Managing Visitor Use in Diverse Settings...Managing Visitor Use in Diverse Settings Two Urban Forest...

transcript

Managing Visitor Use in Diverse Settings Using the IVUMC Framework

Presentation Overview

• What is the IVUMC?

• Why should I care?

• Four case studies informed by the IVUMC

The Interagency Visitor Use Management Council

Mission:

Provide guidance on visitor use management policies and develop legally defensible and effective interagency implementation tools for visitor use management.

http://visitorusemanagement.nps.gov/

Council Website

Council

Products and

Activities

Visitor Use Management Framework

Visitor Capacity:

• Subcomponent of visitor use

management

• Maximum amounts and types of

visitor use that an area can

accommodate

• While sustaining desired resource

conditions and visitor experiences

Definitions

Visitor Use Management: The proactive and adaptive process of planning

for and managing characteristics of visitor use and its physical and social

setting, using a variety of strategies and tools, to sustain desired resource

conditions and visitor experiences.

Four case studies for different physical, biological,

social, and managerial settings:

• sparsely visited wilderness in Alaska (USFWS)

• high use urban setting in southern California (USFS); and

• wild and scenic river (NPS)

Sparsely-visited Wilderness

US Fish and Wildlife Service Case StudyJen Reed

Refuges welcome wildlife-dependent public opportunities to connect with nature when resources and values can be

conserved through effective visitor management.

Case Study: capacity in sparsely-visited wilderness

Meet the Tundra Wildlife Refuge…

providing landscape-scale solitude and thriving wildlife

shared by boaters, hunters, backpackers,

pack-rafters, and base-campers

IVUMC Decision Tool:

How vast and challenging is my journey?

IVUMC Framework:What path through this vast and rugged landscape?

Sliding Scale – Decision Support Tool

Criteria - Use the ratings assigned to questions 1-8 to evaluate the

following 4 sliding scale criteria. Combine those criteria into a single

qualitative rating (H, M, L) of the project’s appropriate location on the

sliding scale.

Rationale Low, Moderate, or

A Issue Uncertainty While there is some

uncertainty about current

conditions associated with

use patterns, the difficultly of

access and low levels of use

mitigate this criteria

B Impact Risk Low levels of use limit the risk

of impacts

C Stakeholder Involvement Lack of stakeholders

minimizes this criteria to river

users and outfitters

D Level of Controversy/Potential for Litigation No controversy is expected Low

Location on the Sliding Scale Low

Preserving unique opportunities at Tundra Wildlife Refuge…

Why – needs, legal responsibilities known

What – unique opportunity qualities defined, tracked over time

How – workable strategies identified if threats emerge

Do – adjustments made as needed after implementation

Visitor Capacity Steps in Framework

1. Identify Analysis Area

2. Review Existing Direction and Knowledge

3. Identify the Limiting Attribute(s)

4. Identify Capacity

Estimating maximum amounts of use for the river corridor…

Corridor is analysis area

CRMPS must identify user capacities is existing direction

Encounter rates on rivers is limiting attribute

Distinct capacities and rationales can be developed

Questions?

High-Use Urban Settings

US Forest Service Case Studies

Bjorn Fredrickson

Mary Ellen Emerick

Cleveland National Forest Case Study

United States Department of Agriculture

Cleveland National Forest

San Bernardino National Forest

ManagingVisitor Use in

Diverse Settings

Two Urban Forest Case Studies

Extreme Growth in Visitor Use at Cedar Creek Falls

Cleveland National Forest

Case Study 1

Several planning iterations to provide access,reduce impacts to natural resources, and provide for public health and safety

Photo Credits: San Diego Union Tribune (this slide); San Diego Magazine (previous slide)

attention, limited facilities, threatened& endangered species, ongoing public health and safety incidentsPhoto Credit:

San Diego Union

Tribune

Using the VUM Framework at Cedar Creek FallsDefining visitor use management direction and identifying management strategies:

• Alcohol prohibition

• Cliff closure

• Capacity limits

• Natural resourceprotection

Cleveland National Forest Case StudyIndicators, Standards,& Adaptive

Management• Three indicators and standards

used to determine effects of visitor use on natural resources

– Indicators included litter, wetland and riparian conditions, and user-created trails

• Results from ongoing monitoring prompted incremental changes in capacity

• Social and managerial indicators initially proposed but not ultimately included in management plan

Photo Credit: San Diego Union Tribune

A Changed Management

ApproachAfter three years of

management visitor capacity frozen and routine

indicator/standard-based natural resource monitoring

ceased.

