Current Research Projects - Outdoor Recreation & Tourism

Title: Sustainable Ski Resorts in the State of Utah: Working Toward the Future

Summary: Assessing and analyzing the current and future environmentally sustainable practices amongst Utah ski area resorts as a whole, in order to assist in future planning and decision making.

Summary: River users’ knowledge, norms, support and experiences regarding tamarisk control methods in the Green and Colorado River corridors through Canyonlands National Park.

Summary: Collaborative, Transboundary planning and management of the Indian Creek Special Recreation Area.

Summary: An assessment of the Arkansas River Recreation Area Management Plan.

Title: Exploring a process for determining capacity and examining the visitor experience from both a biophysical and social perspective

Study Sites: Rocky Mountain National Park, Yosemite National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Zion National Park

Summary: The first objective of this project is to successfully model off-trail use in various parks and protected areas, understand how visitors are interacting with resources in areas of off-trail use, and relate the simulation model to biophysical data on the susceptibility of ground cover vegetation in these areas of dispersed use. Additionally, GPS-tracking and simulation modeling will be used to determine capacity at these areas of dispersed use (which are often destination sites).

Secondly, an assessment of the susceptibility of ground cover vegetation to visitor disturbance will be performed in areas of dispersed use as a means to examine capacity from a biophysical perspective. The results of the visitor use simulation modeling will then be incorporated into this analysis to determine areas of vulnerability to future change (areas with highly susceptible vegetation as well as high visitor use).

Finally, the project will improve upon previous visitor perceptions work by examining visitor perceptions in low-use areas of parks and intercept other user groups such as climbers. The visitor perceptions work will be designed to be linked back to biophysical data to highlight areas where the visitor experience may be diminished by resource conditions.

Researchers: Dr. Chris Monz. Co-Investigators: Larry Gamble, NPS; Dr. Steve Lawson, RSG, Inc.; Dr. Peter Newman, Colorado State University.

Summary: Evaluating strategies to proactively implement new alternative transportation solutions (ATS) and information technology systems (ITS) to reduce crowding and resource impacts in the Bear Lake Road corridor of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Researchers: Dr. Chris Monz. Co-Investigators: Jack Burns, NPS; Dr. Steve Lawson, RSG, Inc.; Dr. Peter Newman, Colorado State University.

Summary: Modeling the effects of the current park transportation system on park resources and visitor experiences in Zion national park.

Researchers: Dr. Chris Monz. Co-Investigators: Dr. Steve Lawson, RSG, Inc.; Dr. Peter Newman, Colorado State University.

Summary: Alternative transportation planning study at Colorado Front Range high visitation sites in the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest (ARNF).

Summary: Assessment of backcountry campsite impacts on the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.

Researchers: Dr. Chris Monz. Collaborator: Fritz Klasner, Kenai Fjords National Park.

Summary: Visitor-based standards of resource conditions in backcountry areas of Kenai Fjords National Park.

Researcher: Joseph Unger. Collaborator: Dr. Richard Krannich, USU Dept. of Sociology

Title: Utah Angler Specialization and its Relationship to Environmental Attitudes and Angler Motivations

Summary: Every five to six years, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) conducts surveys of anglers to determine catch rates in the State's waters. This year, we are conducting an attitudinal survey in addition to the catch rate survey. This will help the UDWR determine the motivations and preferences of anglers within the state, hoping to produce better fisheries in the future. This survey is also utilizing a web based survey that is enabling us to retrieve a higher sample of anglers.