Jeff Marion, Ph.D.
Biography
Jeff Marion grew up exploring the woods, streams, and caves of Kentucky, developing strong interests in nature study and high adventure outdoor activities. One of four Eagle Scouts in his family, he served for five summers at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, teaching backpacking and climbing skills. Coursework in biology, ecology, and geology at Wittenberg University led to a B.S. in Biology (1979), and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Recreation Resources Management from the University of Minnesota (1982/84). Graduate studies focused on recreation ecology research, combining strong personal interests in the ecological sciences with his continuing passion for outdoor recreational pursuits, particularly backpacking, climbing, caving, and canoeing. His doctoral research measured camping-associated environmental impacts in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to investigate relationships between biophysical impacts, amount ofuse, and plant community, soil, and ecological classifications.
Following a year teaching park management at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls campus (1984-85), Dr. Marion was employed as a Research Biologist with the National Park Service, Mid-Atlantic Region, duty-stationed at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Initial studies focused on visitor impact and carrying capacity research for rivers within three of the Region’s parks. In 1989, his duty station moved to Blacksburg, Virginia, where he established a Cooperative Park Studies Unit in the College of Natural Resources, Virginia Tech. Initial research focused on studies of campsite impacts and monitoring protocols at Shenandoah, Great Smoky Mountains, and Big Bend National Parks. In 1994, he was moved to the National Biological Survey and in 1997, to the U.S. Geological Survey, though he remained at Virginia Tech as Unit Leader of a Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Field Station.
At Virginia Tech, he is an Adjunct Professor in the Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation Department, where he works with graduate students in conducting his program of recreation ecology research. Studies have expanded to include a current focus on formal and informal trails, visitor impacts to cliffs, and the efficacy of management actions designed to avoid or minimize visitor impacts. Most studies are funded by the National Park Service but studies have also been conducted on National Forests, Fish and Wildlife Refuges, and in Central and South American protected natural areas that serve as ecotourism destinations.
A founding member of the Board of Directors of Leave No Trace and Chair of the LNT Educational Review Committee for ten years, he helped develop Leave No Trace principles, practices, educational materials, and courses. He is the author of the national Leave No Trace program's offical book: "Leave No Trace in the Outdoors," endorsed by the federal land management agencies His active involvement with this work continues and was extended to the Boy Scouts of America in 2001 with participation on a BSA Task Group to incorporate Leave No Trace practices throughout their Fieldbook and Handbook, and in 2006 as a founding member of their Leave No Trace Task Force, which assists the BSA in incorporating LNT practices into their publications, outdoor practices, and training courses. He also served as a member of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Stewardship Council (2005-11), serving as Chair of the Trail and Camping Committee.
Publications: Google Scholar listing: http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=h11GExQAAAAJ&hl=en
Education:
- B.A. Biology, 9/75-6/79, Wittenberg University
- Environmental Science, 9/79-6/80, Duke University - School of the Environment (transferred)
- M.S. Recreation Resources Management, 9/80-3/82, Univ. of Minnesota - Forest Resources
- Ph.D. Recreation Resources Management, 3/82-7/84, Univ. of Minnesota - Forest Resources
Affiliations: Virginia Tech College of Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation, Recreation Resource Management Program, Full Professor (Adjunct). E-mail: jmarion@vt.edu
Non-Research Affiliations: Founding member of the Leave No Trace (LNT) Board of Directors and Educational Review Committee (former Chair). Active in developing and directing the peer review of LNT educational practices, courses, and educational messaging. Member of the Appalachian Trail Conference Stewardship Council and active in research and visitor impact management consulting with the Appalachian Trail community. Former member, Board of Directors, American Hiking Society. Former Scoutmaster (5 yrs) and current leader of a co-educational Venture Crew (13 yrs).
Recognitions:
William T. Hornaday Natural Resource Conservation Gold Medal Award (2007), Boy Scouts of America, National Office – Scouting’s most selective and prestigious national conservation award, presented by the National BSA Conservation Committee to fewer than 50 individuals since its establishment in 1914. It is presented to a scouting leader who has rendered distinguished and unusual service at the national level to natural resource conservation and environmental improvement over an extended time. “Jeff’s long-term commitment to developing, promoting and teaching Leave No Tracepractices have led many to better respect and responsibly visit our frontcountry, backcountry and wilderness areas. His efforts led to a greater involvement in LNT by scouting through its adoption as an integral part of the national scouting program.” He was also recognized with the Hornaday Gold Badge Award in 2006 for conservation work in his local Scout Council.
Distinguished Service Medal, presented by the Boy Scouts of America for volunteer service to advance Leave No Trace education and training within the BSA. “Dr. Marion has provided 20 years of assistance to the Boy Scouts of America to incorporate Leave No Trace practices and ethics in the Scout Handbook, Scout Fieldbook, Merit Badge pamphlets, and numerous BSA courses. He was a founding and active member of the BSA Leave No Trace Task Force, a national group that guides LNT educational efforts within the BSA.”
Featured in the 2012 Leave No Trace Annual Report for substantial “Member Activism”. Excerpt: “Jeff Marion, recreation ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey … has played a critical role with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics since the organization was formed. A founding Leave No Trace board member and long-standing member of the Center’s Educational Review Committee, Jeff’s research and activism have helped propel Leave No Trace programming.
