Managing Outdoor Recreation, 2nd Edition

Information/Education

• Promote alternative sites (e.g. within park, other parks)
• Promote alternative times to use site/park (e.g. hours, days, seasons)
• Inform visitors of current impacts/conditions (e.g. crowding)

Rationing/Allocation

• Set capacity (for site, park) and allocate access by reservation system
• Set capacity (for site, park) and allocate access by queuing system
• Set capacity (for site, park) and allocate access by fee system
• Set capacity (for site, park) and allocate access by lottery system
• Set capacity (for site, park) and allocate access by merit system
• Implement differential fee system (e.g. temporally, spatially)

Rules/Regulations

• Set capacity (for site, park) and require a use permit
• Require a reservation for entry/use
• Require a fee for entry/use
• Require special knowledge/skills for entry/use
• Institute a maximum length of stay
• Limit group size
• Prohibit selected activities/uses (e.g. activities/uses with high resource and/or social impacts)
• Close site/park (e.g. temporally, seasonally, permanently)

Law Enforcement

• Establish presence of a uniformed ranger
• Require visitors to show a use permit
• Sanction (e.g. fine) visitors for unauthorized use

Zoning

• Zone site/park for lower use
• Zone site/park for no use

Facility Development/Site Design/Maintenance

• Set capacity (for site, park) and design visitor facilities (e.g. parking lots) and services accordingly
• Make access to site/park more difficult (e.g. lower standard roads, trails, transit)
• Improve access (e.g. higher standard roads, trails, transit) to alternative sites (within park, other parks)
• Eliminate attractions/facilities/services at problem site/park
• Provide attractions/facilities/services at alternative sites (e.g. within park, other parks)

Information/Education

• Inform visitors of the range of recreation areas and opportunities available
• Promote use of low-use areas

Rationing/Allocation

• Not applicable

Rules/Regulations

• Extend time that area is open to visitor use (hours, days, seasons)

Law Enforcement

• Not applicable

Zoning

• Zone alternative areas for higher use

Facility Development/Site Design/Maintenance

• Improve attractions, facilities, services in alternative areas
• Develop attractions, facilities, services in new areas
• Improve access to new/alternative areas

Information/Education

• Promote alternative sites (e.g. within park, other parks) to disperse use
• Promote alternative times to use site (e.g. hours, days, seasons) to disperse use
• Promote sites (e.g. attraction sites) that are designed to accommodate large numbers of visitors
• Inform visitors of acceptable and unacceptable recreation activities (e.g. no motorized use, no stock use, no pets, no large groups)
• Inform visitors of acceptable and unacceptable behavior (e.g. no boisterous behavior, dogs must be on leash)
• Educate visitors about why selected activities/behaviors are unacceptable (e.g. some visitors are searching for solitude, large groups tend to increase perceived crowding)
• Inform visitors of existing impacts/conditions (e.g. crowding)

Rationing/Allocation

• Not applicable

Rules/Regulations

• Prohibit recreation activities that tend to minimize crowding (e.g. commercial tours)
• Prohibit behavior that tends to exacerbate crowding (e.g. boisterous behavior)
• Limit group size
• Institute a maximum length of stay

Law Enforcement

• Establish presence of a uniformed ranger
• Sanction (e.g. warn, fine) visitors for inappropriate use/behavior (e.g. boisterous behavior)

Zoning

• Zone area for low-impact uses only (e.g. pedestrian use only)

Facility Development/Site Design/Maintenance

• Provide facilities/services only for recreation activities that tend to minimize crowding (e.g. pedestrian activities)
• Locate/concentrate facilities and services away from areas designed to provide opportunities for solitude (e.g. wilderness areas)
•  Design facilities and services to minimize crowding (e.g. provide adequate restrooms)
• Maintain facilities to minimize crowding (e.g. remove litter regularly)

Information/Education

• Inform visitors of current conditions (i.e. crowding at attraction sites)
•  Encourage visitors to wear clothing and use equipment that blends with the environment
• Educate visitors about how to avoid conflict with other groups (e.g. no boisterous behavior)

Rationing/Allocation

• Set limit on amount of use

Rules/Regulations

•  Regulate use levels

Law Enforcement

• Establish a uniformed presence to enforce use limit
• Establish a uniformed presence to reduce conflict among visitors

Zoning

• Separate conflicting uses spatially or temporally

Facility Development/Site Design/Maintenance

• Develop additional facilities/services (e.g. trails, attraction sites) to disperse use
• Maintain high environmental quality