# Presentation: 353459

## Demographic Trends and the Planning and Management of Visitor Use in Wilderness

**Demographic Trends and the Planning and Management of**_** Visitor Use in Wilderness**_
- 				**Ken Cordell**
**	****	****	****	****Senior Scientist**
**	****	****	****	****Forest Service Research**
**	****	****	****	****Athens, GA**		 		      **	****www.srs.fs.fed.us/trends**

**National Wilderness Visitor Use Management Workshop, Colorado Springs, CO April 8, 2003**

## ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION

_**ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION**_

**A philosophy and principles of visitor use planning**
**The importance of understanding stockholder values**
**Trends and why they matter**
**Wilderness use and the visitor—results from on-site surveying**
**Education and communication and knowing who your audience is**

******************

## PRINCIPLES of GOOD VISITOR USE PLANNING

_**PRINCIPLES of GOOD VISITOR USE PLANNING**_

**Wilderness is first a national resource for the benefit of all of society and for the benefit of all non-human species who live there**
**National, regional, and local social, economic, political, and environmental trends define the changing **_**context**_** within which your policy and management decisions resonate (or don’t)**
**Your **_**optimum client base**_** and most widely popular and beneficial offerings do not always match the wants of those standing at your door, and may not match wants of your current visitor base**
**There are **_**equity**_** and other social issues associated with every decision you make and accounting for them is a responsibility of good planning**
_**Fragmented**_** (compartmentalized) **_**decision making**_** is easier, but not better**
**Good planning is **_**forward looking**_**, based on what could and should be, not necessarily what is or has been**

## PRINCIPLES of GOOD VISITOR USE PLANNING

_**PRINCIPLES of GOOD VISITOR USE PLANNING**_

**Wilderness is first a national resource for the benefit of all of society and for the benefit of all non-human species who live there**
**National, regional, and local social, economic, political, and environmental trends define the changing **_**context**_** within which your policy and management decisions resonate (or don’t)**
**Your **_**optimum client base**_** and most widely popular and beneficial offerings do not always match the wants of those standing at your door, and may not match wants of your current visitor base**
**There are **_**equity**_** and other social issues associated with every decision you make and accounting for them is a responsibility of good planning**
_**Fragmented**_** (compartmentalized) **_**decision making**_** is easier, but not better**
**Good planning is **_**forward looking**_**, based on what could and should be, not necessarily what is or has been**

## PRINCIPLES of GOOD VISITOR USE PLANNING

_**PRINCIPLES of GOOD VISITOR USE PLANNING**_

**Wilderness is first a national resource for the benefit of all of society and for the benefit of all non-human species who live there**
**National, regional, and local social, economic, political, and environmental trends define the changing **_**context**_** within which your policy and management decisions resonate (or don’t)**
**Your **_**optimum visitor client base**_** and most widely popular and beneficial offerings do not always match the wants of those standing at your door, and may not match wants of your current visitor base**
**There are **_**equity**_** and other social issues associated with every decision you make and accounting for them is a responsibility of good planning**
_**Fragmented**_** (compartmentalized) **_**decision making**_** is easier, but not better**
**Good planning is **_**forward looking**_**, based on what could and should be, not necessarily what is or has been**

## PRINCIPLES of GOOD VISITOR USE PLANNING

_**PRINCIPLES of GOOD VISITOR USE PLANNING**_

**Wilderness is first a national resource for the benefit of all of society and for the benefit of all non-human species who live there**
**National, regional, and local social, economic, political, and environmental trends define the changing **_**context**_** within which your policy and management decisions resonate (or don’t)**
**Your **_**optimum client base**_** and most widely popular and beneficial offerings do not always match the wants of those standing at your door, and may not match wants of your current visitor base**
**There are **_**equity**_** and other social issues associated with every decision you make and accounting for them is a responsibility of good planning**
_**Fragmented**_** (compartmentalized) **_**decision making**_** is easier, but not better**
**Good planning is **_**forward looking**_**, based on what could and should be, not necessarily what is or has been**

