| Description |
Ecological and social impacts from recreational use may influence the quality of outdoor recreation experiences and the sustainability of recreation resources. Campsites are an important outdoor recreation resource where social and ecological impacts are often highly concentrated. Effective recreation resource management, particularly in high-use popular outdoor recreation areas, requires understanding current ecological conditions, and users' perceptions of those conditions. However, as a management and research community, we continue to be unclear about two fundamental concepts related to users' perceptions of campsite conditions: 1) how place attachment and motivations for use influence campers' evaluations of ecological impacts, namely the acceptability of campsite conditions, and 2) how the presence of litter (relative to other ecological impacts) influences those evaluations of campsite conditions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationships between place attachment, motivations for use, the presence of litter, and campers' evaluations of campsite conditions. Using a Normative Approach and visual methods, the researcher administered a questionnaire to campers (n=234) in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest (Utah). Results indicate that place dependence and motivations for use did not influence campers' evaluations of site conditions, but campers who reported that litter more negatively influenced their experience also reported lower levels of acceptability with degraded site conditions. Furthermore, as campers' place identity increased, their acceptability of conditions also increased. These findings convey that place attachment and motivations for use may not substantially influence campers' judgment regarding conditions, but the presence of litter is potentially highly influential. |
