor adventure recreation with geology using an informal-formal learning methodology. The camp was designed to instruct middle school/high school students on earth and environmental sciences in a way that is challenging and interesting, promoting critical and creative thinking. The data adds to a growing body of literature suggesting informal education has an established place in STEM education.
{"title":"Adventure Recreation Camp: An Informal Education Methodology Used to Educate Youth","authors":"R. Burns, L. Janowicz, J. Moreira, C. Pierskalla, Ross G. Andrew, D. Smaldone","doi":"10.18666/jpra-2023-11581","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18666/jpra-2023-11581","url":null,"abstract":"This study focuses on the informal learning methods that take place in an 8-day structured summer camp. The Appalachian GeoSTEMCamp infused outdoor adventure recreation with geology using an informal-formal learning methodology. The camp was designed to instruct middle school/high school students on earth and environmental sciences in a way that is challenging and interesting, promoting critical and creative thinking. The data adds to a growing body of literature suggesting informal education has an established place in STEM education.","PeriodicalId":46684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Park and Recreation Administration","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42874898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-04-25DOI: 10.18666/jpra-2023-11544
Steven L. Powers, Seth Carswell, Shannon Barker, Renee Lavin Powers
Deciduous tree leaves on recreational trails alter user experience generally making for less enjoyable and possibly more dangerous conditions. Web searches reveal extensive debate regarding the management of leaves on trails with some trail users adamant leaves should be removed and others equally adamant they should not. Despite this debate, there is a dearth of published guidance and empirical research for decisions regarding leaf management on recreational trails. In this study, we experimentally removed leaves from treatment trail segments at Carvins Cove near Roanoke, Virginia, during late fall in 2019 and 2020 and did not remove leaves from control segments. Physical characteristics of treatment and control segments were statistically indistinguishable. Over the following 2-year period, leaf cover on trails, qualitative trail conditions, compressive soil strength, and soil moisture content were measured in winter, spring, and fall. In fall 2021, erosion of trail was also measured. All measured variables were compared between treatment and control segments. Differences in leaf cover of treatment and control segments were detectable through spring, but were undetectable by early fall. During winter, compressive soil strength was lower in leafless segments. Analyses of qualitative data revealed leafless segments as softer and muddier than leaf-covered segments during winter likely due to increased freeze-thaw cycles on trails lacking the insulating layer of leaves. During spring, soil moisture content was lower in leafless segments likely due to the evaporative barrier provided by the leaves on control segments. During spring, compressive soil strength and qualitative condition did not vary among treatment and control segments. No differences in trail conditions were detectable among treatment and control segments during fall. After 2 years, erosion did not vary among treatment and control segments suggesting there is little impact of widespread leaf removal on long-term sustainability of trails. Thus, we recommend decisions regarding leaf removal focus not on efforts to make trails more sustainable, but rather to maximize maintenance resources for desired user experiences. Specifically, trails regularly plagued with mud during freeze-thaw cycles likely benefit from not removing leaves prior to winter as mud is generally among the least desirable of conditions for trail users.
