The recreational use of the Colorado River within the Grand Canyon National Park and National Monument increased on the order of 60 to 70 per cent during each year of the interval 1967 to 1970. Consequently, the U. S. National Park Service instituted user limits to protect and preserve the area commencing with the 1971 season. This limit was established with limited data on the users of the river or about their perceptions of the trip experience. A need existed to collect and analyze this type of data, and to suggest possible management alternatives. This study used a mailed questionnaire to a random sample of past participants in order to collect basic socio-economic data. The analysis was based on a 65% response rate, and consisted of individual question tabulation and multivariate data -cluster analysis. The data show background characteristics of the participants, reasons for taking the trip, reactions to the experience, perceptions of problems associated with the trips, reactions to crowded conditions, and needs for regulatory policy concerning user intensities.

Elderly recreational vehicle campers are attracted to the Lower Colorado River area during the winter season. Their numbers have grown in recent years and many are seeking alternatives to the usual practice of establishing residence in private trailer parks. As a result, various public land sites in the region are being subjected to concentrated winter use. Units in these camping areas represent users who are retired couples or individuals on fixed or limited incomes, living in "self-contained" campers, travel trailers or motor homes. Some of these visitors are utilizing designated campgrounds; others are squatting on the public domain where there are few, if any, sanitary or other facilities. The impact of elderly winter visitors on the public land resource of the Lower Colorado River basin area is varied. An understanding of environmental effects is important, but proposed solutions depend upon our ability to understand the people causing environmental deterioration. Answers have been sought to basic questions about winter visitor characteristics and behavior. The findings were applied toward the development of basic policy recommendations pertinent to appropriate public land management for the desert areas of the Southwest. Of theoretical interest was the evaluation of the relative importance of camping socialization experiences in explaining user behavior. Data were gathered from 580 visitor units during the winter of 1973-74 with a personal interview schedule. Important classes of variables included socio-economic characteristics, camping experience, and users' campground behavior and preferences. Interviews were conducted in seven sites representing various kinds of public and private camping facilities in the region. Discriminant function, correlational, multiple regression and bivariate analyses were utilized to render the collected data meaningful. The basic sub-groups in the sample were distinguished by significant differences in various socio-economic and experiential characteristics. The most important of these were income, education, age, value of mobile quarters, and pre-retirement adult camping experience. Length of stay in public land camping areas was not explained by differences in site characteristics. Differences in visitor characteristics accounted for 40-50% of variation in length of stay. Important predictor variables included income, age, average annual pre-retirement camping experience and the amount of previous recreational vehicle camping without utility and sewerage hookups. Support was evidenced for a basic theoretical orientation: that post-retirement behavior is, in part, a reflection of pre-retirement recreational socialization and leisure life style patterns and persistence. The results suggested certain implications for public land management. Recommendations include the desirability of moving elderly winter camper use to sites away from the Colorado River. High fees imposed along the river would discourage extended-stay winter use and restore a unique resource to the short-term water-oriented visitor. The establishment of a spectrum of "inland" camping sites with varying levels of facilities and fees would serve as a positive inducement to the older winter camper, and restore some order to what has been, in some areas, an uncontrolled camping environment. A public campground on Bureau of Land Management land in Why, Arizona, offers a possible solution to the problems posed by the limited resources available to most public land management agencies. There a parcel of public land has been leased by a non-profit community association and developed into a public campground with basic facilities for elderly winter visitors. Management expenses are met through the imposition of a modest graduated fee schedule which favors the extended-stay camper. In this case a squatting problem has been resolved through local initiative; the public land management agency, with its limited budget, has been spared the expense of development and that of direct management responsibility.

Aquatic sediments, at a lake beach site in the Tonto National Forest, Arizona, were experimentally disrutped to quantitatively determine the impact of sediment resuspension on recreational water quality. Sediment resuspension was found to significantly degrade the quality of recreational waters. Mean sediment fecal coliform densities exceeded mean fecal coliform densities in overlying waters by 24.7 fold. When these sediments were experimentally disrupted, fecal coliform densities and turbidity levels in the water column increased by 1.4 to 2.8 and 1.1 to 5.4 fold, respectively. The impact of sediment resuspension on overlying waters was short-lived at the point of disruption. Increasing FC densities and turbidities generally peaked within 5 sec of resuspension and declined to preresuspension levels within 500 sec. The magnitude of the resuspension impact was most significantly influenced by water depth. The greatest risk to public health was found to be within the 0.3 m depth zone; that near-shoreline area most intensively used by young children for water play.

