Transcript Slide 1

Glyn Bissix
Knowledge and Adherence
to Minimal-impact
Techniques on the Cape
Split Trail.
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Rive, K.; Bissix, G. & Kruisselbrink, D. (In
Press) Identifying Key Messages to Encourage
Minimal Impact on the Cape Split Trail.
Liesure/Loisir: The Journal of the Canadian
Association of Leisure Research. Volume 33
(2009), No. 2.
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Purpose
The Location
Theoretical Framework
The Methodology
The Results
Conclusions
Future Research
Acknowledgements:
The authors are indebted to Jeffrey Marion and Melissa Daniels of
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University for permission to
use the Leave No Trace questionnaire developed by them and for
Dr. Marion’s continued assistance throughout the study.
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This study’s general purpose was to provide
resource managers guidance in developing
indirect management strategies for the Cape
Split Trail and trail systems like it, and suggest
additional direction for future research.
This study identified the present level of Leave
No Trace (LNT) knowledge of users and
potential users of the Cape Split Trail in Nova
Scotia, Canada
It also assessed respondents’ environmental
ethic and their corresponding self-reported
behavior when engaged in recreation on the
trail.
Nova
Scotia
Canada
Cape Split
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It provides a useful context for this study as it has
experienced extensive (unmanaged) recreational
impact over several decades
It is currently a provincial park reserve; it has an
extensively used trail situated within “1200 acres (405
hectares) of the Blomidon Peninsula”, located at the
easterly tip of North Mountain, Nova Scotia
Visitors seek its unique combination of biological and
geological features as well as its isolation. The terrain is
diverse, from steep basalt cliffs to flowered meadows
and sheltered streams hosting a diverse range of
species.
Situated adjacent to the highest tides in the world
where the Bay of Fundy meets the Minas Basin.
Full provincial park designation, while likely
providing more active management, is also likely to
create even greater demand and amplify the need to
address ecological impacts.
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Minimal impact knowledge
levels, user behaviour and
severity of impact is interreliant.
The deficiency of one factor,
such as minimal impact
knowledge levels
substantially affects other
factors such as appropriate
user behaviour and impact
severity.
The Little Split
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The need for understanding the efficacy of
minimal impact educational campaigns is
supported by
1) the continued demand for high quality
outdoor recreation spaces that positively
impact quality of life,
2) the need to better understand the
relationship between outdoor recreation user
knowledge and their ecological impacts, and
3) the requirement for a cost effective
management approach to protect backcountry
recreation spaces.
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The LNT program acknowledges the impact of outdoor
recreation on the ecological community (soils,
vegetation, water, wildlife and people) and prescribes
strategies to significantly reduce these impacts.
Its theoretical proposition: If you have the following
knowledge you will minimize ecological and social
impact. The seven principles are:
Plan ahead and prepare
Camp and travel on durable surfaces
Pack it in, pack it out
Properly dispose of what you cannot pack out
Leave what you find
Minimize use and impact of fires
Respect wildlife and others.
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Respondents represented either current or
potential users of the Cape Split Trail.
Five groups from three distinct populations
were sampled;
users of the Cape Split Trail;
members of a nature appreciation society--the
Blomidon Naturalists Society;
 and three undergraduate classes drawn from
Recreation Management, Biology and
Interdisciplinary Studies at the same university.
 Other than the trailhead group, all respondents were
selected through purposive sampling based on
convenient access to appropriate populations.
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Substantially based on a question bank developed by
Marion and Daniels (2001)
Previously validated and tested by LNT staff,
advocates, and agency partners (Daniels, 2004)
Knowledge-based questions that gave useful insights
into attitudes, beliefs and behavior (Weisburg, H.,
Krosnick, J. & Bowen, B., 1989), and also provided links
between knowledge and corresponding actions
The resulting set of questions were screened and
validated through a two stage process by a panel of
local experts; the second stage involved a modified
Delphi technique (Dick, 2000; Dunham, 1996).
A parallel sampling technique was used to collect and
compare data from various groups (Mitra & Lankford,
1999)
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In total 219 surveys were completed.
