how many visitors is too many at arches?. problem: trampling of fragile soils and vegetation...
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How Many Visitors is Too Many at Arches?
How Many Visitors is Too Many at Arches?
•Problem: trampling of fragile soils and vegetation (microbiotic soil crust); crowding
•Strategies: limit use; reduce the impact of use•Practices: zoning; information/education; facility
development/site design/maintenance; law enforcement; rationing/allocation
•Carrying capacity/Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP)
•Two-fold mission of NPS• Increasing use of national parks/Arches National
Park•Arches National Park•Delicate Arch
How Many Visitors is Too Many at Arches?
•Ed Abbey•Program of research
▫Indicator of quality: crowding▫Standard of quality: maximum acceptable
level of use (people at one time (PAOT))•Sizing of parking lots/parking regulations•Permit systems for other areas• Information/education: Web site; park
newspaper; film; signs; Visitor Center; interpretive programs; Facebook and Twitter
•Signs and fencing along trails•Monitoring
1. Formulate management objectives and associated indicators and standards of quality.
2. Monitor indicators of quality.
3. Implement management practices to maintain standards of quality.
Optimal or Preferred Condition
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Number of Groups Encountered Along A Trail Per Day
Accep
tab
ilit
y
Range of Acceptable Conditions
Nor
m In
tens
ity o
r S
alie
nce
Minimum Acceptable Condition
Crystallization (Dispersionaround points defining the norm curve)
0 5 7 12 15 21 22 26 36 45 52 63 66 68 78 108-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
People at One Time (PAOT)
Acc
epta
bil
ity
Rat
ing
Social Norm Curve for Delicate Arch
