How important is wilderness? Results from a United States Survey

The designation and management of federal wilderness areas has generated much controversy in the United States. The decade of the 1980s has been a difficult one for public land managers as there has been growing opposition to their traditional “conserve but use philosophy.” Public lands are to be managed for the public benefit. Unfortunately there has been little survey research to find out what the attitudes of the public are towards the management of federally designated wilderness. We report the results of a national survey of 2670 residents of wilderness counties. We found that the presence of wilderness is an important reason why 53% of the people moved to or live in the area; 81% felt that wilderness areas are important to their counties; and 65% were against mineral or energy development in wilderness areas. On some issues there was less agreement as 43% of the respondents wanted more access to wilderness, and 39% were in favor of additional wilderness with 26% undecided. There were no large differences between counties and regions despite the differences in economic and social characteristics and the historical contexts within which they evolved.     

OVERCOMING THE NATION'S BEST LANDSCAPED SEWER: RECREATORS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER1

ABSTRACT: Once referred to as America's “best landscaped sewer,” the Connecticut has undergone a dramatic transformation in the last three decades. During this time, a number of public agencies and private organizations have worked diligently to implement policies and measures aimed at improving the river's quality. Ample data collected over the years indicate that the actual water quality conditions of the Connecticut River, as measured by empirical parameters, have improved. However, prior to this study, no data existed regarding the public's perceptions of these changes. This paper will address this issue by presenting the results of a multiyear survey designed to assess the public's perceptions regarding the Connecticut's current quality, and its suitability in supporting various recreational activities. The results suggest that the majority of individuals perceive the Connecticut's water quality to be high enough to support a wide range of recreational activities including those involving physical contact with the water. Additionally, this research concludes that the vast majority of individuals who have recreated on the river for 20 years or more do perceive a significant improvement in the river's overall quality. Thus, it appears that policies and actions taken to improve the Connecticut's quality have been successful in the public's eye.     

旅游还是游憩?我国国家公园的公众利用表述方式反思

自国家公园试点工作推行以来,有关国家公园到底能不能开展旅游活动以及开展什么样的旅游活动,到底是旅游活动还是游憩活动的争议从未停止。在分析“旅游”和“游憩”内涵的基础上,结合国外在国家公园利用方式的相应表述,根据我国建设国家公园的基本国情,对我国国家公园建设中的“游憩”与“旅游”问题进行了讨论。结论认为：国家公园内的“游憩”与“旅游”实际上是一体两面,在公园的功能定位与分区规划中,使用“游憩”一词比较合适,以体现国家公园的公益性目标。但在国家公园的具体运营管理中,使用“生态旅游”一词进行表述更恰当。在谈及旅游与国家公园的矛盾时,使用“旅游开发”更符合事实。     

基于价值取向的城市森林游憩服务需求研究

在调查南京城市森林游憩者的基础上,以森林价值取向为预测变量,对城市森林游憩服务需求进行了研究.研究表明,市民的森林价值取向包括生态取向、健康取向、文化取向、产品取向和消极取向五种类型;城市森林游憩服务需求则包括基本需求、拓展需求和个性需求三个层次.通过典型相关分析发现,对森林资源持“健康”、“文化”和“生态”价值取向的市民对森林游憩的“基本服务”需求明显,更重视森林的自然和文化环境保护;而持有“产品”和“消极”取向的市民,则希望森林游憩地能提供更多“拓展”和“个性”服务.在此基础上,提出了积极引导城市森林游憩者的政策建议.     

WATER QUALITY IN MOUNTAIN RECREATIONAL AREAS1

ABSTRACT: Several seasons of water quality study in the eastern Sierra Nevada have provided much useful information. One study element focused in detail on a representative drainage: Bishop Creek, from sampled locations at 12,800 feet to the Owens River at 4,000 feet. Sub-studies ranged from geohydrology, through chemical and bacterial quality, to benthic ecology. A coordinated study also was made of spatial patterns of use. A second element focused on non-point source monitoring the length of the Inyo National Forest. From physical, chemical, and bacterial standpoints, water quality is generally very good. Strains of pathogenic bacteria have been confirmed, and substantial further work to establish the importance of their presence is needed. Recreational use survey results have been analyzed to produce a methodology permitting management of the resource as needed. In addition, basic policy recommendations to easily minimize risk have been developed.     