{"title":"Impacts of Leaf Removal from Trails on Trail Condition and Erosion","authors":"Steven L. Powers, Seth Carswell, Shannon Barker, Renee Lavin Powers","doi":"10.18666/jpra-2023-11544","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18666/jpra-2023-11544","url":null,"abstract":"Deciduous tree leaves on recreational trails alter user experience generally making for less enjoyable and possibly more dangerous conditions. Web searches reveal extensive debate regarding the management of leaves on trails with some trail users adamant leaves should be removed and others equally adamant they should not. Despite this debate, there is a dearth of published guidance and empirical research for decisions regarding leaf management on recreational trails. In this study, we experimentally removed leaves from treatment trail segments at Carvins Cove near Roanoke, Virginia, during late fall in 2019 and 2020 and did not remove leaves from control segments. Physical characteristics of treatment and control segments were statistically indistinguishable. Over the following 2-year period, leaf cover on trails, qualitative trail conditions, compressive soil strength, and soil moisture content were measured in winter, spring, and fall. In fall 2021, erosion of trail was also measured. All measured variables were compared between treatment and control segments. Differences in leaf cover of treatment and control segments were detectable through spring, but were undetectable by early fall. During winter, compressive soil strength was lower in leafless segments. Analyses of qualitative data revealed leafless segments as softer and muddier than leaf-covered segments during winter likely due to increased freeze-thaw cycles on trails lacking the insulating layer of leaves. During spring, soil moisture content was lower in leafless segments likely due to the evaporative barrier provided by the leaves on control segments. During spring, compressive soil strength and qualitative condition did not vary among treatment and control segments. No differences in trail conditions were detectable among treatment and control segments during fall. After 2 years, erosion did not vary among treatment and control segments suggesting there is little impact of widespread leaf removal on long-term sustainability of trails. Thus, we recommend decisions regarding leaf removal focus not on efforts to make trails more sustainable, but rather to maximize maintenance resources for desired user experiences. Specifically, trails regularly plagued with mud during freeze-thaw cycles likely benefit from not removing leaves prior to winter as mud is generally among the least desirable of conditions for trail users.","PeriodicalId":46684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Park and Recreation Administration","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49356151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-04-15DOI: 10.18666/jpra-2023-11740
Kelli K. McMahan, G. Ellis, Christopher J Wynveen
Managers of parks and protected areas use numerous strategies to mitigate risk. We investigated two of those in the context of an actual risk mitigation challenge at the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Big 4 Mountain Ice Caves trail: signage strategy and a broadened range of activity options along the trail (i.e., an expanded experiencescape). Signage is a very widely used strategy (Mason, 2005) for managing risk and visitor behavior. The expanded experiencescape strategy was recommended by USDA Forest Service professionals who managed the trail and was intended to redirect visitors’ attention and behavior away from the high-risk feature of the trail (ice caves) by attracting them to other features and activity options (e.g., a beaver pond, varying ecological zones). We created simulated hikes under different interpretation and experiencescape scenarios to evaluate effects of five specific strategies a) new terminus design (experiencescape strategy), b) signage telling the story of the formation of an ice cave (signage strategy), c) a new loop trail (experiencescape strategy), d) death and injury statistics posted at the trailhead (signage strategy), and e) interpretation of trail features other than the ice caves (signage strategy). We evaluated the five strategies by systematically varying the presence or absence of each strategy across simulation videos. After viewing the simulated hike video to which they were randomly assigned, participants (two samples of adult outdoor recreationists, N=406) reported their probability of approaching, entering, or climbing on the ice caves. Effects of new terminus design, posting injury death statistics at the trailhead, and expanded interpretation were significant. Findings suggest that interpretation and experiencescape strategies may promote visitor safety. Recommendations to managers of the Big Four Mountain Ice Caves trail may generalize to other risk-prone sites.
{"title":"Evaluation of Interpretation and Experiencescape Strategies for Mitigating Risk","authors":"Kelli K. McMahan, G. Ellis, Christopher J Wynveen","doi":"10.18666/jpra-2023-11740","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18666/jpra-2023-11740","url":null,"abstract":"Managers of parks and protected areas use numerous strategies to mitigate risk. We investigated two of those in the context of an actual risk mitigation challenge at the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Big 4 Mountain Ice Caves trail: signage strategy and a broadened range of activity options along the trail (i.e., an expanded experiencescape). Signage is a very widely used strategy (Mason, 2005) for managing risk and visitor behavior. The expanded experiencescape strategy was recommended by USDA Forest Service professionals who managed the trail and was intended to redirect visitors’ attention and behavior away from the high-risk feature of the trail (ice caves) by attracting them to other features and activity options (e.g., a beaver pond, varying ecological zones). We created simulated hikes under different interpretation and experiencescape scenarios to evaluate effects of five specific strategies a) new terminus design (experiencescape strategy), b) signage telling the story of the formation of an ice cave (signage strategy), c) a new loop trail (experiencescape strategy), d) death and injury statistics posted at the trailhead (signage strategy), and e) interpretation of trail features other than the ice caves (signage strategy). We evaluated the five strategies by systematically varying the presence or absence of each strategy across simulation videos. After viewing the simulated hike video to which they were randomly assigned, participants (two samples of adult outdoor recreationists, N=406) reported their probability of approaching, entering, or climbing on the ice caves. Effects of new terminus design, posting injury death statistics at the trailhead, and expanded interpretation were significant. Findings suggest that interpretation and experiencescape strategies may promote visitor safety. Recommendations to managers of the Big Four Mountain Ice Caves trail may generalize to other risk-prone sites.","PeriodicalId":46684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Park and Recreation Administration","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47607961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-04-04DOI: 10.18666/jpra-2023-11696
Outdoor recreation managers as well as municipal and county economic development specialists can help diversify local, regional, and state economies by developing long-distance cycling routes and supporting bicycle tourism. In this research note, we outline 10 best practices focused on route planning and maintenance and four best practices focused on marketing bicycle tourism. The best practices are grounded in the experiences of practitioners who have developed long-distance cycling routes and academics who have studied their economic impacts. Outdoor recreation managers as well as municipal and county economic development specialists can apply the best practices in their own programs and partnership efforts and amplify the economic benefits of bicycle tourism.
