Webinar: The Science of Sustainable Camping Management
Dr. Jeff Marion USGS Virginia Tech Unit
Dr. Lisa Machnik USFS, Deschutes/Ochoco NF
Arthur Carhart Natl. Wilderness Training Center Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute Pacific Crest & Appalachian Trail Research Team
Dr. Jeremy Wimpey & VT grad students Fletcher Meadema & Johanna Arredondo Presentation Objectives 1. Review recreation ecology campsite impact research findings.
2. Review implications for selecting sustainable camping management strategies and practices, including Wilderness Character considerations.
PCT Research Study Ansel Adams Wilderness 1000 Island Lake Inyo NF Campsite Sustainability
Definition: A “sustainable” campsite can accommodate the intended type and amount of use over time without unacceptable levels of expansion, degradation, or maintenance.
Generally, a primary resource protection objective is to minimize the “aggregate” area of camping impact by minimizing campsite numbers and sizes.
Managers are experiencing more frequent problems in popular areas when camping is Unregulated, or when a General Dispersed Camping strategy is used. Camping Use Guidance Strategy Level Visitors camp where they want with few Low - exceptions (e.g., camping setbacks from water). Unregulated Mod Campsite proliferation & expansion are frequently problems in popular areas. Dispersal Visitors are encouraged to camp away from Low - General attraction features, water, trails, and other Mod campers. A pure form of dispersal where visitors are asked Pristine Site Low to camp on durable previously undisturbed surfaces at low levels that prevent lasting impact. Containment Visitors are asked to camp on a subset of well- Mod - Established Site established sustainable campsites selected to High promote desired resource and social qualities. Visitors are required to camp only on a subset of Designated Site High designated sustainable campsites selected to promote desired resource and social qualities. Unregulated Camping Impacts on the Pacific Crest Trail
Problems: Poor site selection – flat places! Campsite proliferation Campsite expansion Twin Lakes in Oregon Resource – highly impacted Mt. Hood Wilderness Social – crowding & conflicts AT, Annapolis Rocks Unregulated / Dispersed “Worst” AT camping area, 2000 Camping Impacts: 19 Campsites 43,063 ft2 of Disturbance 23,116 ft2 Exposed soil
32 Campfire scars 137 Tree stumps 83 Damaged trees 159 Informal trails Litter Human waste Crowding / Conflicts AT at Hawk Mountain, GA
Unregulated / Dispersed Camping Impacts: Campsite proliferation and expansion in flat terrain over time at the Hawk Mtn. shelter, just north of the southern AT terminus. Red = Sloping terrain Yellow = Flat terrain AT Campsite Sizes 10% Representative Sample
Site Size (ft2)
>2000 100% 28% of 2000 85% campsites 1750 83% >1000 ft2 1500 80% (Unacceptable) 1250 77% 1000 72% 750 63% (Cumulative %) 500 50% <250 27%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% Percent of all Campsites Excessive Campsite #’s
Three Sisters = “Avoidable Impact” Wilderness, Estimate campsite OR Occupancy Rate (OR) for unit Willamette NF or travel zone for typical high Unregulated / Dispersed use nights (# of sites / # of Camping Impacts groups), or determine mean nights/site/yr (below) Evaluate to decide if you have excessive campsite #’s PCT
Sunshine - Obsidian Falls area Campsites: 269, 220,057 ft2
639 groups camp 1.9 nights/yr Mean nights/yr/site: 4.5 Mean size: 818 ft2 58% are low impact (CC 1) Reduce Campsite
Three Sisters Numbers and Impact Wilderness Willamette NF Hypothetical model: Assuming an OR of 15% Unregulated / Dispersed means that only 40 of the Camping Impacts 269 sites are needed
If you left 3x (120 sites) that’s a new OR of 33%
New mean nights/yr: 10 (still too low, 25 would be better)
149 sites are not needed, an aggregate reduction of 121,882 ft2 (55%) Summary: Unregulated / Dispersed Camping
Visitors with freedom to camp anywhere often choose large flat areas where:
Site expansion creates excessively large campsites,
Site proliferation creates excessive #’s of unnecessary sites,
Crowding occurs due to high campsite densities. These impacts will be chronic over time and represent significant threats to Wilderness Character. Solution: Areas with high visitation require a containment strategy that promotes camping on sustainable campsites. Wilderness Character – What is it?
“Except as otherwise provided in this Act, each agency administering any area designated as Wilderness shall be responsible for preserving the Wilderness character of the area and shall so administer such area for such other purposes for which it may have been established as also to preserve its Wilderness character.”
