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UVM Theses and Dissertations

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Format:
Print
Author:
Budruk, Megha Shripal
Dept./Program:
Natural Resources
Year:
2005
Degree:
PhD
Abstract:
The question of how much visitor use can be accommodated in a park or protected area such that visitor experiences and/or park resources do not deteriorate to unacceptable levels is generally addressed through carrying capacity frameworks. Such frameworks rely on formulating management objectives and associated indicators and standards of quality. Management objectives are broad, narrative statements that define the type of visitor experience and degree of resource protection to be provided. Indicators of quality are measurable, manageable variables that reflect the essence of management objectives, and standards of quality define the minimum acceptable conditions of indicator variables. Research to support analysis of carrying capacity in the national park system has focused on back country and wilderness park settings. This research has relied on normative theory and techniques to measure visitor-based indicators and standards of quality. The research described in this dissertation is designed to extend this work to urban-proximate units of the national park system. The research is comprised of three related studies.
The first study examines normative evaluations of litter and graffiti at Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. The study adopts two visual methods developed by Keep America Beautiful (KAB) to develop standards of quality for litter in the park. Both methods involve a series of photographs illustrating a range of litter accumulation. Visitor norms for graffiti are measured using a series of photographs depicting increasing amounts of graffiti. Results provide managers with a standardized methodology to measure and monitor litter and graffiti in parks. The second study examines crowding norms as manifested at Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island National Monuments. These monuments, located in New York Harbor, are international symbols of freedom that draw several million annual visits. As such, crowding and congestion are increasingly important issues. Data from self-administered visitor surveys identify waiting times as an important indicator of quality of the visitor experience at the monuments. Normative survey techniques are used to measure standards of quality for waiting times, and to explore for differences in various dimensions of waiting time norms between U.S. and international visitors. This research serves to extend carrying capacity research to more developed, highly visited tourist attractions, and to extend this research to more diverse visitor populations.
The third study measures visitor norms for traffic congestion and people at one time (PAOT) at scenic outlooks along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The study explores if these norms are influenced by 1) personal characteristics of visitors, 2) characteristics of others encountered, and 3) situational variables. Results provide managers with empirical data that are useful when making carrying capacity decisions. The above program of research makes theoretical, empirical, and managerial contributions to outdoor recreation research, planning, and management. The research identifies indicators of quality that are relevant in urban-proximate park settings. Specifically, the presence or absence of litter and graffiti, waiting times, and number and types of vehicles are identified as important indicators of quality at study parks. Further, visitors are able to specify norms for these indicators, thereby enabling researchers and park managers to formulate standards of quality for these indicator variables.