pm^ ^^Vih 02JJf Crater Lake National Park Scenic Values Study Dr. Rebecca L. ]ohnson David B. RoIIoff Yeon Su Kim Oregon State University Department of Forest Resources PeavyHall 108 Corvallis, OR 97331-5706 April 1999 ....NATIONAL PARK WATER RESOURCE ,0N r,E95T COLLINS, Ci „ADO RESOURCE ROOM i ™T^' Crater Lake National Park Scenic Values Study Dr. Rebecca L. Johnson David B. Rolloff Yeon Su Kim Oregon State University Department of Forest Resources PeavyHall 108 Corvallis, OR 97331-5706 April 1999 u/iiSIONALPARK FORT COLLINS, Ci -ADO RESOURCE ROOM. ,4rty Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from LYRASIS IVIembers and Sloan Foundation http://archive.org/details/craterlakescenicOOjohn Table of Contents LIST OF TABLES 4 LIST OF FIGURES 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6 INTRODUCTION 8 Historical Background 8 Scenic Quality & Visual Simulation Research 10 OBJECTIVES i& METHODS 13 Study Purpose 13 Methods 14 Study Participants & Survey Instrument 14 Data Collection 15 Lake Views, Image Choice and Calibration 17 RESULTS: VISITOR CHARACTERISTICS 23 Representativeness of the Visitor Center Sample 23 Compliance Rates 25 Reasons for Non-compliance 25 RESULTS: VISITOR PREFERENCES AND ATTITUDES TOWARD LAKE LEVELS 26 Visual Preferences FOR Lake Levels 26 Mean Responses to Slide Pairs 26 The Mean Number of Times a View was Preferred 33 Attitudes Toward Use of Crater Lake Water 35 CONCLUSIONS 38 Lake Level Preferences 38 Attitudes Toward Human Uses of Crater Lake Water 39 Visitor Comments 40 REFERENCES 41 APPENDIX A 45 VISITOR CENTER AESTHETIC PREFERENCE SURVEY 46 APPENDIX B 51 RIM VILLAGE SAMPLE SURVEY 52 APPENDIX C 54 VISITOR SURVEY INSTRUCTIONS 55 APPENDIX D 57 VISITOR COMMENTS 58 Treatment Group 1 Comments 58 treatment group 2 comments 61 treatment group 3 comments 64 treatment group 4 comments 66 APPENDIX E 69 CALENDAR OF SAMPLING DATES 70 APPENDIX F 71 SOCIAL & ECONOMIC COMPARISONS BETWEEN SAMPLE GROUPS 72 APPENDIX G 73 SLIDE IMAGE COPIES 73 List of Tables Table 1.1 Slide Set Format 20 Table 3.1 View Preferences 34 Table F.l Participant Characteristics 72 Table F.2 Participant Annual Household Income Levels 72 Table F.3 Participant Educational Background 72 List of Figures Figure 1.1 Location of Study Viewpoints 18 Figure 3.1 View 1 Rim Village 27 Figure 3.2 View 2 Discovery Point 27 Figure 3.3 View 3 Merriam Point 27 Figure 3.4 View 1 Rim Village 29 Figure 3.5 View 2 Discovery Point 29 Figure 3.6 View 3 Merriam Point 29 Figure 3.7 View 1 Rim Village 30 Figure 3.8 View 2 Discovery Point 30 Figure 3.9 View 3 Merriam Point 30 Figure 3.10 View 1 Rim Village 32 Figure 3.11 View 2 Discovery Point 32 Figure 3.12 View 3 Merriam Point 32 Figure 3.13 Visitor Attitudes Toward Use of Crater Lake Water 37 Executive Summary study Purpose As part of the water rights adjudication process in Oregon's Klamath Basin, the National Park Service requested researchers at Oregon State University to develop a study of the scenic value of Crater Lake, and whether visitors' scenic evaluations change with changing water levels. As part of the National Park Service's mandate to preserve the natural values of the Park, the National Park Service is concerned about preserving the scenic quality of the park for current and future generations. Previous research has demonstrated that people's scenic preferences are affected by their knowledge of natural and human influence (Carls 1974; Hodgson and Thayer 1980; Anderson 1981; Amadeo, Pitt and Zube 1989). This survey was designed to assess whether visitors' enjoyment of scenery would be affected by changes in lake levels and to measure their attitudes toward potential causes of lake level change. Visitor Sample During the summer season of 1996 a random sample of 1168 visitors at Crater Lake National Park completed an on-site survey. The survey instrument involved gathering information from visitors regarding their visual preferences for lake vistas as well as exploring their attitudes toward human uses of the water in Crater Lake. The response rate for the scenic preference survey at the Visitor Center was 83%. Participants in the Visitor Center study were compared to visitors at selected overlook points on the rim of Crater Lake, and it was determined that characteristics of visitors at the two sites were not substantially different. Therefore, researchers concluded that visitors sampled at the Visitor Center were highly typical of all visitors to Crater Lake National Park. Visitor Preferences for Lake Levels Results of the visual preference survey indicated that participants consistently preferred views of the lake level that reflect Crater Lake in its present state. This was true when visitors had no information about the slides they were viewing, and was more pronounced when visitors were told that the views depicted alternative lake levels. When mean responses to individual slide