Second

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Social Science Field Research St Edwards State
Park

• Regional Context
• City parks
• County parks
• Regional Parks
• State Parks
• National Parks
• International Parks

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St Edwards State Park
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316 acres 3,000 ft shore
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Parks Planning - Program

• Current Status
• Facilities and Infrastructure
• Active Recreation
• Passive Recreation
• Unintended Consequences

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Active Recreation

• Play Park
• Gymnasium,
• Swimming Pool
• Sports Fields
• baseball, soccer
• Bike Riding
• Horseback Riding

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Play Park
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Sports Fields Reserved Group Picnics
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Public Events
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Seminary Building HistoricRegister
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Passive Recreation

• Hiking/Walking
• Dog Walking
• Picnics
• Birding
• Shoreline Activity

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Unintended Activities/Management Challenges

• Motor vehicles
• Vandalism Graffiti
• Water activities (swings)
• Personal security on trails
• Site deterioration

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Invasive species Hazard Trees
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Off-site Social Issues - St. Edward

• Adjacent property owners using park as they see
  fit.cutting trails, building forts, after hours
  usage, dogs off leash, motorcycles on trials,
  bicycle BMX courses, opposition to appropriate
  park practices..i.e.. hazard tree removal?

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Social Science Research
Approach to understanding the site What do
you want to know..and who cares?
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• Approach to understanding the site
• What do you want to know?....and who cares?
• Who is using the park?
• Where do they come from?
• How is it being used?
• What are the benefits to the users?
• When does use occur?
• Where does use occur?
• Are there conflicts among users?
• Are there unacceptable environmental impacts?
• Approaches to seeking public input and
  consensus
• on park management decisions?

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Purpose of the site assessment is to provide a
quality visitor experience while protecting the
resource that is essential to providing the
experience.

• Many recreation assessment models available
• Recreation Opportunity Spectrum
• Visitor Impact Management
• Visitor Experience and Resource Protection
• Limits to Acceptable Change

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• Process for Visitor Impact Management (VIM)
• Developed by researchers working for the U.S.
  National Parks and Conservation Association for
  use by the U.S. National Park Service.
• The process addresses three basic issues relating
  to impact
• problem conditions
• potential causal factors
• potential management strategies
• Nilsen, Per, Grant Taylor, A Comparative Analysis
  of Protected Ares Planning and Management
  Frameworks. In Proceedings Limits of Acceptable
  Change and Related Planning Processes. GTR
  INT-GTR-371. 1997

Biological impacts
ground-cover density and loss of ground cover
diversity and composition of plant species
proportion of exotic plant species
plant species height, vigour and diseases
treesmutilation, seeding regeneration, exposed
roots
wildlife speciesdiversity, abundance,
sightings
presence or absence of indicator species
reproduction success
Social Impacts
number of encounters
by activity type with other individuals/day
by size of group
with other groups/day
by mode of transport
by location of encounter
visitor perception of crowding
visitor perception of impact on the environment
visitor satisfaction
visitor complaints
visitor reports of undesirable behaviours
Standards are established for each indicator
based on the management
objectives that specify acceptable limits or
appropriate levels for the
impact.
Applications Best Suited for
This is a flexible process parallel to LAC that
can be applied in a wide
variety of settings. It employs a similar
methodology to assess and identify
existing impacts and particularly the causes
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Steps of the Process 1.
Conduct pre-assessment database review. 2. Review
management objectives. 3. Select key
indicators. 4. Select standards for key impact
indicators. 5. Compare standards and existing
conditions. 6. Identify probable causes of
impacts. 7. Identify management strategies. 8.
Implement.
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Factors, Indicators and Standards The list of
possible indicators of impact includes Physical
impacts soil density, pH, compaction,
drainage, chemistry, productivity amount and
depth of litter and dust area of barren core
and of bare ground area of complete campsites
number and size of fire rings number of social
trails visible erosion
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Biological impacts soil fauna and
microfauna ground-cover density and loss of
ground cover diversity and composition of plant
species proportion of exotic plant species
plant species height, vigour and diseases
treesmutilation, seeding regeneration, exposed
roots wildlife speciesdiversity, abundance,
sightings presence or absence of indicator
species reproduction success
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Social Impacts number of encounters by
activity type with other individuals/day by
size of group with other groups/day by mode
of transport by location of encounter visitor
perception of crowding visitor perception of
impact on the environment visitor
satisfaction visitor complaints visitor
reports of undesirable behaviors
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Standards are established for each indicator
based on the management objectives that specify
acceptable limits or appropriate levels for the
impact.
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Properties of a Restorative Experience
Being Away--moving away from tired cognitive
brain structures that have become fatigued
through overuse. In a different mindset or
place Fascination--an effortless way of
attending with involuntary attention. An all
consuming activity. Extent--sufficient scope to
sustain interaction for a period of time without
boredom. Boundaries are not evident. Compatibilit
y--fit with a persons inclinations and purposes
Kaplan, S., 1995 2001
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