The survey results were analyzed to identify
differences in the knowledge levels and self-reported
adherence to the seven LNT minimal impact principles.
Percentage and mean response values of the sample
populations rather than more sophisticated statistical
tests were determined adequate to reveal the differing
knowledge and behavior of the canvassed segments
(Mitra & Lankford, 1999; Veal, 1997).
Without an existing standardized interpretative
protocol, author judgment served to determine the
satisfactory level of knowledge and self-reported
behavior.
Threshold levels were based on the perceived
consequences, in the collective minds of the authors, of
insufficient knowledge and inappropriate behavior.
Trail Users
31%
60%
48%
84%
70%
What is the best way to dispose of
human waste (feces)?
63%
55%
67%
74%
58%
62%
87%
93%
81%
74% 100% 92%
32%
38%
42%
39%
93%
90%
90%
91% 100% 97%
89%
79%
92%
57%
95%
98%
80%
83%
86%
70%
63%
79%
83%
71%
90%
78%
89%
83%
Result (%) within each group
Deposit human waste in a small
hole
When camping in popular or high use Concentrate use on existing
areas….
trails and campsites
How should dirty dishwater be
disposed?
When cooking, it is best to….
Strain out food particles and
scatter the dishwater.
Cook only what you need and
pack out the wrappers.
When you are hiking on a trail with
beautiful wildflowers, you should...
Never pick even one flower.
If campfires are permitted, how
should you gather wood?
Gather pieces of wood from the
ground that can be easily
broken.
Leave the fire ring free of
excess ashes, burned wood and
trash.
If you use an existing rock fire ring
for your campfire, you should…..
Biology Class
Blomidon
Naturalists
Question
Correct Answer
Which of the following kinds of
Grasses
vegetation are most likely to resist or
recover from human trampling?
First Year
Recreation
58%
Overall
Sustainable NS
Class
Table 1: Knowledge Test Results
32%
38%
5.31a
5.53b 5.17c
Trail Users
Blomidon
Naturalists
Sustainable
NS Class
Biology Class
Statement
Significant
Difference
First Year
Recreation
Mean Score
Table 2: Backcountry Ethics Behavior Mean Scores
6.74d 6.24e
1. I would postpone a trip to my favorite area if I
thought my visit would be harmful to wildlife at that
time.
5.76 0.000
2. The natural environment is very fragile and easily
degraded by visitor use.
3. It’s OK to camp close to another group in the
wilderness.
4. It’s best to leave a deer antler for others to find.
5.82
0.322
5.79
5.92
5.43
6.16
5.76
3.56
0.103
3.86
3.38
3.09
3.42
3.79
4.61
0.006
4.17a
4.34b 4.35c
4.89d 5.23e
0.932
6.21
6.21
6.00
6.26
6.11
6.36
5.21
6.28
5.39
5.74
4.83
6.47
5.11
6.57
5.75
5.46a
5.23b 4.65c
5.95d 6.00e
F(4, 214)
= 9.08,
p>0.0011
F(4, 211)
=3.68,
p>0.012
5. The native animals that live in parks and forests
6.16
have a greater right to live undisturbed than my right
to visit these places.
6. It’s acceptable to feed wildlife human food.
6.34
7. It’s OK to move up close to wildlife to get a good
look
8. Cutting a switchback is OK, especially when I am
in a hurry.
5.37
0.141
0.112
5.49
0.000
9. Outdoor visitors have a moral responsibility to
avoid or minimize their impacts to natural
environments.
10. Selecting an attractive place to camp is more
important to me than finding a durable campsite.
6.40
0.093
6.40
6.38
5.87
6.79
6.52
5.08
0.173
4.79
5.08
4.61
5.32
5.38
11. Collecting a few interesting rocks or feathers as
souvenirs of my outdoor visit is OK.
3.85
0.002
3.67a
3.65b 2.96c
4.16d 4.43e
12. When I come across a muddy patch in a trail, I
often tiptoe around the area rather than walk through
the mud.
