National Park ServiceEXPERIENCE

YOURAMERICA

National Park Service

Why do they do what they do? Identifying and Testing Predictors of

Compliance with Recommended Leave No Trace Practices

Exit StrategiesJuly 31st 2010

Wade Vagias, PhDWilderness Stewardship Division

National Park Service, Washington, DC

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Lead a horse to water…

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Research Purpose & Questions

Project Purpose: To develop and pilot test a method for evaluating the effectiveness of the Leave No Trace outdoor skills and ethics visitor education program within a selection of NPS administered lands.

Today’s Presentation: 1. Introduce the theoretical framework employed2. What determines behavior (LNT Practices)?3. Suggestions for management

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Theoretical Orientation

4

ModifyBeliefs/attitudes

Behavior Change

ModifyKnowledge

Behavior Change

“Learning leads to loving hypothesis”

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Theoretical Foundation

Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) (Ajzen, 1991)A theory exploring the antecedents of human behavior

Behavior ‘X’Intention to do ‘X’

Attitude to do: behavior ‘X’

Normative influence to do

behavior ‘X’

Perceived control to do behavior ‘X’

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Data Collection Methods

Systematically intercepted groups as they registered/picked-up backcountry camping permits:

– Glacier National Park, MT 99% willing to participate 69% RR (N=279)

– Olympic National Park, WA 96% willing to participate 74% RR (N=314)

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Demographics of the SamplesGNP ONP

Gender (male) 64% 60%

Age (years) M = 36 (12.4) M = 42 (12.3)

Education 91% college + 96% college +

Experience Use History1st visit? 76% 34%Years experience M = 14 (12.0) M = 22 (14.4)

Trip CharacterisitcsGroup size M = 2.8 (1.3) M = 3.8 (2.7)Miles traveled M = 31.3 (19.8) M = 20.6 (14.4)

SR Knowledge of LNT M = 4.26 (.8) M = 4.01 (.9)7

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Awareness of Leave No Trace

GNP

Mean year: 1996 (sd: 10.3)

ONP

Mean year: 1992 (sd: 11.0)

No6%

Yes94%

Have you ever heard of Leave No Trace?

No2%

Yes98%

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Measurement of Items/QuestionsGlobal Attitudes re: LNT

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0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1 Strongly Disagree

2 3 4 Neutral

5 6 7 Strongly

Agree

Perc

enta

ge

Frequency

It is important to use minimum-impact / LNT techniques when in the backcountry

GNP

ONP

CINS

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Attitudes re: Waste Management Practices

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1 Very

Inappropriate

2 3 4 Neutral

5 6 7 Very

Appropriate

Perc

enta

ge

Burying used toilet paper

GNP (M=4.17, SD=2.2) ONP (M=4.46, SD=2.1) CINS (M=4.75, SD=2.0)

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Data Analysis Strategy

Tested the TPB using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)

Advantages:1. Address complex relationships2. Multiple indicators per construct (increase validity) 3. Remove error & identify collinearity issues

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Nuances of Measurement (the weeds)

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(Item)“Having a campfire”

(Scale 1 to 7)Error (e) True score

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1 Very

Inappropriate

2 3 4 Neutral

5 6 7 Very

Appropriate

Perc

enta

ge

Burying used toilet paper

GNP (M=4.17, SD=2.2) ONP (M=4.46, SD=2.1) CINS (M=4.75, SD=2.0)

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Nuances of Measurement (the weeds)

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‘Having a campfire’e

‘Cooking over a fire in the backcountry’

‘Building a fire ring if one is not present’

‘Leaving charred wood in the fire ring’

e

e

e

Campfire Attitude

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TPB: Complete Structural Model

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TPB: Simplified Structural Model

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Results: Glacier National Park

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Results: Olympic National Park

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Summary

Leave No Trace:– Highly diffused (awareness) & – Highly regarded (global perception)

Simple awareness of the LNT Message does not necessarily equate to stronger/more congruent attitudes regarding promoted LNT practices– Widespread variability amongst visitors (specific

attitudes)

Very definite drivers of behavior emerged…

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How to change behavior(s)…

SEM: target both affective and cognitive structures

– Demonstrate the ‘ease’ of complying with recommended

practices

– Affective: normative component, particularly those

addressing proper handling of waste (attitude and/or

difficulty)

– Encourage groups to ‘police their own’ regarding ‘proper’

(or promoted) behaviors in the backcountry

– Knowledge component – especially for less experienced

visitors19

EXPERIENCEYOUR

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Education efforts should: Context specific & multifaceted Consider the theoretical frameworks (target salient belief

structures) Address both the ‘what’ of LNT as well as the ‘why’ ‘Ease’ of complying with recommended practices

Caution with older, more ‘experienced’ travelers ‘I am good, I know what I am doing’ attitude present?

(or) Information saturation (need more in-depth information)

Ethics instillation/enhancement is a game of inches…– A multi-pronged diffusion strategy appears most successful (props

to Glacier National Park)

Advice for Management…

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Dissemination of Results

© Wade Vagias 2007

Preliminary Evaluation of Recreational Skills and Ethics Training Programs Occurring on Public Lands:

The Leave No Trace Visitor Education Program

Robert B. Powell, Ph.D. Brett A. Wright, Ph.D.

Wade M. Vagias

Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management Clemson University

June 4, 2008

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Presentations:– ISSRM ’07 & ‘08– Society for Conservation Biology ’08– George Wright Society ‘09– World Wilderness Congress ’09

Publications / Manuscripts:– NPS Technical Report– LNT Attitudes (in-press) Int. Journal

of Wilderness– LNT Attitudes Inventory & Measure

(submitted) Journal of Leisure Research

– SEM of TPB (in-draft) Society and Natural Resources

– Diffusion & Perceived Efficacy of LNT (submitted) Journal of Sustainable Tourism