Applying Social Science to Outdoor Recreation Management

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Applying Social Science to Outdoor Recreation
Management

• Diane Kuehn
• SUNY ESF

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Todays presentation

• What is social science?
• How does social science apply to outdoor
  recreation management?
• Case study Eastern Lake Ontario Dune and Wetland
  Area

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What is social science?

• Science that studies society and the
  relationships of individuals within society.
• Generally includes
• Sociology
• Psychology
• Anthropology
• Political Science

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Why is social science different from other types
of science?

• Non-laboratory settings common
• Quasi experimental designs common
• Qualitative methods frequently used

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Social science research methodologies

• Qualitative data collection
• Interviews
• Observations
• Focus group sessions
• Quantitative data collection
• Surveys
• Counts (e.g., of users, recreational license
  holders, etc)

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How is social science related to outdoor
recreation research?

• Study sociology and psychology in recreational
  settings.
• Research topics can include
• Interactions between recreating individuals
• Factors that motivate individuals to recreate
• Environmental impacts of individuals on areas
  used for recreation

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How is social science research in recreation
implemented?

• Identify issue (i.e., research question)
• Identify user groups
• Assess setting for research
• Identify most suitable data collection methods
• Conduct research
• Identify how to apply results to setting

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Case study Eastern Lake Ontario Dune and
Wetland Area (ELODWA)
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• 7 Public Areas
• 3 state wildlife management areas
• 2 state parks
• 1 state natural area
• 1 TNC preserve

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History of collaboration

• Early 1980s
• High visitor-caused impacts to dune ecosystem
• Fragmented ownership
• State county agencies
• NGOs
• Private property owners
• Funding needed for dune education and protection
• Ontario Dune Coalition
• Informal committee structure

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The Coalitions primary concern

• How can environmental impacts from visitor use be
  minimized?

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Early efforts

• Identified areas with erosion
• Identified and implemented visitor management
  strategies

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Visitor management
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Visitor management
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Visitor management
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Interpretive Program
Signage
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Interpretive Program
Guidebook and brochures
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Interpretation Program
Dune Steward Program
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The Coalitions next concern

• Are our management strategies working?

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Three approaches to evaluation

• Visitor use study
• Visitor survey
• Photomonitoring study

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Purposes of Visitor Use Study

• To assess trends in visitor use.
• To identify locations where use is concentrated.
• To identify factors that influence visitor use
  (e.g., weather).
• To create a strategy for monitoring use in the
  future.

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Methods

• Review existing data
• Assess each property open to the public
• Based on access points and observed use,
  designate Zones

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Indirect Count Method

• For each zone, collect
• Full counts on randomly selected days
• Daily spot counts
• Weather data
• An equation was calculated for each zone in each
  public area. For example

Visitor Use a b1(Day) b2(Spot Count)
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Developing a monitoring protocol

• Data found to be significant in determining total
  visitor use
• Day of the week (weekend, weekday)
• Daily spot count

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Results
Eastern Lake Ontario Dune Area
Estimated number of visitors
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Results
Public areas within ELODWA
Estimated number of visitors
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Results
Sandy Pond Natural Area
Estimated number of visitors
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Purpose of visitor survey

• To identify visitor demographics.
• To identify interpretive media used by visitors.
• To identify if the ELODWAs interpretive message
  was being successfully communicated to visitors.

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Visitor survey

• 2-page on-site survey completed in 1997 and
  2003/04
• 1997 93 visitors surveyed
• 2003/04 359 visitors surveyed

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Demographic Results

• 93 of respondents from NY
• 40 from Jefferson or Oswego Counties
• Group composition
• Family (44)
• Friends (23)
• Family Friends (23)
• Alone (10)
• Repeat visitors 80
• Length of stay/visit 5 hours

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Results
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Results

• Small interpretive signs
• 91 (2003/04) had seen the signs.
• 93 (of the 91 above) indicated that signs
  encouraged them to stay out of the dunes.
• Approval of signs
• 83 yes, 16 neutral, 1 no

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Results
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Results

• Is message getting across?
• Used open-ended questions
• 78 (2003/04) and 94 (1997) stated that beach
  grass anchors sand.
• 93 (2003/04) and 98 (1997) were able to
  identify one visitor behavior that causes erosion
  

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Purposes of Photomonitoring

• To identify changes in vegetative cover on dunes.
• To identify changes in dune profile.

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Photomonitoring

• 35 sites throughout ELODWA between 1997 and 2005
• 5-point scale of changes in dune appearance
• 0 no change
• 1 less than 25 vegetation cover change on
  exposed sand
• 2 25 to 50 vegetation cover change
• 3 over 50 vegetation coverage change
• 4 complete vegetation coverage increased
  dune profile

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Results

• Ratings of 2 to 4 in 74 of sites

Rating 4, Sandy Pond Natural Area
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Results

• Ratings of 2 to 4 in 74 of sites

Rating 2, Black Pond WMA
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Results

• 9 slight change (rating of 1)
• 17 had no change (rating of 0)

Rating 1, Black Pond WMA
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Outcomes of study

• Data collection protocol established
• Interpretive message is getting across to most
  visitors
• Positive changes in dune vegetation and profile
• Future management strategies
• Refocus of ELODWA staff on remote zones
• Staffing increased in Lakeview
• Additional efforts needed at Deer Creek
• Similar study proposed for Salmon River

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In conclusion

• Social science is useful for land use management
  because
• Its focused on both the users the environment.
• It can be used to identify management strategies
  that take into account users.
• It can provide balance between the needs of users
  and of the environment.

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Any questions?