Fire is a cultural phenomenon. It is among man's oldest tools, the first product of the natural world he learned to domesticate. Since the 1970's, fire has been utilized extensively in forest management practices. This study was designed to compare prescribed burning in the fall or the spring with hand cutting to reduce the overall height of vegetation. Ten scenic overlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway were selected for treatment. The experiment is a randomized incomplete block design. Four permanent transects were delineated in each unit for vegetation sampling. Four one-by-five meter plots were sampled on each transect for the species and number of root crowns in three height classes: less than one meter, one to three meters and greater than three meters. Vegetation sampling was completed before and after treatment. Rate of spread was determined by non-directional grid sampling. Flame length was measured at five points within the sampling grid and fire intensity was calculated. Prescribed burning and hand cutting stimulate sprouting of existing vegetation. Repetitive burning is necessary to effectively control hardwood sprouting on the Parkway. Fire stimulated the herbaceous community and resulted in a significant increase in the species richness. Changes in soil characteristics were slight and did not degrade the site. Personnel costs were similar but burning required fewer hours of work. Decreases in the number of personal accidents and an expected decrease in the number of personnel required to successfully complete the burns favor the use of fire to control vegetation for forest vista management. / Master of Science

Impacts from urban development on the cost of providing recreation services on the Blue Ridge Parkway were modeled using cross-sectional linear regression techniques. Twelve Parkway segments and corresponding adjacent counties provided the study sample. Total and per visit annual costs were expressed as a function of segment variables and external variables representing adjacent county development. No correlation between operating cost and external variables was found. Total operating costs are positively correlated with visitor center capacity and camp and picnic sites. Cost per visit is positively correlated with the presence of concessions and recreation acreage, and negatively correlated with the number of camp and picnic sites, suggesting economies of scale. Non-operating costs in developed and undeveloped sections were compared. Costs associated with access control, land acquisition, and landscape screening, were higher in areas with a greater percentage of private ownership. / Master of Science

Recognizing that a substantial portion of Blue Ridge Parkway visitation is made by the local population, this study was initiated as an effort to collect specific information on the characteristics of local Parkway use and to develop a demand model of local use based on the findings. The results should provide Parkway managers with information needed to more adequately serve the recreation needs of the local population. Most of the information presented in this study was collected during the fall of 1978 through use of a self-administered mail-back questionnaire which was sent to a random sample of people living in the 29 counties adjacent to the Parkway. Results are based on questionnaires received from 322 local residents. Additional information was also obtained from 44 other local residents interviewed by telephone. Development of the recreation demand model required much of the questionnaire data as well as data obtained from existing Parkway and Census Bureau publications. / Master of Science / Includes folder titled: Blue Ridge Parkway, published by GPO in 1976.