Recreation Planning Research Articles

The use of GIS-based support of recreational trail planning by local governments

In the last decade, multiple GIS-based planning support systems have been developed in order to improve the basis for spatial planning. Recent research has focused on problems regarding a lack of utilisation or barriers to the use of advanced GIS and GIS-based planning support systems in planning applications. This paper discusses these research findings in the context of outdoor recreational planning by local governments in Denmark. According to a national survey of municipal planners, GIS-based planning support is widely used in Denmark, but more GIS is needed and is being requested for local outdoor recreation planning. However, considerable differences exist between the ways municipalities assess their need for and use of GIS planning support. These differences are explored in more detail using a factor analysis of planning variables and uses of GIS. Three situations are described: 1) extensive network-based collaborative planning associated with extensive GIS use; 2) experienced and older planners who are laggards regarding the use of advanced GIS-based planning support; and finally, 3) an envisioned need and demand for more GIS which are mainly realised through a GIS department in the municipality. These findings contribute to the development and implementation of spatial decision support systems and planning support systems in recreation planning. Recommendations are provided regarding the future of GIS use in local government planning.

Active living in small town America: an approach to parks and recreation planning and design

In addressing the rapid transformation of small towns in the USA, the crucial relationship between healthy living and the built environment is often understated. This paper focuses on responsive pl...

Detection and Classification of Motor Vehicle Noise in a Forested Landscape

Noise emanating from human activity has become a common addition to natural soundscapes and has the potential to harm wildlife and erode human enjoyment of nature. In particular, motor vehicles traveling along roads and trails produce high levels of both chronic and intermittent noise, eliciting varied responses from a wide range of animal species. Anthropogenic noise is especially conspicuous in natural areas where ambient background sound levels are low. In this article, we present an acoustic method to detect and analyze motor vehicle noise. Our approach uses inexpensive consumer products to record sound, sound analysis software to automatically detect sound events within continuous recordings and measure their acoustic properties, and statistical classification methods to categorize sound events. We describe an application of this approach to detect motor vehicle noise on paved, gravel, and natural-surface roads, and off-road vehicle trails in 36 sites distributed throughout a national forest in the Sierra Nevada, CA, USA. These low-cost, unobtrusive methods can be used by scientists and managers to detect anthropogenic noise events for many potential applications, including ecological research, transportation and recreation planning, and natural resource management.

A population based assessment of the geographical accessibility of outdoor recreation opportunities in New Zealand

Active participation in the outdoors not only provides enjoyment and adventure, but it is also important for health and promoting conservation values. The latter is particularly important for young people as they are at an impressionable stage in their lives. Geographical accessibly of recreation opportunities can be a major barrier to utlization of the New Zealand outdoors. While it would be ideal to have a variety of opportunities available to everyone regardless of residence, the distribution of opportunities is constrained by the extent of suitable lands. This research provides a population based assessment of the geographical accessibility of recreational opportunities. Accessibility has many dimensions and includes cultural, financial, and geographical barriers; therefore this research is only addressing one dimension of accessibility. Geographical Information Systems is used for the analysis, which involves a function called least-cost path analysis. This identified the travel time (using a private vehicle) via the quickest route from where people live (represented by census enumeration points) to the entry point of the recreation sites. The outputs of this research are maps and spatial statistics on the travel times to a range of recreation opportunities for different parts of New Zealand. This information is important for recreation planning. In addition, the information also provides research opportunities for modelling recreation use, especially when accessibility information is combined with landscape experience information and recreation usage statistics.

Leading Contributors to the Research Consortium's Annual Program, 1992–2011: High-Visibility Institutions, Researchers, and Topics

Between 1992–2011, peer-reviewed research on the Research Consortium's annual program has been published in abstract form in the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. On the basis of frequency, high-visibility institutions, researchers, and sub-disciplinary categories were identified. Data were extracted from each abstract (N = 5,587). On average, 279 (SD = 39) abstracts were published annually. The highest visibility institution was Texas A&M University, College Station; individual researcher, Weimo Zhu; and sub-disciplinary area, Pedagogy. Twelve of the top 20 institutions identified in this study took part in the most recent ranking of doctoral programs conducted by the National Academy of Kinesiology, with the Spearman's rho correlation being .66. These results may inform the Research Consortium's and the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance's strategic planning efforts. Those interested in pursuing graduate degrees in the field and those who advise others about potential institutions and faculty mentors to study with may also benefit from this work. However, in doing so, a judicious interpretation of the results must be applied, as many factors should be considered when selecting a graduate program or mentor to study with, especially for those seeking research careers. Additional discussion points also emerged.

