Visitor Use

Monitoring Objectives

• Compile and summarize existing NPS visitor use data to determine monthly, seasonal, and annual visitor use rates for all SECN parks (as data permit)

Background
Although human activities and conditions have tended to be left out of biological monitoring programs in the past - there is a growing recognition that human values, human decisions and human activities are, in fact, integral to understanding changes to ecosystems and to natural resource management. Given NPS' dual mandate of conservation and public enjoyment for current and future generations, changes in human populations and in recreation activities are of special concern to park managers. Potential visitor use measures identified during the development of the SECN monitoring plan include: 1) monthly visitor use information such as attendance, entrance fe
e and usage permit data and 2) recreational use patterns such as automated counts of vehicle and trail traffic along designated roads and trails and at specific destinations and visitor trip report surveys.

Parks Where Protocol Will be Implemented
All SECN Parks

Principal Investigator Christina Wright, Ecologist / Science Information Specialist