pairs were analyzed, those which specified human use of Crater Lake water were rated more negatively. Visitor Attitudes Toward Crater Lake Water Use Visitors were asked a series of questions regarding alternative human uses of Crater Lake water. The attitudes of study participants in regard to use of Crater Lake water are decidedly against human uses. Commercial, industrial, park visitor, and general human use were opposed by over three-fourths of the respondents in the study. While some of the uses (e.g. industrial use) were viewed more negatively than others (e.g. geothermal use), none of the uses presented were considered acceptable by more than 14% of respondents. Both in their visual preferences and attitudes, visitors had a negative reaction to water withdrawals from Crater Lake. Even when no information about the reasons for changing lake levels was presented, visitors consistently preferred the higher lake levels shown. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that lowering lake levels at Crater Lake would negatively affect people's perceptions of the aesthetic and scenic quality of the lake. Introduction Outstanding scenic resources are the primary attraction at Crater Lake National Park. People travel from around the world to view the immense caldera and deep blue water of the lake. As part of it's mandate to preserve the natural condition of the park, the National Park Service is concerned about preserving the scenic quality of Crater Lake for future generations. This study investigated whether changing lake levels would affect visitors' perceptions of the scenic value of Crater Lake. Historical Background Recognition of Crater Lake as a scenic resource is long standing. Reports of the first white explorers' visit to Crater Lake in 1853 account their amazement at the water's scenic beauty, which they first named "Deep Blue Lake." By the late 19th Century, Crater Lake was recognized as a site of national importance due in part to its scenic value (Cranson 1982). By the late 1800's, increased appreciation for the nation's natural wonders involved both scenic and commercial values, creating conflicts over the preservation and use of national scenic treasures (Nash 1968). For example, in response to the conflict between commercial and preservation value, the federal government protected the natural wonders in northwest Wyoming by creating Yellowstone National Park in 1872. The enabling legislation of Yellowstone National Park included provisions for the preservation of the natural setting, insuring "their retention in their natural condition." Efforts aimed at preserving Crater Lake had developed by the 1880's, with petitions appealing to President Cleveland for protection of 8 the area as a public park. In 1886, Cleveland temporarily withdrew from the public domain ten townships of land surrounding Crater Lake, "pending legislation looking to the creation of a public park which shall embrace Crater Lake." In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt signed a bill into law that designated Crater Lake National Park. In establishing the National Park Service in the Organic Act of 1916, Congress made clear the fundamental purpose of the parks was to conserve scenery and natural and historic objects. The Park Service was called to promote and regulate the use of the Federal areas known as national parks... by such means and measures as conform to the fundamental purpose of said parks. ..which purpose is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects... therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations. 16 use 1 The Organic Act of 1916 also reaffirmed the importance of providing for the use and enjoyment of park visitors as well as the preservation of park resources. The centrality of scenic opportunities at Crater Lake is illustrated in the fact that by 1918, a road had been completed around the rim of the lake for visitors to travel. Providing scenic opportunities for park visitors has remained one of the primary tasks of the National Park Service. Scenic Quality & Visual Simulation Research Research in the 1990's indicates that viewing scenery is the most common recreational activity of people in the United States. The 1990 Federal Resource Planning Act Program Update (Galliano, et al. 1995) reported that 21% of the population participated in some form of viewing natural landscapes. Such high levels of participation in viewing scenery suggest the importance of high quality scenic vistas, particularly as more leisure opportunities compete for people's free time. Studying people's perceptions of natural settings becomes especially important when management decisions have potential impact on scenic views (Bishop and Leahy 1989). For example, understanding the visual impact of pollution haze at Grand Canyon National Park has been a concern for the National Park Service (Malm, et al.