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 at site/park (e.g. prevalence of anthropogenic noise)

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 and require a use permit
• Require a reservation for entry/use
• Require a fee for entry/use
• Require special knowledge/skills for entry/use
• Implement a maximum length of stay
• Close area (e.g. temporarily, 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 at trailheads) and services accordingly
• Make access more difficult (e.g. lower standard roads, trails, transit)
• Improve access (e.g. higher standard roads, trails, transit) to alternative sites/parks

Information/Education

• Inform visitors of the range of recreation areas and opportunities available
• Promote use of low-use areas
• Educate visitors about natural quiet
• Promote visitor behavior that reduces human-caused noise

Rationing/Allocation

• Not applicable

Rules/Regulations

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

Law Enforcement

• Establish presence of a uniformed ranger
• Sanction (e.g. fine) visitors for making unacceptable noise

Zoning

• Zone alternative areas for higher use
• Zone areas for natural quiet

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
•  Design facilities to reduce visitor-caused noise (e.g., use vegetative screening)

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)
• Promote selected sites to concentrate use
• Inform visitors of acceptable and unacceptable recreation activities (e.g. no motorized uses)
• Inform visitors of acceptable and unacceptable behavior (e.g. no boisterous activity)
• Educate visitors about why selected behaviors are unacceptable (e.g. human caused noise can disturb wildlife and reduce the opportunity of visitors to hear the sounds of nature)

Rationing/Allocation

• Not applicable

Rules/Regulations

• Prohibit high-impact uses (e.g. no motorized activities)
• Prohibit high-impact behavior (e.g. radios, cell phones)
• Limit group size

Law Enforcement

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

Zoning

• Zone as “quiet area”
• Zone area for low-impact uses only (e.g. no motorized uses)

Facility Development/Site Design/Maintenance

• Provide facilities/services for low impact uses only (e.g. trails for walking only)
• Locate/concentrate facilities and services away from wildlife habitat (e.g. old growth forests)
• Design facilities and services to minimize impact (e.g. use only quiet technology for park administration)

Information/Education

• Inform visitors of current conditions (i.e. prevalence of human-caused noise)

Rationing/Allocation

• Not applicable

Rules/Regulations

• Not applicable

Law Enforcement

• Not applicable

Zoning

• Not applicable

Facility Development/Site Design/Maintenance

• Locate visitor attractions/facilities (e.g. trails, campsites) away from sensitive soundscapes
• Develop facilities (e.g. vegetative barriers) to buffer human-caused sound
• Adopt quiet technology (e.g. electric trimmers) for maintenance