The fish, invertebrate, and macrophyte communities of Dumpert's Lake, a borrow pit located in northwest Delaware County, Indiana were studied in 1979 and 1980. Data obtained from this study were used to evaluate the potential for quality fishing, to identify sport fish production problems, to assess largemouth bass food habits and habitat utilization, and to consider management options.Bluegill dominated the July and September, 1980 fish collections at 69 and 84 percent, respectively. The growth rates for age II and older bluegill indicated mortality rates above 55 percent. Stocklength (3 in., 76 mm) was.attained at annulus 2 and quality-length (6 in., 152 mm) was reached at age III+. The overall average annual growth increment was 48 mm (1.9 in.). Bluegill were in good condition by overall average K at capture (2.05) and at annulus formation (1.91). Corresponding mean Relative Weight (Wr) values were 106 and 107, respectively.Largemouth bass comprised 23 and 14 percent, respectively, of the July and September, 1980 fish collections. Bass attained stock-length (8 in., 200 mm) by age II+ and an additional 1.5-2.0 years (age III+ or older) was required to attain quality-length (12 in., 300 mm). Growth rates and length-frequency distribution verified mortality rates in excess of 60 percent for all age groups of stock-size bass. Average yearly growth was 70 mm (2.8 in.). Condition was poor by overall average K at capture (1.27) and at annulus formation (1.22). The overall mean Wr was 89 for the respective K values.A stock structure index, Proportional Stock Density (PSD), indicated an unbalanced largemouth bass and bluegill population. Bluegill PSD was 78 with largemouth bass PSD at 27.Radio telemetry observations for two largemouth bass monitored from late May to mid-July, 1980 indicated relative inactivity by observed displacement (98 and 366 m) with respective home ranges of 0.01 and 0.12 ha. Extensive use of shoreline cattails was noted at 79 and 84 percent of the respective locations. All observations were over lake depths of 0.5-0.9 m. Two bass tracked from late July to mid-September, 1980 were more active by displacement (1401 and 1429 m) with home ranges of 0.92 ha for both fish, and similar utilization of submergent pondweeds (46 and 50 percent, respectively). One bass was always observed over lake depths of 1.0 m or greater. The other bass was observed in shallow water (0.5-0.9 m) for 50 percent of the observations.Fish occurred more frequently (71 percent) in stomachs of largemouth bass ranging from 195-247 mm than in stomachs (11 percent) of bass 253-347 mm total length. Insects dominated the diet of the larger fish by percent in volume and weight (66 percent) compared to the smaller stock-size bass (21-22 percent). Odonata was the most frequent insect taxa in the diet of the smaller bass at 29 percent and Ephemeroptera was the dominant insect taxa (33 percent) in the diet of the larger fish.Epifaunal macroinvertebrates were more diverse by taxa compared to macroinvertebrates from three benthic habitats which were about equal in diversity by taxa. Zooplankton diversity by taxa was also similar among the benthic habitats. Macroinvertebrate density showed a trend of seasonal increase for the 1979 summer period, while distinct biomodal peaks for zooplankton abundance occurred in early July and late August, 1979 for vegetated and nonvegetated littoral zones.Najas flexilis, Potamogeton nodosus, and P. pusillus dominated the submergent macrophyte community in 1979. The overall mean seasonal dry weight biomass of macrophytes was 110 g/m2 (114 g/m3 ). Macrophyte control was recommended for improving the sport fishery.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306

No description available.

No description available.

