Transcript Determining Physical Carrying Capacity: Identifying

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Campsite & Recreation Site Management
Jeff Marion, Unit Leader/Scientist
Virginia Tech Field Unit, USGS, Patuxent WRC
[email protected], 540-231-6603
Presentation Objectives
1. Describe campsite/recreation site design and construction
strategies, including:
 Select resistant sites
 Construct resistant sites
 Provide facilities that reduce impacts
2. Describe campsite/recreation management strategies,
including:
 Maintain sites to contain impacts
 Manage visitors to reduce impacts
3. Review alternative camping management strategies.
Select Resistant Sites
Rock
Sand/gravel
Grasses
Organic litter
Select Resistant Sites
Select campsites that resist
expansion due to:
Topography
Rockiness
Dense Vegetation
Construct Resistant
Sites
Use site engineering to
contain site expansion:
Cut and fill work on slopes
Create raised tent pads
Place fill in rocky terrain
Campsite Construction – Flat Terrain
Campsite Signpost
Ice-berg Rocks
Campsite Construction – Sloping Terrain
Campsite Construction – Sloping Terrain
Excavation
Stone
Cribbing
Fill
10 x 12
Campsite w/3 tent pads
Side-hill
Campsites
Side-hill
Campsites
Backcountry Campgrounds
Creek
 Side-hill
campsites
in sloping terrain
with individual
tentpads
 Separated from the
shelter and each other
with individual access
trails to promote
solitude
Shelter
Toilet
 Trail layout avoids
creation of additional
water access trails
Sign orienting
visitors to the
camping area
Shelter Access Trail
Tent sites
 Variable number of
tent sites for different
group sizes
Bear Bag
Cable
Appalachian Trail
Provide Facilities That
Reduce Impacts
Campfire Rings
Toilets
Shelters
Provide Facilities That
Reduce Impact
Stock Hitching Facilities
Tent Platform
Picnic Tables
Maintain Sites To
Contain Impacts
Improve Tent Pad Sites
Reinforce Eroding Spots
Restore Unnecessary Areas
Maintain Sites To
Contain Impacts
Create Site Borders:
Rocks
Embedded Logs
Manage Visitors to Reduce Impacts
 Promote Leave No Trace Practices
 Establish Regulations
Leave No Trace (LNT)
Outdoor Skills and Ethics
A National Education Program Designed to Teach
Stewardship, Land Ethics, and Outdoor Skills
For more information: 1-800-332-4100 or www.LNT.org
Promote Leave No
Trace Practices
Use Established Sites in
High-Use Areas
Concentrate activities
within disturbed areas
Use Pristine Sites in
Remote Areas
Disperse activities
Avoid permanent disturbance
Establish Regulations
Prohibit Axes, Saws,
or Campfires
Designate Campsites
Require Permits or
Reservations
Establish Regulations
Regulating Groups:
Restrict Groups to Group Sites
Require Reservations for Groups
Limit Group Sizes
Campsite Impact Management Strategies
Dispersal vs. Containment
Total Change (%)
Containment (Concentration)
Dispersal
Nights/Year (#)
Rationale for Dispersal & Containment Strategies
Use/Impact Relationship
b
.
.
Total Change (%)
a
Unregulated
Camping
1 campsite
45 nights/yr
.
45 sites, each
w/1 night/yr
.
3 campsites
each w/15 nights/yr
15
Impact is minimized by closing two
campsites and tripling use on the third.
Impact increases on third site from “a” to “b”
but aggregate impact is reduced from (3 x a) to (1 x b).
Nights/Year (#)
.
45
Camping Management Strategies
Four Standard Strategies:
 Area Closure to Camping
 At-Large (Unregulated) Camping
 Dispersed Camping
 Established/Designated Site Camping (Containment)
Camping Management Strategies
Area Closure to Camping
Visitors are restricted from camping in sensitive resource
areas or in areas that are too close to developed areas,
trails, water resources, or attraction features.
Site Closure
Area Closure
Backcountry Closure
Closures
Cultural sites
Sensitive wildlife
habitats
R,T&E species
Camping Management Strategies
At-Large (Unregulated) Camping
Camping is unregulated: visitors may camp in any
location they choose.
Advantages: Maximizes visitor freedom in site selection.
Disadvantages: Jeopardizes visitor solitude and resource
protection at higher use levels.
Open to camping
Closed to camping
At-Large (Unregulated) Camping
Problems:
Poor site selection
Social - too close to other sites
Resource - fragile rather than resistant
Campsite expansion
Campsite proliferation
Camping Management Strategies
Dispersed Camping
Visitors are instructed to camp on the most resistant
surfaces available that show no obvious signs of previous
camping use. Dispersal from popular areas may also be
promoted to reduce problems with crowding or conflicts.
Point Dispersal
Lineal Dispersal
Total Dispersal
Camping Management Strategies
Dispersed Camping
Advantages: Provides greater visitor freedom in site
selection and promotes solitude. When successful, avoids
impact by dispersing use to a level that prevents formation
of permanent campsites.
Disadvantages: Visitors tend to resist dispersing very far.
Considerable off-trail searching may be necessary to
locate an appropriate site. Selecting, using, and
renaturalizing a pristine site requires greater knowledge
and effort.
Camping Management Strategies
Dispersed Camping
Why Resource Dispersal Is Often Ineffective:
Park Environment - Limited flat land or resistant surfaces.
Park Management - Restrictions on camping close to trails or
water resources may prevent use of the most available flat
land. Visitors not instructed to use only pristine sites or Leave
No Trace camping practices. Insufficient visitor education.
Park Visitors - Visitors may not want to disperse far from
trails, water, or other groups. Visitors may lack or fail to apply
LNT knowledge.
Camping Management Strategies
Camping Containment
Visitors are encouraged or required to camp on existing
sites or within designated areas. Sites or areas may be
selected for their environmental resistance and/or to
promote visitor solitude.
Existing Sites
Designated
Areas
Camping Management Strategies
Camping Containment
Options:
Established Sites - Visitors are required to use existing
“established” campsites. Managers close and rehabilitate sites
that fail to meet minimum criteria for environmental
resistance and/or distance to trails, water, other sites, etc.
Advantages: Retains some visitor freedom in site selection and
ensures solitude. Minimizes area of disturbance and aggregate
impact more than an “at-large” camping strategy.
Disadvantages: Permits more sites and greater impact than under
designated site camping. Visitors may create new sites or camp on
closed sites.
Camping Management Strategies
Camping Containment
Options:
Designated Sites - Visitors are required to use only designated
campsites. The minimum number of sites needed for a
specified level of overnight visitation are selected, based on
their environmental resistance and solitude potential. Sites that
fail to meet criteria or are unnecessary are closed to use.
Advantages: Minimizes resource impacts while maximizing visitor
solitude.
Disadvantages: Restricts freedom in campsite selection, sites will
become highly altered.
Camping Management Strategies
Multi-Strategy Examples
Shenandoah National
Park (New)
Designated
campsites
Existing
campsites
Dispersal and closure within
designated areas