Exploring the effects of non-consumptive recreation, trail use, and environmental factors on state park avian biodiversity

Abstract

State parks serve an important dual role in conservation by balancing wildlife management and recreation activities by park visitors. However, research in recreation ecology on the collective impacts of non-consumptive recreation, environmental factors, and trail design has been sparse. We modeled the influences of non-consumptive trail use, vegetation communities, habitat structure, climate, and trail design on avian communities in four Arkansas State parks. Our results suggested that non-consumptive trail use, environmental factors, and trail design may have collective influences on avian communities. Trailside vegetation structure and aspects of trail design had stronger effects on park avian communities than non-consumptive trail use. Our findings suggest that trail design and environmental factors may play a larger role in shaping avian communities in areas where non-consumptive trail use rates are low. In order to manage the coexistence of flora and fauna with human recreation effectively, park managers should employ decision frameworks that collectively consider the effects from anthropogenic and environmental variables.