Identifying research needs for improved management of social impacts in wilderness recreation

This paper summarizes the social impact research and information needs derived from a workshop of over 50 recreation management staff in the New Zealand Department of Conservation. The overall objective was to establish the basis for developing a research plan underpinning social impact management. After scoping the diversity of social impact issues, the workshop identified five main social impact themes that categorized social impacts as being caused by management actions, intergroup encounters and conflicts, intragroup encounters and conflicts, inappropriate uses and behaviors, and off site intrusions. Exploration of these social impact themes yielded numerous research questions, which were grouped under identifying demand characteristics, defining social values, understanding and managing recreation conflict, and evaluating management outcomes. A social impact research framework is proposed based on interactions between specifically defined places, physical and social human effects, and social values. Following a successful workshop on the physical impacts of visitors on natural and historic resources (Cessford 1997, Cessford and Dingwall 1997), the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) held a workshop on the social impacts of visitors on the recreation experiences and sociocultural values of others (Wellington, May 13-18, 1998). Its main purpose was to identify DOC research and information needs in this particular area of conservation management. To achieve this result, around 50 participants were selected from the DOC staff required to manage and research visitor impact problems, along with selected park management staff from the local government sector. From the United States, Alan Watson of the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute gave a comprehensive social science perspective, while Laurel Boyers of Yosemite National Park provided practical management experience in deriving research needs under high-pressure social impact conditions. This represented a new approach to identifying the research and information needs for the management of New Zealand’s growing and diversifying outdoor recreation and tourism sector in national parks and similar protected areas. To set the scene, presentations were made on the latest legislation and policy for DOC’s visitor impact management responsibilities (Department of Conservation 1996, 1998). State-of-knowledge summaries on social impacts and management processes were presented, social impact definitions were discussed, and several New Zealand case studies of issues and solutions were also explored. Participants contributed through directed discussions in working groups, which over the three days of the workshop: • identified the diversity of social impact issues that they had encountered; • explored five summary social impact themes; and • determined four research and information themes for improved social impact management. Social Impacts and Social Values __ Before summarizing these workshop findings, it is helpful to briefly define some key terms. The “social impacts” can be considered human effects on physical and social conditions that detract from associated social values. What are these social values? In a wilderness management context, the social values associated with human activities at places have two interrelated but distinct components—recreation experiences and sociocultural perspectives. The social values associated with recreation experiences are the outcomes anticipated from engaging in chosen activities at chosen places. These can form the basis for the specific recreation management priorities at those places. They relate directly to active on-site participation by visitors in recreation activities. The social values associated with sociocultural perspectives have a different context. They relate to the wider values that people attribute to different places for different reasons, derived from the natural, historic and cultural heritage features present at or associated with places. They can form the basis for specific conservation and heritage management priorities at those places. However, they may not necessarily involve any direct site visit and are commonly off-site perspectives. In both cases, the on-site activities of recreation visitors can have major effects on the social conditions prevailing at a site, some of which may represent serious impacts on the desired social values associated with those sites. With this distinction acknowledged, the remainder of this paper summarizes the social impact themes identified; presents the main research and information conclusions derived from these themes; and proposes the basis for a social impact research plan. Social Impact Themes ___________ When exploring social impact issues, workshop participants paid particular attention to a variety of factors. These