{"title":"Long-Distance Cycling Routes: Economic Impacts and Best Practices","authors":"","doi":"10.18666/jpra-2023-11696","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18666/jpra-2023-11696","url":null,"abstract":"Outdoor recreation managers as well as municipal and county economic development specialists can help diversify local, regional, and state economies by developing long-distance cycling routes and supporting bicycle tourism. In this research note, we outline 10 best practices focused on route planning and maintenance and four best practices focused on marketing bicycle tourism. The best practices are grounded in the experiences of practitioners who have developed long-distance cycling routes and academics who have studied their economic impacts. Outdoor recreation managers as well as municipal and county economic development specialists can apply the best practices in their own programs and partnership efforts and amplify the economic benefits of bicycle tourism.","PeriodicalId":46684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Park and Recreation Administration","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45007057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-04-03DOI: 10.18666/jpra-2022-11429
Kristen Sikorsky, R. Sharp, Jessica Wilkes, Jessica P. Fefer, K. Nelson
As visitation to park and protected areas increases globally, public land managers seek to increase the implementation of simple and cost-effective methods to collect indicator and threshold data to address environmental and visitor experience concerns. Unmanned aerial vehicles, also referred to as drones, may be a logical addition to monitoring regimes. This study examined the outcome of using overhead drone imagery to monitor two management-selected indicators, visitor-created trails, and vegetation loss, in a newly established Kansas state park, Little Jerusalem Badlands. Images were analyzed by SamplePoint software in 10x10 meter grids with 100 sample points each. Within the first five months of the park opening, vegetation loss was observed in key areas of Little Jerusalem at rates varying from 2.7% to 42.3%. The formation of one visitor-created trail also occurred during this time. These results confirm the benefit of using drones for long term monitoring of environmental indicators that will aid land management agencies in decision-making to reduce recreational impacts associated with visitor use.
{"title":"The Use of Drones for Recreational Impact Monitoring of Public Lands","authors":"Kristen Sikorsky, R. Sharp, Jessica Wilkes, Jessica P. Fefer, K. Nelson","doi":"10.18666/jpra-2022-11429","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18666/jpra-2022-11429","url":null,"abstract":"As visitation to park and protected areas increases globally, public land managers seek to increase the implementation of simple and cost-effective methods to collect indicator and threshold data to address environmental and visitor experience concerns. Unmanned aerial vehicles, also referred to as drones, may be a logical addition to monitoring regimes. This study examined the outcome of using overhead drone imagery to monitor two management-selected indicators, visitor-created trails, and vegetation loss, in a newly established Kansas state park, Little Jerusalem Badlands. Images were analyzed by SamplePoint software in 10x10 meter grids with 100 sample points each. Within the first five months of the park opening, vegetation loss was observed in key areas of Little Jerusalem at rates varying from 2.7% to 42.3%. The formation of one visitor-created trail also occurred during this time. These results confirm the benefit of using drones for long term monitoring of environmental indicators that will aid land management agencies in decision-making to reduce recreational impacts associated with visitor use.","PeriodicalId":46684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Park and Recreation Administration","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43946576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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