Visitor Perceptions about Cattle Grazing on National Forest Land

Abstract

Visitors to the Big Cimarron Watershed in the Uncompahgre National Forest, Colorado, had varying attitudes about cattle grazing. Without cuing, 9% of all visitors listed livestock as a source of interference. Local and rural Colorado residents tended to be more agreeable to livestock presence than other visitors in 1992; however, significant differences could not be detected the following year. No relationship existed between the prevalence of a perceived grazing-recreation conflict and visitors' home community size, nor the size of the community where they grew up. Visitors in dispersed campsites tended to be more critical of grazing than those in developed campgrounds. When given a choice, the number of visitors indicating that range livestock added to their stay (34%) was no different than the number stating a negative relationship (33%). Understanding visitor characteristics during range allotment planning may help lessen conflicts between livestock grazing and recreational usage by aiding in plan development and the design of effective interpretive programs.