View from a Canoe: Modelling Wilderness Canoeists' Perceptions and Preferences for Northern Ontario's Boreal Landscape
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VIEW FROM A CANOE: MODELLING WILDERNESS CANOEISTS' PERCEPTIONS AND PREFERENCES FOR NORTHERN ONTARIO'S BOREAL LANDSCAPE Alan Benedict Beardmore Bachelor of Science, Biology, McGill University, 1997 RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF RESOURCE MANAGEMENT In the School of Resource and Environmental Management Report No: 3 78 0Alan Benedict Beardmore 2005 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Summer 2005 All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY PARTIAL COPYRIGHT LICENCE The author, whose copyright is declared on the title page of this work, has granted to Simon Fraser University the right to lend this thesis, project or extended essay to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. The author has further granted permission to Simon Fraser University to keep or make a digital copy for use in its circulating collection. The author has further agreed that permission for multiple copying of this work for scholarly purposes may be granted by either the author or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this work for financial gain shall not be allowed without the author's written permission. Permission for public performance, or limited permission for private scholarly use, of any multimedia materials forming part of this work, may have been granted by the author. This information may be found on the separately catalogued multimedia material and in the signed Partial Copyright Licence. The original Partial Copyright Licence attesting to these terms, and signed by this author, may be found in the original bound copy of this work, retained in the Simon Fraser University Archive. W. A. C. Bennett Library Simon Fraser University Burnaby, BC, Canada SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Ethics Approval The author, whose name appears on the title page of this work, has obtained human research ethics approval from the Simon Fraser University Office of Research Ethics for the research described in this work, or has conducted the research as a member of a project or course approved by the Ethics Office. A copy of the approval letter has been filed at the Theses Office of the University Library at the time of submission of this thesis or project. The original application for ethics approval and letter of approval is filed with the Office of Research Ethics. Inquiries may be directed to that Office. Bennett Library Simon Fraser University Burnaby, BC, Canada ABSTRACT Canoe paddlers' campsite and route preferences as well as landscape perceptions of pristine and disturbed landscapes in northern Ontario are solicited in a novel internet survey. The survey instrument combines elements of the Scenic Beauty Estimation (SBE) and two discrete choice experiments (DCE). The analysis consists of a separate scenic beauty model, a campsite selection model, and a route choice model. The best fitting route choice model combines the route choices with scenic beauty evaluations and the campsite choice model in one sequentially nested logit model. Scenic beauty ratings are affected by several biophysical and contextual factors, including forest class and landscape disturbance level. The route choices are influenced strongly by forest type, minimum SBE, and campsite quality. Finally, management implications of these findings are discussed. For example, canoeists are very sensitive to human disturbances in the form of buffers, but are more accepting of water crossings. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thls project would not have been possible without the support of many people. The support of my supervisors and the faculty and staff in the School of Resource of Environmental management was also essential to the success of this project. Wolfgang, you have been a wonderful mentor to me. The breadth of experience that I've gained worlung on all of our various projects includmg this one will stand me in good stead in the years to come. Thank you for your continual guidance on this project, and for always keeping the big picture in mind. Len, my thanks go out to you for championing this project with the OMNR. You insight into the modeling aspects of hsproject has been invaluable as has your attention to the details. Peter, thank you for bringing your perspective to this paper. Thanks to Rhonda and Bev for always being able to solve any problem I brought to you. Thank you to Laurence for always having the solutions to my technologd difficulties. Many others also had a role in the success of hsproject. Thanks to Don Anderson for the statistical design, and for all the helpful comments, and suggestions whlle we were conceptualizing and developing the survey instrument. Thanks to Colleen Anderson, Knsta England, Paulus Mau, Jeff Moore, Anton Pitts, my brother Simon, and the whole Wehgton farmly for providing such great help on the various aspects of the project. I would also hke to acknowledge the Ontario MLnistry of Natural Resources providmg funding to develop the survey. I would hke to thank the Ontario Recreational Canoe Association and Richard Munn of www.myccr.com for their invaluable role in collecting the survey sample. My thanks also go out to Bruce Hyer of Wabakirm Canoe Outfitters for his generous contribution of prizes. Finally, I would hke to thank my farmly and friends who have supported me throughout hsproject. I especially thank my wife Jesse, for putting up with endless discussions on modelling and resource management Thank you for sharing me with REM for these last few years. TABLE OF CONTENTS .. Approval ........................................................................................................................ u ... Abstract ....................................................................................................................... lu Dedication ................................................................................................................. iv Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................v Table of Contents ..........................................................................................................vi ... List of Figures .................................................................................................................vlu List of Tables ....................................................................................................................ix List of Abbreviations .......................................................................................................xi Chapter 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................1 1 .1 Rationale .................................................................................................................1 1.2 Research Goal .........................................................................................................2 1.2.1 Objectives ........................................................................................................2 1.3 Outline of Project Methods .....................................................................................3 . 1.4 Report Organization................................................................................................ 4 Chapter 2 Literature Review ..........................................................................................5 2.1 Landscape Perception Research .............................................................................5 2.2 Recreation Site Choice Research ............................................................................8 2.2.1 Wilderness Canoeing .......................................................................................8 2.2.2 Campsite Selection......................................................................................... 12 Chapter 3 Methods ........................................................................................................16 3.1 Surveying Respondents over the Internet .............................................................16 3.1 .1 Sampling Issues .............................................................................................17 3.1.2 Technological Issues ......................................................................................18 3 .1. 3 Privacy Issues .................................................................................................1 9 3.1.4 Issues in Using the Internet for Landscape Perception Research ..................20 3.2 Survey Design ......................................................................................................-21 3.3 Survey Organization .............................................................................................22 3.4 Canoe Route Simulations .....................................................................................24 3.5 Scenic Beauty Estimation .....................................................................................24 3.5.1 Scenic Beauty Analyses .................................................................................28 3.6 Stated Choice Models ...........................................................................................29