A GUIDE TO MONITORING V ENCOUNTERS IN WILDERNESS Encounters Monitoring Suggested Citation: Broom, T. J., & Hall. T. E. A guide to monitoring encounters in wilderness. Prepared for the US Forest Service. University of Idaho, College of Natural Resources, Department of Conservation Social Sciences. For information, contact Troy Hall: [email protected]. Acknowledgments Many people contributed to making this document possible. Wilderness staff were generous with their time and shared their cumulative years of knowledge regarding what makes encounter monitoring work and where the challenges lie. Those who contributed their time by discussing encounters monitoring at length or provided materials used as examples in this guide are: Gordon Ash, Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF; Adam Barnett, Stanislaus NF; Mary Bean, Okanogan & Wenatchee NF; Kevin Cannon, Arapaho & Roosevelt NF; Laurie Dowie, Okanogan & Wenatchee NF; Mary Emerick, Tongass NF; Bill Goslin, Bitterroot NF; Lorelei Haukness, Tongass NF; Jocob Hofman, Tongass NF; Susan James, BLM Dillion Field Office; John Kramer, Gila NF; Dale Luhman, Flathead NF; Linda Merigliano, Bridger-Teton NF; John Morrow, Okanogan & Wenatchee NF; Marilyn Muse-Meyer, Eldorado NF; John Neary, Tongass NF; Todd Newburger, Yosemite NP; Mike Rowan, Okanogan & Wenatchee NF; Kimberly Schlenker, Gallatin NF; Anne Schwaller, Superior NF; Joshua Simpson, Humboldt-Toiyabe NF; Miles Standish, Santa Fe NF; Lisa Therrell, Okanogan & Wenatchee NF; Ramone Venegas, Huron-Manistee NF; John Marinowski, White Mountain NF; Larry Thomas, Chattahoochee-Oconee NF; and Jeffrey Weise, Humboldt-Toiyabe NF. The Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center – especially Tom Carlson – and Steve Boutcher and the Wilderness Information Management Steering Team provided valuable guidance and feedback. Special thanks to Ruth Roberson, Lewis & Clark NF; Kraig Lang, Lewis & Clark NF; Jessica Ilse, Eldorado NF; Steve Otoupalik, Willamette NF; and Tim Eling, Daniel Boone NF for assistance in developing the encounter monitoring program examples within this document i Encounters Monitoring Contents Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................................... i An Introduction to This Document .............................................................................................................. iv An Introduction to Encounter Monitoring .................................................................................................... 1 What Is Encounter Monitoring? ............................................................................................................... 1 Where Did the Concept of Encounters Come from? ................................................................................ 1 Why do Encounter Monitoring? ............................................................................................................... 4 Creating Your Encounter Monitoring Program ............................................................................................. 7 What is the Purpose of Your Encounter Monitoring Program? ................................................................ 7 Thinking about Encounters and How to Measure Them .......................................................................... 9 Collecting Data on Encounters ................................................................................................................ 13 Managing Your Encounter Data .............................................................................................................. 18 Analyzing Your Encounter Data .............................................................................................................. 19 Four Examples of Encounter Monitoring Programs ................................................................................... 22 Introduction to the Examples ................................................................................................................. 22 The Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, Montana ................................................................................. 23 Wilderness Area Description............................................................................................................... 23 Purpose of Monitoring ........................................................................................................................ 23 Data Collection .................................................................................................................................... 25 Data Management .............................................................................................................................. 31 Data Analysis ....................................................................................................................................... 32 Concluding Thoughts .......................................................................................................................... 38 Desolation Wilderness, California ........................................................................................................... 39 Wilderness Area Description............................................................................................................... 39 Purpose of encounter monitoring ...................................................................................................... 39 Data Collection .................................................................................................................................... 40 Data Management .............................................................................................................................. 45 Data Analysis ....................................................................................................................................... 45 Concluding thoughts ........................................................................................................................... 46 Clifty Wilderness, Kentucky .................................................................................................................... 48 Wilderness Area Description............................................................................................................... 48 Purpose ............................................................................................................................................... 48 Data Collection .................................................................................................................................... 49 ii Encounters Monitoring Data Management .............................................................................................................................. 53 Data Analysis ....................................................................................................................................... 53 Concluding thoughts ........................................................................................................................... 55 Obsidian Falls (Three Sisters Wilderness), Oregon ................................................................................. 56 Wilderness Area Description............................................................................................................... 56 Purpose of Encounter Monitoring ...................................................................................................... 56 Data Collection .................................................................................................................................... 57 Data Management .............................................................................................................................. 60 Data Analysis ....................................................................................................................................... 61 Concluding Thoughts .......................................................................................................................... 62 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 63 How Has Encounter Monitoring Been Used? ......................................................................................... 63 Parting Thoughts ..................................................................................................................................... 63 References .................................................................................................................................................. 65 iii Encounters Monitoring An Introduction to This Document Documenting encounters among parties in wilderness is considered important to understanding how well a wilderness provides opportunities for solitude, one of the fundamental aspects of wilderness character to be protected under the Wilderness Act. Encounter monitoring has taken many forms when implemented in wilderness management programs. Within this guide to encounter monitoring, we attempt to represent the range of approaches available to the manager, from simple to complex. Readers should be aware that we will not cover every approach or consideration related to monitoring encounters. However, to provide a broad perspective, we spoke with managers engaged in encounter monitoring across a diversity of wilderness areas