The Wilderness Act of 1964 (Section 4b) Qualities of Wilderness Character
Wilderness Act of 1964
Wilderness Character
Section 2(c) Definition of Wilderness
Qualities of Wilderness Character Qualities of Wilderness Character
Untrammeled (hint - manipulation)
Natural (impacts of human activity)
Undeveloped (i.e. structures)
Opportunities for solitude or primitive and unconfined recreation
Other features of value (paleontology, heritage, etc.) Use/Impact Relationship is Asymptotic
The majority of camping impact occurs with initial and low levels of overnight use.
Above around 15 nights/yr use can double or triple with substantially less additional
Campsite Impact (per capita) impact.
1 15 Nights/Year (#) 45 Rationale for Pure Dispersal & Containment Strategies
b . a . Unregulated Camping 1 campsite 45 nights/yr
Impact is minimized by closing two campsites and tripling use on the third. 3 campsites Impact increases on third site from “a” to “b” each w/15 nights/yr but aggregate impact is reduced from (3 x a) to (1 x b) Campsite Impact Campsite . . 45 sites, each 15 Nights/Year (#) 45 w/1 night/yr Dispersal vs. Containment Strategy
Disperse use in low use areas, practice Pristine Site Camping just 1 night at each spot Concentrate use in high use areas on sustainable Established or Designated sites
Campsite Impact Campsite Dispersal (Pure)
Nights/Year (#) Camping Dispersal & Containment
Concentrate activities
Disperse activities Camping Use Guidance Strategy Level
Visitors camp where they want with few Low - exceptions (e.g., camping setbacks from water). Unregulated Mod Campsite proliferation & expansion are frequently problems in popular areas. Dispersal Visitors are encouraged to camp away from Low - General attraction features, water, trails, and other Mod campers. A pure form of dispersal where visitors are asked Pristine Site Low to camp on durable previously undisturbed surfaces at low levels that prevent lasting impact. Containment Visitors are asked to camp on a subset of well- Mod - Established Site established sustainable campsites selected to High promote desired resource and social qualities. Visitors are required to camp only on a subset of Designated Site High designated sustainable campsites selected to promote desired resource and social qualities. Dispersed Pristine Site Camping
Naturally barren rock
Tent on barren leaf litter Sustainable Camping Management
Camping Management Toolbox of Best Management Practices:
Implement camping Dispersal or Containment Select sustainable campsites Construct resistant sites Educate or regulate visitors Maintain sites Not covered in this talk Provide facilities Select Sustainable Campsites
Constrained by Topography Rock & Rockiness New! Non-vegetated Areas Grass Select Sustainable Campsites
Constrained by Topography Rock & Rockiness Non-vegetated Areas Grass Select Sustainable Campsites
Constrained by Topography Rock & Rockiness Non-vegetated Areas Grass Select Sustainable Campsites
Constrained by Topography Rock & Rockiness Non-vegetated Areas Grass
Reduced hazard tree threats! Vegetation Resistance & Resilience
1000 passes 1000 passes Forest forbs have low resistance to trampling and low and resilience (ability to recover).
Grasses have high resistance and resilience in sunny 1 mo. later locations. 1 mo. later Encourage camping in deep shade or sunny locations. BWCAW Campsite Research: 1982-2014
Campsites lost substantial tree cover over 32 years… Regeneration doesn’t occur on campsites
1982
2014 BWCAW Campsite Research: 1982-2014
Shade-intolerant but resistant/resilient grasses and sedges invade campsites as tree cover is lost. Benefits are increased camping resistance and reduced threat from hazard trees but at a cost of unnatural conditions. A Wilderness Character conundrum. AT, Annapolis Rocks, MD All original campsites in “Worst” AT camping area, 2000 flat terrain were closed, with camping shifted to Side-hill Campsites 14 new constructed “side-hill” campsites in adjacent sloping terrain.
Approximately 800 side- hill campsites have been constructed along the AT since 2000, including within Wilderness.
Small campsites are much easier to protect against hazard trees. Annapolis Rocks, MD
Aggregate Sizes
Original sites: Fall 2002: 43,097 ft2 Flat areas closed Side-hill sites: Camping moved to Fall 2012: 3,423 ft2 side-hill sites (92% reduction) Pacific Crest Trail Side-hill Campsites
Outpost Camp Mt. Whitney Inyo NF
1000 Island Lakes Alpine Lakes Wilderness Ansel Adams Wilderness, Mt. Baker – Snoqualmie NF Inyo NF Annapolis Rocks
Problems: Campsite proliferation Campsite expansion Resource – highly impacted Social – crowding & conflicts
After 12 yrs of recovery Wilderness Character: Is shifting camping to constructed side-hill campsites appropriate?