Mapping of thermal comfort for outdoor recreation planning using GIS: the case of Isparta Province (Turkey)

This study presents a model for the physical planning process of thermal comfort (TC), which is very important for outdoor recreation planning, using thermal perception maps (TPMs). For this purpose, a TPM of Isparta Province was produced according to the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) index from climatic data of the province. To determine the TC structure of the province, climatic data were collected from 16 meteorology stations. The RayMan 1.2 program was used to obtain the monthly PET values of the stations, and the inverse distance weighted interpolation technique in geographic information system (GIS) software was used to produce monthly PET maps and a TPM of the province. The most comfortable months and regions for outdoor recreation activities were identified by TPM according to the PET values. These months and regions are listed in order, beginning with the most comfortable, as follows: the entire province, with the exception of the towns of Eğirdir, Keçiborlu, Barla, and Kumdanlı-Hoyran in May; the towns of Keçiborlu, Eğirdir, Uluborlu, Yalvaç, Kumdanlı-Hoyran, and Şarkikaraağaç in September; Barla and Keçiborlu in June; and October for the town of Kasımlar. The contributions that TPMs offer for planning the most appropriate areas and periods for outdoor recreation are described.

New Paths Toward a History of Pennsylvania Outdoor Recreation

��� n his study of nineteenth-century southwestern Pennsylvania, historian Scott Martin describes leisure as “a contested cultural space, in which ideas about ethnicity, class, and gender were articulated and developed.” 1 Studies of outdoor recreation, a specific type of leisure taking place in natural settings, are valuable to historians of Pennsylvania for what they reveal about the ways groups chose to spend their free time and the implications for the state’s environmental, social, and political history. While outdoor recreation of various forms has always been a salient feature of life, the acceleration of industrialization and economic growth during the second half of the nineteenth century brought many Americans increased time and disposable income to spend on pursing various forms of recreation. As we know, this trend has continued through the twentieth and twenty-first centuries to the point where outdoor recreation drives a multibillion-dollar industry that annually services more than 159 million recreationists. 2 In Pennsylvania, forms of outdoor recreation vary widely, from walking along a trail through Gifford Pinchot State Park and plunging a raft through the Youghiogheny River’s whitewater I

Responsible recreation planning in Gatineau Park, Québec

Outdoor recreation management increasingly occurs in messy situations that are typified by contested or ambiguous goals and lack of agreement on cause–effect relationships. In Gatineau Park, Canada, a shift in park purpose from a nature park as presented in the 1990 Master Plan to a conservation park as presented in the 2005 Master Plan has created a dichotomy between park visitation and conservation and it has sparked significant discord about how to manage recreation in the park. In response to this messy situation, a recreation management planning process was initiated in 2008 and a modified rational/transactive planning approach was developed to guide phase one of the planning and public consultation process. Using Gatineau Park as a case study, the purpose of this article is to critically assess its utility for recreation management. The results provide lessons related to satisfying the dimensions of successful planning, increasing shared ownership, collecting negative feedback, testing proposed management actions and fulfilling Canada's public service bilingual requirements.

A study of an ecologically based recreation and tourism planning approach: a case study on Trabzon Çalköy high plateau in Turkey

The Çalköy high plateau settlement, located in a pristine landscape, is thought to have considerable potential for recreation and nature tourism. This study focused primarily on the natural and cultural values of the area and their prospective utility for recreation and tourism. Additionally, the behaviours and activities of local people in terms of recreation and those of visitors in terms of tourism were examined and their environmental impacts were assessed. Interviews were conducted with four different groups comprising visitors, local people, local administrators and public authorities. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis was employed to determine the key aspects that could be used to inform the planning of local, ecologically based recreation and tourism. The method enables stakeholders and local people to give their perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of the area along with opportunities and threats. These factors were then applied to a TOWS (Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses and Strengths) matrix to identify those features that need to be strategically enhanced or ameliorated in the planning context. The result of the study, according to the SWOT/TOWS analysis, is that Çalköy village pasture is one of the suggested places for high plateau tourism. Çal village plateau has exposed a variety of current and future challenges. There will be an increase in tourism activities in Çalköy village.