The aim of this study was to create a profile of the agricultural tourism industry in the Garden Route area of South Africa, and to determine what general influence agricultural tourism has on the macro environment (rural area) with regard to socio- economic development, as ell as on the micro environment (farm) with regard to the generating of additional income. This study only includes agricultural operations (farms) in the Garden Route area that practice tourism activities. Out of 54 potential agricultural units that were identified, 46 were willing to participate in the study. Information from only 40 of the abovementioned units was finally included in this study. Six agricultural units could not supply sufficient information during the surveys. Data were gathered by means of a scientifically compiled questionnaire. All the individuals involved in this study completed this questionnaire by means of a personal interview. The aspects investigated in order to compile a profile were the characteristics of the suppliers, activities and the extent of the agricultural tourism industry. In order to determine the contribution of agricultural tourism on micro- and macro levels, aspects such as the contribution to farming turnover were investigated as well as the socioeconomic contribution in view of the infrastructure development, job creation, education and housing. The results of this study indicate that 78% of respondents are aged 40 years and older, are mainly male, and, in most of the cases, married (95%). Agricultural tourism enterprises in the Garden Route area are, in most cases (60%), managed by the farmers’ wives. The business type whereby respondents’ agricultural tourism enterprises are conducted, is as follows: in 72.5% of the cases a sole ownership, 17.5% a private company, 5% a partnership, 2.5% a closed corporation and the other remaining 2.5% is managed as a trust. The majority (65%) of persons involved in the management of the agricultural tourism enterprise has received some form of tertiary education. A degree of statistical significance (p = 0.0728) exists between the education level of the type of person/persons that manages the tourist branches and the type of activity category that is offered. In 65% of the cases the farms that offered agricultural tourism, were smaller than 500 hectare. A negative correlation (r² = -0.31700; p<0.0001) was found between farm size and the total farming turnover per year. This trend is even more distinctive (r² = -0.47156; p<0.0001) for farms smaller than 1 000 ha. A statistically meaningful (p = 0.0115) relationship exists between farm size and the number of activities that were offered. This occured in cases where farms were smaller than 1 000 ha. In 25% of the cases only one agricultural tourism activity was offered, 12.5% of these farms were 100 ha or smaller. The maximum number of activities that were offered was 11 and it was found in 3.13% of the cases. A highly statistically meaningful (p = <0.0001) connection exists between the percentage tourism turnover per year and the different types of activity categories that were offered. In 35.75% of the cases these activity categories earned between 1 and 10% of the yearly tourism turnover. A highly statistically meaningful (p = 0.0036) connection also exists between the degree of popularity and the type of activity category that was offered. In 53.07% of the cases the most popular activities were those that are nature-based, followed by accommodation-based activities (23.46%). In 82.5% of the cases additional income was the main reason for offering agricultural tourism. Other distinctive reasons were the love for people (50%) and the desire to share the farm life and beauty with others (25%). The tourism activities that were offered on the farms were respectively, guest houses (62.5%) followed by hiking trails (57.5%) and swimming opportunities (32.5%). Wildlife viewing was the activity that has been offered for the longest period of time, some 11,5 years. The general location of the agricultural tourism operations were 21.9 km from towns and 9.65 km from main routes. Word-of-mouth was the most successful marketing method, followed by the use of own brochures (90%) and local tourism bureau brochures (87.5%). A degree of statistical significance (p = 0.0902) exists between the number of marketing methods and the average percentage of the tourism branch as a total part of the total farming turnover per year. A positive correlation (r² = 0.29118; p<0.0001) exists between the number of marketing methods and the total farming turnover per year. Visitors to the agriculture tourism operations were in 55% of the cases mainly domestic tourists, followed by 25% that includes both domestic and foreign tourists, and a further 20% that mainly includes foreign tourists. The majority (67.5%) of operations indicated that agricultural tourism formed less than 30% (between 2% and 30%) of their annual agricultural turnover, 5% between 30% - 50%, 25% between 80% - 100% of their turnover, while 2.5% generated no income from agricultural tourism. A highly statistically meaningful (p = 0.0010) relationship exists between the percentages that the tourism branch contributes as a total of the farming turnover per year and the number of years that the respondents hade been involved in the offering of agricultural tourism. A positive correlation (r² = 0.30005; p<0.0001) exists between the number of years involved with the offering of agricultural tourism and the average percentage of the total farming turnover per year. New infrastructure was created by 40% of the providers, a further 12.5% partially created new infrastructure, while 47.5% made use of infrastructure that was already in place. Thus far job opportunities have been created for 58 people of whom 13.79% are male and 86.21% are female. A statistically meaningful (p = 0.0406) relationship exists between the number of workers that had to be appointed additionally and the number of activities that were offered. In 17.5% of the cases it was only needed to appoint one worker, followed by 2.5% that appointed three workers each, 5% that had to appoint four workers each and a further 2.5% that had to appoint seven workers each. There are 27.5% of agricultural tourism providers that had to appoint additional workers, 20% provided education to those workers and 36.36% of the above-mentioned provided housing to those workers and their dependants. A statistically meaningful (p = 0.0209) relationship exists between education provided to workers that had to be appointed additionally and the type of activity combination that was presented. A degree of statistical significance (p = 0.0691) exists between housing provided to additional workers and the number of activities that were presented. A statistically meaningful (p = 0.0455) relationship further exists between housing provided to workers that had to be appointed additionally and the type of activity combination that was presented. From the results of this study it appeared that the development of agricultural tourism in the Garden Route area has a positive impact on the micro- and macro environments of the rural areas. This impact can make a direct or indirect contribution to the socio-economic development of this region and it can induce the generation of additional income, infrastructure development, job creation, education and housing. This study suggests that there is significant potential for the further development and exploitation of agricultural tourism.