Lessons Learned• Step Four essential in maximizing

public benefit and minimizing administrative costs in long-term

• The power of “process” in resolving controversial management challenges

• Internal and external discomfort with “adaptive” capacity determinations

• Approaches outside of traditional visitor use management can resolve management issues across agencies

• Strained relationships and rebuilding trust through proactive management

• Implications of social media 29

San Bernardino National Forest Case Study

Changing the Culture in Cucamonga CanyonSan Bernardino National Forest

Case Study 2

Adjacent landowners, current illegal access, Rancho Cucamonga property, Water District

Need for ChangeShort Video of Sapphire Falls

Note:No Dialogue – Sound of

running water and muted

voices as camera pans the

graffiti - covered rocks.

Using the VUM forCucamonga Canyon

Setting the Foundation:

• Committed stakeholders with different missions

• Urgent time frame

• A desire to leap to solutions

Indicators and Standards WorksheetIssue

Indicator Threshold Threshold Rationale Management Potential

Monitorin

Example:

Amount of

litter

Amount of litter

hauled out

weekly

No more than

one bag of litter

hauled out

weekly

Litter impacts visitor

experience and water

quality. The more litter

visitors see, the more they

think it’s acceptable to

their own trash.

● Put trash cans at trailhead

● Hand out trash bags to visitors

● Volunteer clean up days

● Restrict use of plastic water bottles

Weekly by

CFPA, FS

and/or

Indicators were prioritized and developed by the group. Graffiti, vandalism, “water dams” and instances of SAR were included.

Developing a Desired Condition

Finding direct ties between visitor numbers/behavior and biophysical impacts is difficult!

Next Steps

Lessons Learned:

• Spending Time in Steps Two and Three

• Moving Past “Stuck”

• Communicating different agency requirements

• Public engagement piece

• The need for a cheerleader

• Different goals need to be considered (e.g. cleanup is very important to some)

Thank You!

Wild and Scenic Rivers

National Park Service Case StudiesEricka Pilcher

Rachel Collins

• Sustain quality resource conditions and visitor experiences

• Variety of strategies and tools– Education– Site management– Regulation– Enforcement– Rationing/allocation

Process for managing characteristics of visitor use and setting

Visitor Use Management

Components of Visitor Use Management

• Visitor Use Characteristics

– Timing and distribution

– Activities & types of use

– Behaviors

– Levels of use

Visitor Use Management & Visitor Capacity • Sometimes, very little use can

cause a lot of impact• Sometimes, a lot of use causes

very little impact

Need multiple strategies to protect important resources and visitor experiencesStrategies may include use limits, where appropriate

Components of Visitor Use Management

• Visitor Capacity

– the maximum amounts and types of visitor use that an area can accommodate while achieving and maintaining desired resource conditions and visitor experiences consistent with the purposes for which the area was established

Visitor Use Management & Visitor Capacity

• The concept of visitor use management has evolved beyond just capacity– More complex than just

numbers of people

• Impacts can result from many factors including– Use patterns– Activities and behaviors– Resource type and resiliency– Numbers of people

Proactively planning for visitor use maximizes the ability of land management agencies to encourage

access and protect resources and values.

National Park Service Historic Photograph Collection

Possible Desired Conditions for Zones / Alts

Possible Desired Conditions / Kinds of Activities

Possible Influences from Visitor Use

• Indicator: the number of exposed tree roots per mile of trail

• Threshold: no more than 10 exposed tree roots per mile of trail

• Indicator: the percentage of the soil surface at a campsite with bare ground

• Threshold: 60% of the soil surface at a campsite is bare ground

Natural Resource Indicators

Indicators and Thresholds

• Indicator: Percent change in integrity of cultural resource condition every year.