## PRINCIPLES of GOOD VISITOR USE PLANNING

_**PRINCIPLES of GOOD VISITOR USE PLANNING**_

**Wilderness is first a national resource for the benefit of all of society and for the benefit of all non-human species who live there**
**National, regional, and local social, economic, political, and environmental trends define the changing **_**context**_** within which your policy and management decisions resonate (or don’t)**
**Your **_**optimum client base**_** and most widely popular and beneficial offerings do not always match the wants of those standing at your door, and may not match wants of your current visitor base**
**There are **_**equity**_** and other social issues associated with every decision you make and accounting for them is a responsibility of good planning**
_**Fragmented**_** (compartmentalized) **_**decision making**_** is easier, but not better**
**Good planning is **_**forward looking**_**, based on what could and should be, not necessarily what is or has been**

## PRINCIPLES of GOOD VISITOR USE PLANNING and MANAGEMENT

_**PRINCIPLES of GOOD VISITOR USE PLANNING and MANAGEMENT**_

**Wilderness is first a national resource for the benefit of all of society and for the benefit of all non-human species who live there**
**National, regional, local social, economic, political, environmental and opinion trends define the changing **_**context**_** within which your policy and management decisions resonate (or don’t)**
**Your **_**optimum client base**_** and most widely popular and beneficial offerings do not always match the wants of those standing at your door, and may not match wants of your current visitor base**
**There are **_**equity**_** and other social issues associated with every decision you make and accounting for them is a responsibility of good planning**
_**Fragmented**_** (compartmentalized) **_**decision making**_** is easier, but not better**
**Good planning is **_**forward looking**_**, based on what could and should be, not necessarily what is or has been**

## ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION

_**ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION**_

**A philosophy and principles of visitor use planning**
**The importance of understanding **_**stock**_**holder values**
**Trends and why they matter**
**Wilderness use and the visitor—results from on-site surveying**
**Education and communication and knowing who your audience is**

******************

## Basic Environmental Values Led to Creation of the NWPS

** ****The United States has designated 629 areas totalling about 106 million acres.**
** ****On Federal lands, an additional 20 million acres are recommended for designation; over 50 million other roadless acres have been identified.**
** ****The Congress is not likely to add substantially to the NWPS, neither is the Administration likely to move to protect and restore roadless conditions.**
** ****Alpine, forest, desert, and water systems are better represented than grassland and subtropical ecosystems.**
** ****Recreational use, nearby development, pollutants, and political winds are among the issues in management of the NWPS.**

**Basic Environmental Values Led to **_**Creation of the NWPS**_

## Humans Were Meant to Rule Over Nature

**Humans Were Meant to Rule Over Nature**

- 14%
- Strongly Agree

- 15%
- Somewhat Agree

- 19%
- Somewhat Disagree

- 42%
- Strongly Disagree

**29%**

**61%**
- (6% Neutral)

## Percentage 

- Source: Dujack, 1997.

**Percentage **
**of Americans**
**Reporting **
**Regulation of **
**Natural **
**Resources is **
**“****Just the **
**Right Amount” **
**or has **
**“****Not Gone **
**Far Enough.”**

## Public Views on Wilderness

**Nationally about 1/2 of American’s 16+ report knowing about the NWPS**
**Only 4.4% feel we have put too many acres into the NWPS:**
**	****-  Not enough  ****	****52.6%**
**	****-  About right  ****	****26.9%**
**	****-  Too much      ****	**** 4.4%**
**	****-  Not sure       ****	****15.4%**

**Public Views on Wilderness**

## Trends in Public Values of Wilderness

**	****	****	****	**_**Very or extremely Important (%)**_**	**
**Wilderness value****	****	****	****	****	****1994****	****2002****	****Change**
**Protecting water quality****	****	****	****78.9****	****93.1****	****14.2****	**
**Protection of wildlife habitat****	****78.6****	****87.8****	****  9.2****	**
**Protecting air quality****	****	****	****78.0****	****92.3****	****14.3****	**
**For future generations****	****	****	****76.9****	****87.0****	****10.1****	**
**Protection for endangered spp****	****73.7****	****82.7****	****  9.0****	**
**Preserving ecosystems****	****	****	****66.5****	****80.0****	****13.5****	**
**Scenic beauty****	****	****	****	****	****	****59.7****	****74.0****	****14.3****	**
**Future option to visit****	****	****	****59.4****	****75.1****	****15.7****	**
**Just knowing it exists****	****	****	****56.1****	****74.6****	****18.5****	**
**For scientific study****	****	****	****	****46.3****	****57.5****	****11.2****	**
**Recreation opportunities****	****	****48.9****	****64.9****	****16.0****	**
**Providing spiritual inspiration****	****43.2****	****56.5****	****13.3****	**
**Income for tourism industry****	****22.8****	****29.7****	****  6.9****	**