Traveler Perspectives of Greenway Quality in Northern New England

Greenways across a range of landscapes from urban to natural serve society as both transportation corridors and recreational pathways. Because of these dual functions, planning and management of greenways warrant an interdisciplinary approach that incorporates frameworks from the fields of transportation and outdoor recreation. Research was conducted to (a) investigate the relationship between transportation and recreation from a greenway user's perspective, (b) consider and integrate transportation and recreation frameworks that measure quality of greenway travel, and (c) determine the significance of settings in user perceptions of quality. On-site surveys of users (n = 841) across three greenways in northern New England were administered to learn how travelers used and perceived the quality of these facilities. Findings showed that greenways were used primarily for recreation but often incorporated varying elements of transportation. Furthermore, traveler perceptions of quality differed across settings. Transportation and recreation planning frameworks can be integrated to provide a more holistic approach to greenway planning and management.

Automated Detection of Breaking Wave Height Using an Optical Technique

Abstract SHAND, T.D.; BAILEY, D.G., and SHAND, R.D., 2012. Automated detection of breaking wave height using an optical technique. Obtaining accurate information of nearshore wave characteristics including the position and height of individual breaking waves is essential to understanding the drivers of coastal processes, for engineering design and hazard prediction. Demand for such information in real time for recreational planning and hazard assessment is also high. Remote optical techniques would offer considerable economic and spatial coverage advantages over conventional in situ instrumentation. However, optical methods for obtaining wave height information have been slow to develop and those available remain computationally expensive and require “favourable” environmental conditions. This paper presents a relatively simple yet robust approach to detecting and quantifying breaking wave position and height across a wide surf zone using a twin video camera configuration coupled with an image time-stack ...

자연체험 및 휴양가치 등급 설정을 위한 비오톱 구조분석 - 광명시흥 보금자리 주택지구를 대상으로 -

This research The main focus of this research is to provide basic data for concrete recreation planning of future site by selecting Gwangmyeong-Siheung housing district, large residential development district focused on rural areas, by evaluation of recreation value and detailed biotope type classification. The main results of analysis are as follows. As a result of basic survey of the research area, total 79 family and 307 taxonomic groups are identified and also naturalization index and urbanization index were estimated 16.6 % and 17.6% respectively. Also, as a result of biotope type classification, it is divide into 12 biotope type gorups including forest biotope type group and its subordinate 53 biotop types. As a result of first value evaluation, there are total 13 biotope types such as vegetation-full artificial rivers in I grade. In addition it is analyzed as 9 types of II grade, 5 types of III grade, 8 types of IV grade, 18 types of V grade. Lastly, as a result of second evauation, it is analyzed that there are 21 special meaningful areas for recreation and natural experience(1a, 1b), and 50 meaningful areas for recreation and natural experience(2a, 2b, 2c). It is regarded that the results of biotope types classification and recreation value from this research play roles of analyzing the Suitable site for recreation area before development in terms of large residential development district, and then these results provide important basic data to secure recreational and natural experience area in development planning.

The Use of Recreation Planning Tools in U.S. Forest Service NEPA Assessments

U.S. Forest Service managers are required to incorporate social and biophysical science information in planning and environmental analysis. The use of science is mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Forest Management Act, and U.S. Forest Service planning rules. Despite the agency's emphasis on 'science-based' decision-making, little is known about how science is actually used in recreation planning and management. This study investigated the perceptions of Forest Service interdisciplinary (ID) team leaders for 106 NEPA projects dealing with recreation and travel management between 2005 and 2008. Our survey data show how managers rate the importance of social and biophysical science compared to other potential 'success factors' in NEPA assessments. We also explore how team leaders value and use multi-disciplinary tools for recreation-related assessments. Results suggest that managers employ a variety of recreation planning tools in NEPA projects, but there appears to be no common understanding or approach for how or when these tools are incorporated. The Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) was the most frequently used planning tool, but the Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP) framework was the most consistently valued tool by those who used it. We recommend further evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of each planning tool and future development of procedures to select appropriate planning tools for use in recreation-related NEPA assessments.