• Threshold: 0% change detected on 80% of sites surveyed each year.

• Indicator: Number of incidents of vandalism to historic structures.

• Threshold: No more than 1 incident reported per year for every 20 sites surveyed.

Cultural Resource Indicators

Indicator: the number of people at one time on segment B of the trail

Threshold: visitors will not encounter more than 20 people at one time on segment B of the trail, 80% of the time

Social Indicators

Indicator: the traffic congestion during peak visitor use days

Threshold: roadways do not exceed level of service D for more than 10% of

peak use days

Possible Management Strategies

Effective?

Adaptive Management Strategies

Visitor Education and Regulation

Promote low impact practices through visitor education (e.g., signage, presentations)

Redirect visitor use patterns with information (e.g., Intelligent Transportation Systems, internet)

Establish regulations on public use (e.g., no parking areas, require permits, limit on group sizes)

Site Management

• Select resistant sites• Use physical barriers (e.g., fencing, brush)• Provide facilities to reduce impact (e.g. fire grate, boardwalk)• Close areas or facilities• Open new areas to disperse use• Change size/number of facilities (e.g., resize parking lots)

Facilitated Discussion: Visitor Capacity

• Identify the area of analysis.

•Review desired conditions and known visitor use

information.

•Describe major concerns related to types and

amounts of use.

• Identify the relevant indicators and thresholds.

•Ask the question: Are existing conditions within

the threshold?

• Identify range of potential management strategies.

•Ask the question: What is the most limiting factor for determining the amount(s)

of use that can be accomadated while

achieving thresholds?

•Describe current use levels and limits, then consider the target amount of use

(increase, decrease, or maintain current levels).

Visitor Use Management and Visitor Capacity Process Examples

Zion: Virgin River Comprehensive River Management Plan

• Link to document: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?parkID=113&projectID=32068

Virgin River Comprehensive

Management Plan in Zion NP

• Purpose: To protect the river values (resources and visitor

experiences). Legislation, NPS management policies and

secretarial guidelines require us to address user capacity.

• Issue: Pulses of use during busy season, more people

accessing the park trails at one time due to shuttle system,

resulting in resource and social impacts

• Needed: Realistic management strategies to address issues

and impacts caused by visitor use

• Developed: In addition to developing indicators and

thresholds and determining numeric capacities; we are taking

a comprehensive look at protecting river values by evaluating

social and resource impacts, use patterns, activities, resource

type, etc.

• Link to document: https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/management/mrp.htm

Merced Comprehensive River

Management Plan in Yosemite NP

Purpose: Protect and enhance the values for which the river was

designated while providing visitor access and high quality visitor

experiences.

Issue: Crowding, in terms of number of people at one time, has

been shown to negatively affect the quality of the visitor

experience.

Needed: Find a way to manage beaches along the river to provide

for a variety of visitor experience expectations.

Developed: Designated beaches as either “high use” or “low use”

and developed a threshold for each designation.

• Link to document: https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/management/trp.htm

Tuolumne Comprehensive River

Management Plan in Yosemite NP

Purpose: preserve the Tuolumne River in free-flowing

condition, and to protect the water quality and outstandingly

remarkable values (ORVs) that make the river worthy of

designation, for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future

generations.

Issue: Parking demand during peak visitation times exceeds the

capacity of the designated parking areas, about a third of all

visitors now park in informal, undesignated locations along road

shoulders or around the edges of designated parking areas.

Needed: Management strategies that would allow visitors to

access Tuolumne Meadows while protecting the fragile meadow

and alpine environment along roadsides.

Developed: Actions to relocate parking to more appropriate

locations to improve traffic flow and protect meadow habitats

from visitor-created parking and trailing.

Leveraging GIS for Public Engagement

Questions?

Managing Visitor Use in Diverse Settings Using the IVUMC Framework

Managing Visitor Use in Diverse Settings...Managing Visitor Use in Diverse Settings Two Urban Forest...

Documents