2.88
3.21
2.68
2.47
F(4, 210)
= 5.42,
p>0.0013
F(4, 213)
= 4.41
p>0.014
0.372
2.87
3.00
Sustainable NS
Class
Blomidon
Naturalists
Trail Users
2.00
33%
2.05
35%
2.53
58%
2.34
46%
When hiking
through
popular areas
during my trip I:
2.49
2.60
0.036
55%
53%
2.56
57%
2.41
39%
2.74
74%
2.74
73%
2.59
65%
2.45
52%
2.37
58%
2.74
76%
2.0
39%
-N/A
1.5
0%
3.0
100%
2.62
63%
-N/A
2.0
0%
3.0
100%
-2.00
0.610
N/A
25%
1.87
25%
-N/A
2.0
0%
2.5
50%
-2.67
0.748
N/A
75%
2.63
71%
-3.0
2.5
N/A 100% 50%
-N/A
2.0
0%
-N/A
2.0
0%
-2.25
0.440
N/A
50%
2.12
29%
-N/A
2.0
3.0
50% 100%
1) Did not stay on designated or wellestablished trails
2) Sometimes stayed…
3) Always stayed…..
First Year
Recreation
2.21
2.19
0.033
67%
80%
Answers
(From least to most LNT appropriate)
Backcountry Practices
Sig. Difference
Before leaving on 1) Left my food in the original packaging
my trip I:
2) Repackaged some of my food
3) Repackaged most of my food
Question
Overall
Biology Class
Table 3: Backcountry Practices and Overnight Visitor Responses (Mean and Percentages)
From my trip I:
1) Kept several souvenirs that I found
2.62
2.60
0.134
2) Kept one souvenir
62%
68%
3) Didn’t keep anything from the area I visited.
Overnight Visitors
Before leaving
on my trip, I:
1) Had no knowledge of my destination area’s
camping regulations or recommendations
-2.08
0.241
2) Was somewhat aware…
N/A
42%
3) Was well aware of the area’s camping
regulations or recommended practices.
During my
trip, I generally
placed my tent on
a spot with:
After washing
dishes I:
1) Forbs (erect-stemmed, broad-leaved plants)
-2) Grasses or sedges
2.58
0.137
N/A
3) Bare soil, rock, gravel or sand.
58%
1) Poured the dishwater on the ground
2) Scattered the dishwater away from camp
3) Strained the dishwater to remove particles
and then scattered it away from camp.
I disposed of
1) Burning all leftovers
the trash and
2) Burning some items and packing out others
leftover food by: 3) Packing out all trash and leftovers.
During my trip I: 1) Built a campfire using wood that could not
be broken by hand
2) Built a campfire using downed wood that
could easily be broken by hand.
3) Never Built a Campfire
During my trip I: 1) Took no precautions to keep wildlife from
getting into my food.
2) Hook a few precautions to…..
3) Hung my food or placed it in a
container designed to protect it from wildlife
2.0
0%
N/A
2.0
0%
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Substantial room for improvement in
knowledge, ethics and behaviour
Need for focused and targeted LNT type
education as well as more generalized
messages for the general public
Focus educational efforts on weaknesses
identified in Table 4.
Results suggest priorities for on-site LNT
messages
Weaknesses raise the question as to whether
Indirect Management Methods would be
sufficient to protect the Cape Split
environment.
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Durability
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Human Waste
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Dirty Dish Water
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Respecting Others
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Plan Ahead
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Campfire
Alternatives
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Encourage “Camp & Travel on
Durable Surfaces
Encourage proper disposal of
human waste
Provide facts on how to
properly dispose of dirty
dishwater
Promote respect for other
wilderness visitors
Encourage users to plan ahead
Promote refrain or lessen
impact from campfires
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Apply questionnaire to several popular hiking
locations.
Identify and survey other potential user groups
such as Outdoor Equipment Store patrons and
employees.
Survey and observe actual user behaviour as
participant observer (Ellis, 2005).
Design, apply and evaluate the effectiveness of
LNT messages on site.