人工湿地的生态休闲利用与设计

人工湿地系统除了可以起到净化污水的作用,在经过精心设计后,还可发挥与自然湿地系统同样的生态保护功能,更可为人们提供一个休闲娱乐、旅游观光、科教科研的场所,越来越多的人工湿地系统开始重视并采用一系列的设计手段以充分发挥其自然价值和社会价值。本文详细地介绍了目前人工湿地综合利用研究进展,分析了综合利用时一些潜在的问题,及其设计时应当加以考虑的注意事项和建议。     

VISITOR VALUES AND LOCAL ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF RIPARIAN HABITAT PRESERVATION: CALIFORNIA'S KERN RIVER PRESERVE1

ABSTRACT: Preservation of the few remaining ecologically vital riparian areas in the southwestern United States is a significant policy concern. This article reports on two economic aspects of preserving a nationally renowned riparian birding area in Southern California. First, the article examines visitor willingness to pay (WTP) for habitat restoration and estimates an annual WTP of US $77 per visitor to preserve the habitat, about a half‐million dollars a year for estimated visitor numbers in 2000 and 2001. Second, it documents visitor expenditures in the local economy to be approximately three‐quarters of a million dollars per year. This direct visitor spending attributable to the riparian habitat generates around US $1.3 million in increased local business activity in this relatively remote rural area.     

Modeling wilderness campsites: Factors that influence amount of impact

A standard campsite model is proposed and then manipulated to examine the influence of individual variables on amount of vegetation loss. Amount of impact is influenced by amount of use, vegetation fragility, vegetation density, and the degree to which activities are concentrated spatially on the site. Degree of concentration also influences the importance of the other explanatory variables. Amount of use and vegetation fragility are equally important determinants of impact and are most influential where activity concentration is low. The curvilinear relationship between amount of use and amount of impact can be explained by the tendency for activities to become increasingly concentrated as amount of use increases. This relationship should not vary with regional or environmental characteristics except where these influence degree of activity concentration.     

Common access tradition and wilderness management in Norway: A paradox for managers

Many European countries, including Norway, have a right of common access tradition toward wildland areas for recreational activity. The “right of any one to move freely over all wildlands except farm fields and gardens” can serve as a paradoxical barrier to managing wildland areas and users for outdoor recreation. This article discusses the apparent paradox between free access and management of wildland recreation, the underlying principles of both concepts, and proposes an integrative basis for how the two concepts can serve the same major goal—freedom of access and use of wildland recreation areas without disturbance to other users or the resource base. A Norwegian field study is presented with campfire data and management strategies to illustrate the integrative nature of common access and wilderness management principles for the managing of wildland recreation opportunities.     

How “Natural” are inland wetlands? an example from the trail wood audubon sanctuary in Connecticut,USA

We examined the geology of a small inland wetland in Hampton, Connecticut to determine its postglacial history and to assess the severity of human impact at this remote wooded site. Using stratigraphic evidence, we dernonstrate that the present wetland was created when sediment pollution from a 19th-century railroad filled a preexisting artificial reservoir, and that the prehistoric wetland was a narrow drainage swale along Hampton Brook. This same, severely impacted wetland was interpreted by the Pulitzer Prize-winning naturalist Edwin Way Teale as a beautiful wilderness area of particular interest. These conflicting perceptions indicate that artificial wetlands can be naturally mitigated in less than a century of healing, even in the absence of deliberate management. We also point out that the “wilderness” value of the Teale wetland was in the eye of the beholder and that unseen human impacts may have improved the aesthetic experience.