Skip to main content
WCS
Menu
Library
Library Catalog
eJournals & eBooks
WCS Research
Archives
Research Use
Finding Aids
Digital Collections
WCS History
WCS Research
Research Publications
Science Data
Services for WCS Researchers
Archives Shop
Bronx Zoo
Department of Tropical Research
Browse By Product
About Us
FAQs
Intern or Volunteer
Staff
Donate
Search WCS.org
Search
search
Popular Search Terms
WCS History
Library and Archives
Library and Archives Menu
Library
Archives
WCS Research
Archives Shop
About Us
Donate
en
fr
Title
Entrenched ties between outdoor recreation and conservation pose challenges for sustainable land management
Author(s)
Thomas, S. L.;Reed, S. E.
Published
2019
Publisher
Environmental Research Letters
Published Version DOI
https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab4f52
Abstract
Public demand for outdoor recreation has proved a major impetus for land protection in the United States since the mid-twentieth century, particularly in the US West. Many federal, state, and municipal conservation tools?policies, management programs, and funding initiatives?aim to ensure recreation access to public lands in conjunction with natural resources protection. However, as recreation use increases, driven by amenity migration and economic development, land managers face a growing challenge in balancing the trade-offs between recreation access and other conservation objectives. Drawing on original archival research, we describe the strong policy ties between outdoor recreation and conservation that emerged in the post-World War II era in response to widespread urbanization. Through semi-structured interviews with land managers, we assess the implications of those policy decisions for today?s public land managers. Current management challenges include: poor visitor awareness of the cumulative impacts of recreation activity, resistance by local communities and user groups to restrictions on recreation access, insufficient scientific data to guide management decisions, and limited resources to manage recreationists and enforce regulations. We conclude by proposing strategies to promote sustainable management of multiple-use landscapes through targeted research, application of conservation planning principles, and enhanced cooperation among jurisdictions.
Keywords
recreation;conservation;public land management;threat;bird;Environmental Sciences & Ecology;Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Access Full Text
A full-text copy of this article may be available. Please email the
WCS Library
to request.
Back
PUB24969