_**Trends in Public Values of Wilderness**_

**Forthcoming in International Journal of Wilderness**

## What Americans in 2002 Value about Wilderness

**What Americans in 2002 Value about Wilderness**

_**Percentage Saying It Is**_

**Protecting air quality****	****	****	****	****58.4****	****	****1.5**
**Protecting water quality****	****	****	****	****55.9****	****	****1.5**
**Protecting wildlife habitat****	****	****	****52.7****	****	****3.1**
**Protecting endangered species****	****	****	****49.8****	****	****5.0**
**Legacy for future generations****	****	****	****49.1****	****	****3.1**
**Preserving unique ecosystems and genetics****	****44.3****	****	****5.1**
**Future option to visit****	****	****	****	****37.5****	****	****7.1**
**Just knowing it is preserved****	****	****	****36.9****	****	****6.4**
**Providing scenic beauty****	****	****	****	****35.4****	****	****5.5**
**Providing recreation opportunities****	****	****27.8****	****	****7.2**
**Providing spiritual inspiration****	****	****	****25.9****	****        16.7**
**Undisturbed area for scientific study****	****	****23.9****	****        11.6**
**Providing income for tourism industry****	****	**** 9.7****	****        33.5**

## ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION

_**ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION**_

**A philosophy and principles of visitor use planning**
**The importance of understanding **_**stock**_**holder values**
**Trends and why they matter**
**Wilderness use and the visitor—results from on-site surveying**
**Education and communication and knowing who your audience is**

******************

## A TIME OF IMPORTANT TRENDS AND RISING IMPORTANCE OF WILDERNESS

_**A TIME OF IMPORTANT TRENDS AND RISING IMPORTANCE OF WILDERNESS**_

**POPULATION GROWTH, SHIFTING DEMOGRAPHICS, MIGRATION TO HIGH AMENITY AREAS, RISING RECREATION DEMAND, NEW TECHNOLOGIES**

## Filling the West:

**Filling the West:**
**Distribution of U.S. Birth Rate, 1990**

**TRENDS IN POPULATION**

## Emptying the Midwest:

**Emptying the Midwest:**
**Distribution of U.S. Death Rates, 1990**

## UNMATCHED POPULATION GROWTH

**UNMATCHED POPULATION GROWTH**

## Future Wilderness Hotspots (2020)

**Future Wilderness Hotspots (2020)**
**Ambient Population Pressures on Counties with Wilderness**

## The Changing American Society

_**The Changing American Society**_

-  **About 1 million new immigrants per year**
** **_**More people**_**:****	****1990****	****	****248 mm**
**	****	****	****2000****	****	****275 mm**
**	****	****	****2020****	****	****325 mm**
**	****	****	****2050****	****	****404 mm**
**	****	****	****2075****	****	****481 mm**
**	****	****	****2100****	****	****571 mm**
** ****Increasingly urban, 81% live in cities and towns**
** **_**Getting older**_**:  Median age 35********38 (by 2020)**
** **_**Changing ethnicities**_** by 2050:**
**	****	****Anglo Americans ****	****	****76%********50%**
**	****	****African Americans****	**** ****	****12% ********15%**
**	****	****Hispanic Americans****	****  9% ********21%**
**	****	****Asian Americans****	****	****  4% ********11%**

