Jeff Marion, Ph.D.
Jeff is a Research Biologist at the Eastern Ecological Science Center at Blacksburg, VA.
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.
Professional Experience
8/97-2001 - DOI, U.S. Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Title: Research Biologist Duties: Unit Leader for the PWRC Virginia Tech Field Station. Conducted recreation ecology research to evaluate visitor impacts to protected natural areas.
11/94-7/97 - DOI, National Biological Survey, Div. of Cooperative Research, Blacksburg, VA Title: Research Biologist Duties: Unit Leader, Cooperative Park Studies Unit. Conducted recreation ecology research.
6/85-10/94 - DOI, National Park Service, Mid-Atlantic Region Title: Research Biologist Duty Stations: 1) Virginia Tech; Blacksburg, VA and 2) Delaware Water Gap NRA; Milford, PA Dates: 1) 10/89-10/94 2) 6/85-9/89 Duties: Unit Leader, Cooperative Park Studies Unit (when at VT). Conducted recreation ecology research.
12/84-5/85 - University of Wisconsin, Park, Recreation & Resource Management program, River Falls, WI Title: Assistant Professor
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Recreation Resources Management, 3/82-7/84, Univ. of Minnesota - Forest Resources
M.S. Recreation Resources Management, 9/80-3/82, Univ. of Minnesota - Forest Resources
Environmental Science, 9/79-6/80, Duke University - School of the Environment (transferred)
B.A. Biology, 9/75-6/79, Wittenberg University
Science and Products
Wildlife feeding in parks: methods for monitoring the effectiveness of educational interventions and wildlife food attraction behaviors
Exploring visitor acceptability for hardening trails to sustain visitation and minimize impacts
Environmental Impacts of mountain biking: Science review and best practices
Minimising visitor impacts to protected areas: The efficacy of low impact education programmes
Enhancing the interpretation of stated choice analysis through the application of a verbal protocol assessment
Recreation monitoring at Acadia National Park
Visitor evaluations of management actions at a highly impacted Appalachian Trail camping area
Frontcountry recreation site and trail conditions: Haleakala National Park: Research Report
Assessing and Understanding Trail Degradation: Results from Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area
Science and Products
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Wildlife feeding in parks: methods for monitoring the effectiveness of educational interventions and wildlife food attraction behaviors
Opportunities to view and interact with wildlife are often an important part of high quality recreational experiences. Such interactions frequently include wildlife feeding, resulting in food-conditioned behaviors that may cause harm to both wildlife and visitors. This study developed and applied efficient protocols for simultaneously evaluating wildlife feeding-related behaviors of visitors andAuthorsJeffrey L. Marion, Robert G. Dvorak, Robert E. ManningExploring visitor acceptability for hardening trails to sustain visitation and minimize impacts
Protected natural area managers are challenged to provide high quality recreation opportunities and ensure the protection of resources from impacts associated with visitation. Development of visitor use facilities and application of site hardening practices are commonly applied tools for achieving these competing management objectives. This study applies stated choice analysis to examine visitorAuthorsK.L. Cahill, J. L. Marion, S.R. LawsonEnvironmental Impacts of mountain biking: Science review and best practices
No abstract available.AuthorsJ. L. Marion, J. WimpeyMinimising visitor impacts to protected areas: The efficacy of low impact education programmes
Protected area managers, tourism providers, and other organisations commonly employ education programmes to address visitation-related impairment of natural and cultural resources, social conditions, and neighbouring communities. These programmes have different names (Leave No Trace, Codes of Conduct, Environmental Guidelines for Tourists) but share common objectives: to sustain opportunities forAuthorsJ. L. Marion, S. E. ReidEnhancing the interpretation of stated choice analysis through the application of a verbal protocol assessment
A stated choice survey was employed to evaluate the relative importance of resource, social, and management attributes by asking visitors to select preferred configurations of these attributes. A verbal protocol assessment was added to consider how respondents interpret and respond to stated choice questions applied to hikers of a popular trail at Acadia National Park. Results suggest that visitorAuthorsK.L. Cahill, J. L. Marion, S.R. LawsonRecreation monitoring at Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park is one of the most intensively used national parks in the United States. While its annual visitation (2.2 million visits in 2004) does not rise to the levels of some of the “crown jewel” western national parks (Yellowstone National Park, for example, accommodated 2.9 million visits in 2004), visits to Acadia are concentrated on its comparatively small size of less than 50,000AuthorsRobert Manning, Charles Jacobi, Jeffrey L. MarionVisitor evaluations of management actions at a highly impacted Appalachian Trail camping area
Protected area management involves balancing environmental and social objectives. This is particularly difficult at high-use/high-impact recreation sites, because resource protection objectives may require substantial site management or visitor regulation. This study examined visitors? reactions to both of these types of actions at Annapolis Rocks, Maryland, a popular Appalachian Trail camping aAuthorsM.L. Daniels, J. L. MarionFrontcountry recreation site and trail conditions: Haleakala National Park: Research Report
No abstract available.AuthorsJeffrey L. Marion, K.A. HockettAssessing and Understanding Trail Degradation: Results from Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area
This report describes results from a comprehensive assessment of resource conditions on a large (24%) sample of the trail system within Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area (BSF). Components include research to develop state-of-knowledge trail impact assessment and monitoring methods, application of survey methods to BSF trails, analysis and summary of results, and recommendationsAuthorsJ. L. Marion, N. Olive - News