Recreational carrying capacities: a review and an application in an intensively used recreational area

Date
1980
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Abstract
Two distinct research topics are dealt with in this thesis. The first is a review of literature pertaining to the study of recreational carrying capacities. The key determinants of management, user, and ecological conditions are detailed and a number of more general perspec­tives and ramifications are discussed. Material concerning water-oriented recreational resources is reviewed separately to emphasize special considerations arising from the nature of the medium. The second research topic involves a study of the characteristics of recreationists at an intensively used water-oriented recreational resource in central Alberta. A randomly distributed questionnaire schedule elicited information about users' socio-economic characteristics and attitudes and perceptions of a broad range of subjects and conditions. Data from the 257 usable returned questionnaires (response rate, 54%) are analysed by means of frequency counts; chi-square tests are used to ascertain the existence of relationships between selected variables; and in one instance a cluster analysis is used to identify similar attitudinal response groupings toward a number of specified recreational activities. Results showed that while visitors to the intensively used recreational resource differed substantially from the well documented characteristics of users of wilderness environments according to various indices, numerous findings complemented the results of several studies conducted in widely disparate kinds of areas. It is contended that it is imperative for managers of all recreational resources to address the carrying capacity concept, as despite the fact that it is not operational, valuable information of direct utility in planning and management decision making is obtainable; that this information can provide a far superior foundation upon which to make decisions that are democratic, justifiable, and capable of withstanding scrutiny than measures which are commonly employed at present; and that the concept is as applicable to intensively used recreational resources as it is to wilderness environments.
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Bibliography: p. 326-350.
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Citation
Dyson, I. W. (1980). Recreational carrying capacities: a review and an application in an intensively used recreational area (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/14130
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