## Distribution of Projected U.S. Hispanic Population, 2020

**Distribution of Projected U.S. Hispanic Population, 2020**

## Distribution of Projected U.S. African-American Population, 2020

## Distribution of Projected U.S. Asians and Others Population, 2020

## Slide 26

## Projected Population Age 65 & Over, 2000 & 2020

**Projected Population Age 65 & Over, 2000 & 2020**

## Projected Retirement Destination Counties within Top 20% of Counties Increasing in Population over Age 65

**Projected Retirement Destination Counties within Top 20% of Counties Increasing in Population over Age 65**

## What Americans in 2002 Value about Wilderness

**What Americans in 2002 Value about Wilderness**

_**Percentage Saying It Is**_

**Protecting air quality****	****	****	****	****58.4****	****	****1.5**
**Protecting water quality****	****	****	****	****55.9****	****	****1.5**
**Protecting wildlife habitat****	****	****	****52.7****	****	****3.1**
**Protecting endangered species****	****	****	****49.8****	****	****5.0**
**Legacy for future generations****	****	****	****49.1****	****	****3.1**
**Preserving unique ecosystems and genetics****	****44.3****	****	****5.1**
**Future option to visit****	****	****	****	****37.5****	****	****7.1**
**Just knowing it is preserved****	****	****	****36.9****	****	****6.4**
**Providing scenic beauty****	****	****	****	****35.4****	****	****5.5**
**Providing recreation opportunities****	****	****27.8****	****	****7.2**
**Providing spiritual inspiration****	****	****	****25.9****	****        16.7**
**Undisturbed area for scientific study****	****	****23.9****	****        11.6**
**Providing income for tourism industry****	****	**** 9.7****	****        33.5**

## Slide 30

## Slide 31

## Slide 32

## Slide 33

## Slide 34

## Slide 35

## Slide 36

## Slide 37

## Slide 38

## Slide 39

## Slide 40

## Slide 41

## Slide 42

## DEMAND FOR

** ****OUTDOOR RECREATION**
**AND PLACES TO**
**RECREATE CONTINUE**
**TO GROW**

## LONG TERM TRENDS SINCE 1960

_**LONG TERM TRENDS SINCE 1960**_

## Fastest Growing One-Half

**Fastest Growing One-Half**

**Trends, 1982 - 1995**
**(Millions of Participants, 16 and older)**

**	****	****	****	****Number in****	****Number in****	****Percent**
**Activity****	****	****	****  1982-83****	****  1994-95****	****Change**

**Bird Watching****	****	****	****       21.2****	****	****      54.1****	****	****+155.2**
**Hiking****	****	****	****	****       24.7****	****	****      47.8                  +93.5**
**Backpacking****	****	****	****         8.8****	****	****      15.2****	****	****  +72.7**
**Downhill Skiing****	****	****	****       10.6****	****	****      16.8****	****	****  +58.5**
**Camping-Primitive Area****	****	****       17.7****	****	****      28.0****	****	****  +58.2**
**Off-Road Driving****	****	****       19.4 ****	****      27.9****	****	****  +43.8**
**Walking****	****	****	****	****       93.6****	****	****    133.7****	****	****  +42.8**
**Motorboating****	****	****	****       33.6****	****	****      47.0****	****	****  +39.9**
**Sightseeing****	****	****	****       81.3****	****	****     113.4****	****	****  +39.5**
**Camping-Developed Area****	****       30.0****	****	****       41.5****	****	****  +38.3**
**Swimming/river, lake, or ocean****	****       56.5****	****	****       78.1****	****	****  +38.2**
**Snowmobiling****	****	****	****         5.3****	****	****        7.1****	****	****  +34.0**

## Fastest Growing in the Late 1990s

|                                                Activity | Millions in 2000-01 | Percent Change 1994-2001 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kayaking | 7.29 | 182.56 |
| Snowboarding | 10.53 | 137.70 |
| Jet skiing | 20.31 | 119.33 |
| View or photograph fish | 53.06 | 97.84 |
| Soccer outdoors | 17.33 | 87.15 |
| Snowmobiling | 11.81 | 69.93 |
| Ice fishing | 6.22 | 59.49 |
| Sledding | 31.22 | 56.18 |
| Viewing wildlife | 95.26 | 55.88 |
| Backpacking | 22.76 | 53.78 |
| Day hiking | 70.62 | 51.29 |
| Bicycling | 84.60 | 50.80 |
| Horseback riding | 20.95 | 50.29 |

## Population-wide Total (Overlapping) Occasions Per Year by Groupings of Activities (2000-01)

**Population-wide Total (Overlapping) Occasions Per Year by **_**Groupings of Activities (2000-01)**_

| All activities | 98.5% | 273.8 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Viewing, learning, gathering activities | 88.4% | 136.1 |
| Developed site activities | 94.9% | 93.3 |
| Activities on trails | 40.4% | 40.3 |
| Swimming, surfing, and other beach activities | 2.8% | 36.6 |
| Motorized activities | 62.0% | 31.3 |
| Hunting and fishing | 38.1% | 26.9 |
| Snow activities | 19.3% | 13.3 |
| Risk activities | 35.2% | 12.0 |
| Non-motorized activities | 22.8% | 7.9 |