How are side-hill campsites different from side-hill trails? Qualities of Wilderness Character
Untrammeled (hint - manipulation) Natural (impacts of human activity) Undeveloped (i.e. structures) Opportunities for solitude or primitive and unconfined recreation Other features of value (paleontology, heritage, etc.)
versus Balancing Qualities of Wilderness Character
Natural Outstanding Opportunities
Untrammeled
Undeveloped Other features Hawk Mountain, GA
Consulting work in 2016-17 New GIS capabilities! GIS Digital Surface Model from LiDAR Data
Mayan cities detected thru rainforest ! Hawk Mountain
Hillshade Map (from LiDAR data)
Slope Map
Terrain Ruggedness Map Side-hill Campsites, Hawk Mtn. GA
Shelter Campsites Side-hill Campsites Indicator (N=16) (N=30)
Mean Sum Mean Sum
Site Size (ft2) 2,658 42,533 231 6,934 (83% reduction) Current Research PCT research in 2018 will develop and test our ability to use GIS vs. field surveys to evaluate the sustainability of existing campsites and find “naturally occurring” side-hill campsites (at Desolation Wilderness & Yosemite NP).
A “naturally occurring” GIS analyses can easily side-hill campsite identify these locations! Shenandoah Camping Policy A Multi-Strategy Approach
Designated site camping in high use areas: Established site camping Shelters & Side-hill sites in most areas
Dispersed pristine Closure for site camping sensitive areas permitted but not marketed Research to Evaluate Conversion to Established Site Camping
Implementation Process at Shenandoah NP:
Selected three high use travel zones in 1999. Assessed conditions and sustainability on all campsites and left open 41 sustainable sites in 2000. Initiated closure on 32 sites by removing fire rings and moving logs, brush, and organic litter, repeating once a year. Implemented new education on website, at VC’s and permit kiosks, and staff-visitor contacts: “Please use only well-established campsites.” Reassessed conditions in 2002. Results: Resource Assessment
Campsite #’s were reduced from 73 to 37 (49%). Visitors were unable to find 20 of the Established campsites.
Aggregate site size reduced from 22,841 to 11,291 ft2 (51%)
Campsite use (nights/site/yr) increased from 19 to 29 (32%)
Campsite intervisibility decreased from 1.0 to 0.4 (60%)
Wilderness Character – Was the trade-off of asking visitors to use a subset of campsites acceptable? Camping Containment
Established Site Camping Effective, particularly when camping is shifted to highly sustainable campsites
Biggest Challenge: How do we improve visitor’s ability to find and use sustainable established campsites? Is New Technology the Answer? A Wilderness Character Dilemma
Current PCT Research Create and post paper and digital maps with campsites color- coded for 2 sustainability ratings: = Highly Sustainable = Somewhat Sustainable
Ask visitors to use only sustainable campsites and avoid non- sustainable and unnecessary sites. Digital maps can be used with smartphone apps or GPS units.
Additional options: 1) Locate and include some naturally-occurring side-hill campsites, and 2) close and rehab the least sustainable and unnecessary campsites. Desolation Wilderness, Velma Lakes
= Highly Sustainable = Somewhat Sustainable = Non-sustainable (show, or not?)
1000 Island Lake, Inyo NF, CA
2016 Campsite Inventory - Map shows camping setbacks from lake and trails, these “virtual fences” could also be shown on digital maps Rationale
Numerous phone apps are already widely used by visitors (e.g., Guthook, Avenza) and today’s youth have no or few issues with using technology in the wilderness.
Some managers may not find this “appropriate,” but:
1) There is nothing they can do about it, and
2) If they don’t use these new technologies their communication efforts may become irrelevant.
Benefits: Low implementation costs and updating digital campsite location and sustainability maps once a year can be done in hours and posted on websites for use by visitors and phone app makers. Some Managers Have Already Started…
GPS Waypoints, Voyageurs National Park This information is provided to assist in locating specific locations and is not provided for navigation.
Download a GPX file of waypoints for campsites, houseboat sites, and day use sites within Voyageurs National Park. This file type is compatible with many GPS units. Wilderness Character and Camping
Sustainable Camping Management Tool Qualities of Wilderness Identify Identify and Improve or Improve or naturally- direct to build new build and Character occurring naturally- sustainable direct to new sites occurring sites sustainable sites sites
Untrammeled No No Unlikely Unlikely
Natural No No Unlikely Unlikely
Undeveloped Not really Maybe Yes Yes
Solitude/Primitive Unlikely Maybe Yes Definitely
Other Features Maybe Maybe Maybe Maybe Questions?