Boy Scouts of America, Distinguished Staff Alumni Award, Philmont Scout Ranch, 2017. To recognized “distinguished or exceptional personal success or achievement on a national or international level … that brings honor and credit to the legacy of the Philmont staff.” For two decades of service to the national BSA office in guiding the incorporation of Leave No Trace practices to the official BSA Handbook, Fieldbook, Merit Badge pamphlets, websites, courses, and rank requirements.
Science and Products
Sustainably Designed Trails: Recent Recreation Ecology Findings on Design Factors Affecting Soil Loss
The Challenge: Achieving conservation objectives in protected natural areas requires the ability to sustain visitation while avoiding or minimizing adverse environmental impacts. Trails are an essential infrastructure component that limits resource impacts by concentrating use on hardened treads designed and maintained to sustain traffic. This is particularly challenging when visitation is...
Research and Management of Informal (Visitor-Created) Trails in Protected Areas
The Challenge: The proliferation and degradation of visitor-created “informal” trails in protected areas can be a vexing management issue for land managers. Formal trail systems never provide access to all locations required by visitors seeking to engage in a variety of appropriate recreational activities. Traveling off-trail may be necessary to engage in activities such as nature study,...
Assessing Recreational Impact to Cliff Habitats and Rare Plants
The Challenge: The Potomac River Gorge, managed by the National Park Service in Virginia and Maryland, is a highly accessible protected natural area bordered by the intensively developed Washington metro region. The Gorge is biologically rich, with more than 400 occurrences of over 200 rare species. Potomac Gorge receives exceptionally heavy visitation, with nearly two million visitors...
The efficacy of combined educational and site management actions in reducing off-trail hiking in an urban-proximate protected area
Park and protected area managers are tasked with protecting natural environments, a particularly daunting challenge in heavily visited urban-proximate areas where flora and fauna are already stressed by external threats. In this study, an adaptive management approach was taken to reduce extensive off-trail hiking along a popular trail through an...
Hockett, Karen; Marion, Jeff; Leung, Yu-Fai Assessing the influence of sustainable trail design and maintenance on soil loss
Natural-surfaced trail systems are an important infrastructure component providing a means for accessing remote protected natural area destinations. The condition and usability of trails is a critical concern of land managers charged with providing recreational access while preserving natural conditions, and to visitors seeking high quality...
Marion, Jeff; Wimpey, Jeremy A review and synthesis of recreation ecology research findings on visitor impacts to wilderness and protected natural areas
The 50th anniversary of the US Wilderness Act of 1964 presents a worthy opportunity to review our collective knowledge on how recreation visitation affects wilderness and protected natural area resources. Studies of recreation impacts, examined within the recreation ecology field of study, have spanned 80 years and generated more than 1,...
Marion, Jeff; Leung, Yu-Fai; Eagleston, Holly; Burroughs, Kaitlin A review and synthesis of recreation ecology research supporting carrying capacity and visitor use management decisionmaking
Resource and experiential impacts associated with visitation to wilderness and other similar backcountry settings have long been addressed by land managers under the context of “carrying capacity” decisionmaking. Determining a maximum level of allowable use, below which high-quality resource and experiential conditions would be...
Marion, Jeff The swing of it: Hammock camping
Hammock camping is dramatically expanding along the Appalachian Trail and raising both questions and concerns among Trail land managers, club members, and backpackers. This article examines some of the advantages and disadvantages of hammock camping, including resource and social impacts. Some Leave No Trace hammock camping practices are included...
Marion, Jeff Leave no trace in the outdoors
The essential guide for enjoying the outdoors without harming the environment. - Details the seven core principles of Leave No Trace ethics and practices - Covers hiking, campfires, food storage, and personal hygiene - Endorsed by the USDI National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and...
Marion, Jeffrey L. Sustainably connecting children with nature: an exploratory study of nature play area visitor impacts and their management
Parks are developing nature play areas to improve children's health and “connect” them with nature. However, these play areas are often located in protected natural areas where managers must balance recreation with associated environmental impacts. In this exploratory study, we sought to describe these impacts. We also investigated which ages,...
Browning, Matthew H.E.M.; Marion, Jeffrey L.; Gregoire, Timothy G. Indicators and protocols for monitoring impacts of formal and informal trails in protected areas
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...
Marion, Jeffrey L.; Leung, Yu-Fai The science of trail surveys: Recreation ecology provides new tools for managing wilderness trails
Recreation ecology examines the effects of recreation on protected area ecosystems. One core focus of recreation ecology research is trail science, including the development of efficient protocols to assess and monitor the type and severity of resource impacts, analyses to improve knowledge of factors that influence trail conditions, and studies...
Marion, Jeffrey L.; Wimpey, Jeremy F.; Park, Logan O. Revisiting 'Beyond Leave No Trace'
Marion, Jeffrey L.; Lawhon, Ben; Vagias, Wade M.; Newman, Peter
Informal trail monitoring protocols: Denali National Park and Preserve
The National Park Service (NPS) accommodates nearly 300 million visitors per year, visitation that presents managers with substantial challenges at some 394 park units across some 83.6 million acres of protected lands. An increasing number of visitors inevitably contribute negative effects to fragile natural and cultural resources. Such visitation...
Marion, Jeffrey L.; Wimpey, Jeremy A spatial exploration of informal trail networks within Great Falls Park, VA
Informal (visitor-created) trails represent a threat to the natural resources of protected natural areas around the globe. These trails can remove vegetation, displace wildlife, alter hydrology, alter habitat, spread invasive species, and fragment landscapes. This study examines informal and formal trails within Great Falls Park, VA, a sub-unit of...
Wimpey, Jeremy; Marion, Jeffrey L.