**PERCENT OF POPULATION PARTICIPATING AND PER-CAPITA PARTICIPATION OCCASSIONS**

## DEMAND FOR TRAILS AND FOR VIEWING/LEARNING ACTIVITIES ARE GROWING AND PRIME ACTIVITIES FOR WILDERNESS AREAS

## Slide 49

## Public Lands Overlaid onto Projected Recreation Demand Hotspots, 2020

**Public Lands Overlaid onto Projected Recreation Demand Hotspots, 2020**

## ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION

_**ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION**_

**A philosophy and principles of visitor use planning**
**The importance of understanding **_**stock**_**holder values**
**Trends and why they matter**
**Wilderness use and the visitor—results from on-site surveying**
**Education and communication and knowing who your audience is**

******************

## RESULTS FROM THE NATIONAL VISITOR USE MONITORING PROJECT

**RESULTS FROM THE NATIONAL VISITOR USE MONITORING PROJECT**

## Slide 53

## Recreation Visits to National Forests, in Millions, 2001

## Wilderness Visitation, in Thousands

**Notes:**
Highest region for total site visits is R3;  Second is R6;  Lowest is R1.  No time dimension.

## Average Wilderness Visitation Rates per day, by Forest Type

**Notes:**
Mean Visitation rates per day are 2x to 2.5x as high in the Urban NF’s –
 Challenge to maintain Wilderness character! 

## Duration of Wilderness Visits 

| Site Type | Site visit (hours) |
| --- | --- |
| Developed Day Use | 1.9 |
| Developed Overnite | 25.9 |
| General Forest Area | 26.5 |
| Wilderness | 19.7 |

**Notes:**
If the interviewer didn’t understand the difference between a NF visit and site visit then it could explain some of the variable results.  Not saying this info here is incorrect but I am finding that a lot of interviewers in Year 1 didn’t get good training and weren’t clear on the definitions and asked the questions wrong.  I got myself interviewed and found this to be true.  Hopefully with our increased training and more attention to details the interviewer error will be reduced.  We have no way now of knowing what it was and its not included in the error rate. 

## Distribution byLength of Stay (in hours)

- Distribution byLength of Stay (in hours)

**Notes:**
Under 3 is about 1/3 of all visits!!   3-6 hrs is about 27%;  Over 24 hours is about 25%.
For 3 of 5 visitors, their Wilderness visit is the only place they go on the forest during their visit.

## Race/ethnicity Distribution (%) 

| Category | All NF Visits | Wilderness Site Visits |
| --- | --- | --- |
| White | 97.4 | 97.3 |
| Spanish, Hispanic or Latino | 0.4 | 0 |
| Black/African American | 0.8 | 1.5 |
| Asian | 0.3 | 1.2 |
| Am. Indian/ Alaska Native | 0.1 | 0 |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0.8 | 0 |
| Other | 0.2 | 0 |

**Notes:**
This is for the Forest as a whole, not Wilderness only.  Info on ethnicity in Wilderness is available as is age.

## Age Distribution (%) 

| Category | All NF Visits | Wilderness Site Visits |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 20 and Under | 17.6 | 21.6 |
| 21 to 30 | 13.3 | 20.4 |
| 31 to 40 | 22.1 | 33.4 |
| 41 to 50 | 15.0 | 15.1 |
| 51 to 60 | 12.8 | 6.1 |
| 61 to 70 | 12.8 | 2.6 |
| Over 70 | 6.6 | 0.7 |

**Notes:**
This is for the Forest as a whole, not Wilderness only.  Info on ethnicity in Wilderness is available as is age.

## Perceptions of Crowding

**Perceptions of Crowding**

## ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION

_**ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION**_

**A philosophy and principles of visitor use planning**
**The importance of understanding **_**stock**_**holder values**
**Trends and why they matter**
**Wilderness use and the visitor—results from on-site surveying**
**Education and communication and knowing who your audience is**

******************

## SEGMENTING OUTDOOR MARKETS

**SEGMENTING OUTDOOR MARKETS**

**Inactives****	****	****	****	****24.1 %**
**Passives****	****	****	****	****14.5 %**
**Nature Loving Drivers****	****	****11.5 %**
**Nature and Family****	****	****	****14.2 %**
**Activity Samplers****	****	****	****13.0 %**
**Motor Consumptives****	****	**** 6.5 %**
**Skiers****	****	****	****	**** ****	**** 8.4 %**
**Enthusiasts****	****	****	****	**** 7.8 %**

