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Visitor Use Management

Begin with the End in Mind “ Each agency administering any area designated as wilderness shall be responsible for preserving the wilderness character of the area” ( Wilderness Act sec. 4d ) Wilderness areas “shall be administered for the use and enjoyment of the American people in such manner as will leave them unimpaired for future use and enjoyment as wilderness, and so as to provide for the protection of these areas, the preservation of their wilderness character, and for the gathering and dissemination of information regarding their use and enjoyment as wilderness” (Wilderness Act sec. 2a) What are we trying to protect?

Change is Inevitable As use increases, something must change… 1. Conditions deteriorate (resource and experience) 2. On-site management intensifies (restrictions on behavior) 3. Off-site restrictions increase (limits on access)

Principles 1. A spectrum of settings serves the widest array of interests. Dilution is NOT the solution.

2. It is far better to begin planning early. 3. The effects of human activities are what is important. 4. Areas are not self-limiting. Some action is required to retain desired qualities. Principles……

5. Choices must be made. Public dialogue about trade-offs must occur. 6. The decisions we make today will shape what places are like in the future. 7. Stewardship is a joint venture. We cannot succeed without public support and assistance. Principles……

Framework 1.Goals and Objectives (what do we want, what measures define when there is problem vs. success) 2.Monitoring (where are we now, what is the trend) 3.Management strategies and actions (what are we going to do)

Key Questions to Ask 1. What is significant about this area? 2. What is the desired wilderness character? 3. What are the key impacts? 4. What is acceptable versus unacceptable impact? 5. What trade-offs are people willing to make? 6. What management strategies can be applied? 7. Can the proposed strategy be implemented?

Visitor Capacity National Forest Wilderness (CFR 293) Plan and manage public use of wilderness in such a manner that preserves the wilderness character of the area. Provide for the limiting and distribution of visitor use according to periodic estimates of capacity in the Forest Plan. National Parks (General Authorities Act of 1978) The General Management Plan shall include “the identification of and implementation commitments for visitor carrying capacities for all areas of the unit”.

How does LAC or VERP differ?  Focus on effects of use rather than use numbers but use numbers can be derived.  Goal-driven rather than issue-driven.  Establish standards (lines in the sand) rather than objectives.  Provides a basis for making actions explicit and trackable.  Forces up-front discussion about trade- offs.  Dependent on monitoring  Recognizes that zoning is desirable.

Estimated visitor capacity What standard ultimately constrains use?  Physical  Social  Biological

1.Agreement on desired character 2.Agreement on acceptable level of impact (standards) 3.Clear relationship between use level and standard being violated 4.Agreement on what will be achieved by limiting use and potential consequences on nearby areas 5.Agency has resources to implement use limits Criteria for Applying Use Limits

Success IS about:  Resolving a problem; improving wilderness character  Explicit rationale for decisions; Trackable management actions  Commitment to move forward