Evaluation of the territorial system of forest recreation by natural indicators: Belgrade forest example

The current study presents a method for establishing a complex recreation resource within a territorial system for forest recreation areas within the period of 1960 to 2008, using quantitative forest stand indicators. Use of the methodology for direct assessment of forest stands with recreational functions on the basis of natural indicators. The assessment is tied to performance of pre made bioclimatical analysis” and requirements of recreational ergonomics of the site. The phases adhered includes I- Classifying the results from the conducted studies on plant succession and forest types. II- Inventory and assessment of stand recreation suitability by category. iii- Type and class of recreation occurring in the forest. iv- Calculation of the average coefficients of recreation suitability under various scenarios. The present study primarily targets an efficient forest management approach, in order to help planners in making the optimal decision for recreation activities in forests. Key words: Recreation planning, forest recreation, suitability, Belgrade forest.

Thermal comfort modelling of body temperature and psychological variations of a human exercising in an outdoor environment

Human thermal comfort assessments pertaining to exercise while in outdoor environments can improve urban and recreational planning. The current study applied a simple four-segment skin temperature approach to the COMFA (COMfort FormulA) outdoor energy balance model. Comparative results of measured mean skin temperature ([Formula: see text]) with predicted [Formula: see text] indicate that the model accurately predicted [Formula: see text], showing significantly strong agreement (r = 0.859, P < 0.01) during outdoor exercise (cycling and running). The combined 5-min mean variation of the [Formula: see text] RMSE was 1.5°C, with separate cycling and running giving RMSE of 1.4°C and 1.6°C, respectively, and no significant difference in residuals. Subjects' actual thermal sensation (ATS) votes displayed significant strong rank correlation with budget scores calculated using both measured and predicted [Formula: see text] (r ( s ) = 0.507 and 0.517, respectively, P < 0.01). These results show improved predictive strength of ATS of subjects as compared to the original and updated COMFA models. This psychological improvement, plus [Formula: see text] and T (c) validations, enables better application to a variety of outdoor spaces. This model can be used in future research studying linkages between thermal discomfort, subsequent decreases in physical activity, and negative health trends.

Wilderness in National Parks: Playground or Preserve

Review: Wilderness in National Parks-- Playground or Preserve By John C. Miles Reviewed by Elery Hamilton-Smith Charles Sturt University, Australia Miles, John C. Wilderness in National Parks – Playground or Preserve. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press, 2009. x,334 pp. ISBN 9780295988757. US$35.00, paper. John Miles has set out to describe and analyse the long-changing role and relationships of wilderness within the United States National Park system. He recognises that the Park Service has struggled, and continues to struggle, with resolving the ambiguities of wilderness policies for the almost one hundred years of its existence. Because of his clear focus on the wilderness question, this is one of the most thorough and detailed historical study of the Park Service yet published. It also demonstrates a very soundly based balance between a great love of the parks and his capacity to critically examine all aspects of decision-making and management of the Service. Strangely, the United States National Park Service has consistently claimed to be the first and greatest such operation in the whole world. Certainly, they were the first to use the name “National Park,” but many cultural groups throughout the world had recognised and protected valuable areas which served the purposes of national parks each in their own way. This was not only widespread but had endured over very many centuries. Even in the Americas, there is good evidence of such sites long prior to the arrival of Europeans. Regrettably, even the claim to greatness is misplaced because of the long-standing “control and command” assumption underlying park management. The underlying sense of spiritual value in everybody’s vision of the National Parks evoked a powerful emotional response and commitment to almost every issue which demanded attention. The inevitable complexity of the policy arena inevitably led to complex and shifting differences. Politicians, virtually always including the President, and the administrators of the park system all had a very strong personal vision. Various other governmental land management agencies often saw the Park Service as a threat to their own powers and so joined the debate. A growing number of both NGOs and commercial interests grew up both in support of and against nature conservation ideals and also made their voices heard at all times. Finally, there were the many individual opinion leaders including heroes like John Muir, Henry Thoreau, Bob Marshall and Aldo Leopold. One of the strange outcomes of the continuing debate and fragmentation of thinking is that there is surprisingly little soundly based research carried out within the Park Service. President Reagan’s Commission on Americans Outdoors made it clear that there was a very real need for research which would serve to generate and support improved decision making. This was taken up by the U.S. Forest Service and many invaluable research studies were generated. A valuable retrospective summary and assessment of some of the Forest Service research is provided by McCool et al (McCool, S.F., Clark, R.N., and Stankey, G.H. An assessment of frameworks useful for public land recreation planning. General Technical Report PNW-GTR-705. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Pacific Northwest Research Station, 2007). But little of any quality emerged from the Park Service. But, I must balance what I have written above. There have been many inspired and visionary individualistic on-ground managers who have risen above mediocrity in park management and produced wonderful opportunities for truly positive visitor experiences. So, to do justice to the Service, it simply demonstrates that in almost all spheres of action, the United States has the best and the worst of everything! Miles has done a real service to scholarship in his detailed reporting and analysis of the underlying conflicts over many years. It provides one invaluable basis upon which enhanced research and management policies may be based. Elery Hamilton-Smith , Professor, Charles Sturt University, Australia, P.O. Box 36, Carlton South, Victoria 3053, Australia. TEL: 613-9489-77850. Electronic Green Journal, Issue 30, Spring 2010, ISSN:1076-7975