_**PERCENT OF U.S. POPULATION**_

## INACTIVES (24.1 %)

_**INACTIVES **__**(24.1 %)**_
**Most inactive segment of American society**
**About equal male/female, high relative percentage (RP) Blacks and Hispanics, high RP over 55, especially over 65, very high RP foreign born, South Central**
**High on spending time with grandchildren and low on cultural events, participating with an environmental group, and the internet**
**High on managing NFs for raw materials, grazing cattle, supporting local businesses and low on leaving NFs natural in appearance**

## PASSIVES (14.5%)

_**PASSIVES **__**(14.5%)**_
**Most participate in relaxing activities; they don’t do much else; “no” muscle powered activities**
**High RP female, high RP blacks and Asian/Pacific Islanders, proportionate across ages, slightly more urban, about even across regions**
**High on spending time with grandchildren, attending church, commuting to work and low on environmental activities and volunteering**
**High on managing NFs for grazing, raw materials for industry, more roads, and more recreation facilities and services**

## NATURE LOVING DRIVERS

_**NATURE LOVING DRIVERS**_
**Moderately more into viewing/ photographing/learning activities relative to the U. S. population **_**with **_**driving/sightseeing very prominent (92-94 %)**
**Very high on spending time with grandchildren, following the stock market, collecting things as hobbies, gardening and somewhat low on attending classes or movies**
**Two thirds female, three fourths white, low RP Hispanic, high RP over 45 (62%), low RP foreign born, high RP rural, Rocky Mountain Region**
**High on Forest Service providing more educational opportunities and low on grazing**

**(11.5 %)**

## NATURE and FAMILY  

_**NATURE and FAMILY  **_
**(14.2 %)**
**Just a bit less active in viewing/ photographing/learning activities relative to the U. S. population, but unlike “Nature Loving Drivers”, driving/sightseeing absent (only 3 – 4 %) **
**High RP female, high RP Asian and Hispanic, about even across ages, high RP foreign born, somewhat low rural RP, about even across regions**
**High on creative arts and attending church and low on environmental groups, country clubs and movies**
**About the same as everyone else in the U.S. on what to emphasize in managing NFs**

## ACTIVITY SAMPLERS (13%)

_**ACTIVITY SAMPLERS **_**(13%)**
**Higher participation percentages across most activities, especially swimming and visiting beaches and other watersides and more into viewing/photographing birds, flowers and wildlife than most Americans**
**Moderately high RP females, high RP whites and low Hispanic, moderately high RPs in middle age groups, very low RP of foreign born, moderately high urban residence, New England and Pacific**
**High on cultural events, conservation activities, creative arts, the stock market, vacationing, and the internet and low on grandchildren**
**Somewhat high on managing NFs to provide quiet natural places and leaving them natural looking and low on raw materials, grazing and roads**

## MOTOR CONSUMPTIVES

_**MOTOR CONSUMPTIVES**_
**Hunting, fishing, camping, driving off road, snowmobiling, motor boating, and gathering**
**Three quarters male, 83 percent white, high RP under 35, especially under 25, mostly U.S. born, very high rural, North Central, South Central and Rockies**
**High on environmental activities, reading nature magazines, commuting, pets, and gardening and low on grandchildren, church, creative arts, and recycling**
**Somewhat high on planting trees for timber, providing for future generations, and keeping forests natural looking and low on roads, grazing and raw materials production**

**(6.5 %)**

## THE SKIERS (8.4 %)

_**THE SKIERS**__** (8.4 %)**_
**Much higher than national percentages jet skiing, water skiing, surfing, motor boating, snow boarding, downhill skiing, windsurfing, diving and kayaking**
**High RP males, high RP white, very high RP under 35, extremely low over 65, very low RP foreign born, Somewhat more urban, North Central**
**High on country clubs, movies, volunteering, the internet, taking classes, vacationing and eating out and low on grandchildren, nature magazines, and gardening**
**About the same as most Americans on how to manage NFs, a little low on quiet natural places**

