Trails are a common recreation infrastructure in protected areas and their conditions affect the quality of natural resources and visitor experiences. Various trail impact indicators and assessment protocols have been developed in support of monitoring programs, which are often used for management decision-making or as part of visitor capacity management frameworks. This paper reviews common indicators and assessment protocols for three types of trails, surfaced formal trails, unsurfaced formal trails, and informal (visitor-created) trails. Monitoring methods and selected data from three U.S. National Park Service units are presented to illustrate some common trail impact indicators and assessment options.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2011 |
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Title | Indicators and protocols for monitoring impacts of formal and informal trails in protected areas |
Authors | Jeffrey L. Marion, Yu-Fai Leung |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | Journal of Tourism and Leisure Studies |
Index ID | 70005574 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | Patuxent Wildlife Research Center |