A Discourse Analysis of Australian Local Government Recreation and Sport Plans Provision For People with Disabilities

Public sector reforms in Australia have been promoted as ensuring efficiencies and accountability. As a response to these reform requirements, Australian local governments publically provide documented plans regarding service provision. While these documented plans may generally be perceived as value-neutral, they have the potential to imbed particular ideologies as well as ensure certain viewpoints remain entrenched in the current social realm. Using a critical discourse analysis method, this article analysed thirty-one local government sport and recreation plans publicly to assist in identifying and highlighting imbedded values and ideologies regarding community provision for people with disabilities. Results from the analysis indicate that overwhelmingly local government authorities' focus on ensuring the suitability of the built environment. As such, physical access as the problem identifies people with disabilities as a homogonous group who are immobile and as such disenfranchises many other impaired groups. This article also questions the representativeness of people with disabilities in the community consultation process.

Spatial analysis and facility characteristics of outdoor recreational areas in Istanbul

This article reports the results of a study that explored whether outdoor recreational areas are sufficient in Istanbul in terms of their surface area and facility characteristics. All the municipalities in 32 subprovinces of Istanbul were sent a survey in 2007 and asked to prepare a list of their outdoor recreational areas including their names, addresses, size, and facilities. All the data collected from the municipalities were used to create a GIS-based inventory by using GIS and remote sensing. As the study revealed, the outdoor recreational areas in Istanbul are far behind meeting the recreational needs of the residents in terms of area per person and facility characteristics. There are 2,470 areas which were dedicated to outdoor recreational activities in Istanbul. Total surface area of all these outdoor recreational areas is 19,2 sq kilometers; this means 1.52 m(2) recreational area per person in the city. This value is very low when compared to that of many cities in Europe and USA. As the study also revealed, the majority of outdoor recreational areas in Istanbul are poor in facility. Majority of the existing outdoor recreational areas are small and do not provide the public with many opportunities to engage in different outdoor activities. A more sustainable and efficient recreational plan is needed in Istanbul to meet the various recreational needs of its residents.

A method for automatic generation of the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum in New Zealand

The Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) has been used internationally as a tool to guide recreation planning. The spectrum as a map has primarily been generated manually and through digitisation by analysts with an in-depth knowledge of the region of interest. This paper seeks to outline an alternative method that is objective and repeatable to create a ROS map for New Zealand, using data from a variety of sources and manipulated with spatial tools available in a geographic information system. The result is a map that is consistent on a national scale, and a method that is repeatable. The model can be used to develop scenario modelling, change detection, and help guide management decisions.

Stakeholder Mapping for Recreation Planning of a Bahamian National Park

This study engaged key stakeholders in developing a recreation management plan for Abaco National Park. Using a stakeholder analysis and participatory mapping exercises, we determined current and desired future land uses of representatives from the tourism industry, hunters, teachers, business leaders, local community members, and environmentalists. Spatial information was analyzed using a geographic information system (GIS) for trends and overlap among recreational activities and between recreation needs and protection of an endangered parrot. Results indicate a diversity of activities occur in the park, each with a distinct spatial distribution. Stakeholder groups had varied priorities for future park uses; however, all groups desired ecotourism and infrastructure development. Overlap existed among recreational uses and between recreation and parrot protection, suggesting the use of spatial and/or temporal zoning to reduce potential conflict. These methods provided valuable data for integrated conservation and recreation planning and should be applicable to other areas lacking social information for planning and management.