Trail biking in the Lower Fraser Valley has become popular as an outdoor recreation activity in the last 10 to 15 years. A major attraction of this activity is the freedom it gives the trail bikers to go almost anywhere. However, with increasing urbanisation, the number of areas on which to ride trail bikes has diminished. With encroachment of residential land on still existing trail bike haunts, the number of complaints of noise, trespass, environmental damage and recreation user conflict is growing. Provision of a special use area for trail bikes has proved an acceptable solution to similar problems in other parts of North America. On the surface, it seems logical that a special use area might be equally acceptable in the study area. However, it is contended that the Lower Fraser Valley presents a different combination of social and environmental factors, and that the design of an acceptable solution to the trail bike problem requires more than mere provision of a special use area. As a methodology for designing such a solution, a model based upon 'planning under uncertainty’ is utilized. This model consists of two cycles; the 'plan-making cycle' and the 'plan implementing cycle'. The objective of the 'plan making' cycle is to design an acceptable solution to the trail bike problem in the study area. First, several aspects of the problem are explored. The demand for trail bike facilities, and how this demand has been met is examined. The problems generated by trail biking in the study area are identified and discussed. From these investigations, criteria for an acceptable solution are formulated. Four solutions are examined with respect to these criteria. These are: a) to do nothing, b) to prohibit trail bike use completely, c) to prohibit trail bike use from certain areas and d) to accommodate trail bike use. Only the latter, or a combination of prohibition and accommodation are considered acceptable. However, even if a special use area is provided, there is no basis for prediction, that it will be used, nor that it will be tolerated by the residents of the Lower Fraser Valley, nor is it known what will be the environmental consequences of such action. This uncertainty is reduced by entering the 'plan-implementing cycle'. The purpose of this cycle is to implement the chosen solution for an experimental period, and in doing so monitor aspects that have been identified as uncertain. There are four phases in this cycle» action, monitoring, analysis and evaluation. The results of the monitoring program are evaluated on the basis of how well the ‘plan’ meets the stated criteria for an acceptable solution. Evaluation will determine if the experiment should continue with modifications based on the first round of a cycle, or if a return to the plan-making cycle is required as a result of unexpected events. This model for planning under uncertainty is illustrated by describing how the plan implementing cycle could be applied in the study area. The case for choosing Eagle Ridge as the experimental site is stated and a site plan and monitoring programme is described. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

No description available.

Few wildlife-associated recreation models have examined the contributions of wildlife to recreation experiences. In this study, a mail questionnaire was used to examine the wildlife experiences enjoyed by hunters, birders, environmentalists, wildlife professionals, and forestry professionals. In addition, the study also compared the surveyed groups' socioeconomic characteristics, recreation activities, and organizational affiliations, as well as their perceptions concerning approaches to wildlife management, habitat issues, and the social values attributed to wildlife. While responses often differed according to populations, the surveyed groups enjoyed many of the same wildlife watching experiences and, if they hunted, many of the same hunting experiences. The subjects' outdoor recreation activities and organizational affiliations suggested that the populations' interests in wildlife varied according to primary/secondary- and consumptive/nonconsumptive-orientation. Groups sometimes viewed the social values attributed to wildlife differently, but ecological value of wildlife and the value of wildlife to the enjoyment of future generations were important to all groups surveyed. The social values important to subjects personally sometimes differed from the values they believed justified tax expenditures. Generally, both professional groups agreed with use of five wildlife management approaches, but viewed forest habitat issues differently. The user groups were divided about the use of hunting and timber harvesting to help manage some wildlife species and about the adequacy of forest lands in the Southeast U.S. to meet the needs of some species. The professional groups had similar socioeconomic backgrounds. User groups varied according to age, sex, community type, education, and occupation; however, the user groups had similar household incomes. / Master of Science