## ENTHUSIASTS (7.8 %)

_**ENTHUSIASTS**__** (7.8 %)**_
**Canoeing, scuba diving, windsurfing, X-country skiing, rowing, rafting, kayaking, backpacking, snowmobiling, and surfing and snorkeling make them stand out--RELATIVE TO ALL OTHERS**
**High RP male (63),  mostly white (88), Mostly under 45, few foreign born, high RP rural, New England, Rockies**
**Very high on environmental activities, volunteering, nature magazines, classes, country clubs, cultural events, gardening, ........ And low on grandchildren and church**
**Somewhat high on habitat for wildlife and fish, protecting rare species, and educational opportunities and low on managing National Forests for roads, raw materials, grazing and recreation facilities**

## Should  we designate more Wilderness within Federal lands?

**	****	****	****   ****Important/**
**	****	****	**_**Very Important**_
**Urban****	****	****	****62%**
**Suburban****	****	****	****56%**
**Rural****	****	****	****47%**

## Should we designate more Wilderness within Federal lands?

**	****	****	****   ****Important/**
**	****	****	**_**Very Important**_
**White****	****	****	****59%**
**Black****	****	****	****49%**
**Hispanic****	****	****	****56%**
**Asian****	****	****	****75%**

## Should we designate more Wilderness within Federal lands?

**	****	****	****   ****Important/**
**	****	****	**_**Very Important**_
**North****	****	****	****66%**
**South****	****	****	****55%**
**Great Plains****	****	****50%**
**Rockies****	****	****	****59%**
**Pacific Coast****	****	****59%**

##  Americans Support and Value Wilderness

-  **Americans Support and Value Wilderness**
** ****How do we account for those values?**

## TOP 5 VALUES

**TOP 5 VALUES**

** ****Protecting air quality**
** ****Protecting water quality**
** ****Protecting wildlife habitat**
** ****Protecting T&E species**
** ****Legacy for future generations**
**      ****(By Majority Vote)**

## Lowest 4 Values

_**Lowest 4 Values**_

** ****Providing recreation ****	****opportunities**
** ****Providing spiritual inspiration**
** ****Using areas for scientific study**
** ****Stimulate income for tourism ****	****industry**

## PRINCIPLES of GOOD VISITOR USE PLANNING

_**PRINCIPLES of GOOD VISITOR USE PLANNING**_

**Wilderness is first a national resource for the benefit of all**
**Makeup and trends in national, regional and local populations define the **_**public context**_** within which your decisions resonate (or don’t)**
**Your **_**optimum client base**_** and most widely popular and beneficial offerings do not always match the wants of those standing at your door, and may not match wants of your current visitor base**
**There are **_**equity**_** and other social issues associated with every decision you make and accounting for them is a responsibility of good planning**
_**Fragmented**_** (compartmentalized) **_**decision making**_** is easier, but not better**
**Good planning is **_**forward looking**_**, based on what could and should be, not necessarily what is or has been**

## SOME POINTS TO PONDER

**Wilderness is an American treasure, owned by the people of this Country, held by you in a trust of stewardship**
**Stewardship includes being informed of the positions of the “Stockholders” of this rich national treasure—KNOW THE DATA**
**Limiting data to on-site surveys and “conventional wisdom” ignores the vast majority of the Wilderness System’s owners, **_**the public**_**, most of whom will never show up—USE HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS**
**Use the tools of social science--surveys, segmentation, marketing principles, and customer service liberally--DONT GUESS**

## A book that examines population, demographic, urban, rural, economic, leisure and recreation trends of the United States, and spatially relates those trends to natural lands.

**A book that examines population, demographic, urban, rural, economic, leisure and recreation trends of the United States, and spatially relates those trends to natural lands.**

- ***********

- *******

## CONTENTS—Footprints on the Land

**Preface**
**1. Natural Lands and the American Mind Set**
**2. Trends in Population**
**3. Changing U. S. Social Composition**
**4. Trends in Urban Growth**
**5. Rural Communities in Transition**
**6. Economic Trends in the U. S.**
**7. Leisure and Outdoor Recreation**
**8. Footprints on the Land:  Implications of Population and ****	****Economic Growth for this Country’s Natural Lands**
**9. Facing Up to Our Concerns About our Natural Lands**

## Demographic Trends and the Planning and Management of Visitor Use in Wilderness

**Demographic Trends and the Planning and Management of**_** Visitor Use in Wilderness**_
- 				**Ken Cordell**
**	****	****	****	****Senior Scientist**
**	****	****	****	****Forest Service Research**
**	****	****	****	****Athens, GA**
**	****www.srs.fs.fed.us/trends**