Campsite & Recreation Site Management

1. This document is contained within the Visitor Use Management Toolbox on Wilderness.net. Since other related resources found in this toolbox may be of interest, you can visit this toolbox by visiting the following URL: http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=toolboxes&sec=vum. All toolboxes are products of the Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center.

2. Campsite & Recreation Site Management Jeff Marion, Unit Leader/Scientist Virginia Tech Field Unit, USGS, Patuxent WRC jmarion@vt.edu, 540-231-6603

3. Presentation Objectives • Describe campsite/recreation site design and construction strategies, including: • Select resistant sites • Construct resistant sites • Provide facilities that reduce impacts • Describe campsite/recreation management strategies, including: • Maintain sites to contain impacts • Manage visitors to reduce impacts • Review alternative camping management strategies.

4. Rock Sand/gravel Grasses Select Resistant Sites Organic litter

5. Topography Rockiness Dense Vegetation Select Resistant Sites Select campsites that resist expansion due to:

6. Cut and fill work on slopes Create raised tent pads Place fill in rocky terrain Construct Resistant Sites Use site engineering to contain site expansion:

7. Campsite Construction – Flat Terrain Campsite Signpost Ice-berg Rocks

8. Campsite Construction – Sloping Terrain

9. Excavation Stone Cribbing Fill Campsite Construction – Sloping Terrain Side-hill Campsites 10 x 12 Campsite w/3 tent pads

10. Side-hill Campsites

11. Backcountry Campgrounds • Side-hill campsites in sloping terrain with individual tentpads • Separated from the shelter and each other with individual access trails to promote solitude • Trail layout avoids creation of additional water access trails • Variable number of tent sites for different group sizes Creek Appalachian Trail Shelter Toilet Bear Bag Cable Sign orienting visitors to the camping area Shelter Access Trail Tent sites

12. Campfire Rings Toilets Shelters Provide Facilities That Reduce Impacts

13. Stock Hitching Facilities Tent Platform Picnic Tables Provide Facilities That Reduce Impact

14. Improve Tent Pad Sites Reinforce Eroding Spots Restore Unnecessary Areas Maintain Sites To Contain Impacts

15. Rocks Embedded Logs Maintain Sites To Contain Impacts Create Site Borders:

16. Manage Visitors to Reduce Impacts • Promote Leave No Trace Practices • Establish Regulations

17. Leave No Trace (LNT)Outdoor Skills and Ethics A National Education Program Designed to Teach Stewardship, Land Ethics, and Outdoor Skills For more information: 1-800-332-4100 or www.LNT.org

18. Use Established Sites in High-Use Areas Concentrate activities within disturbed areas Use Pristine Sites in Remote Areas Disperse activities Avoid permanent disturbance Promote Leave No Trace Practices

19. Prohibit Axes, Saws, or Campfires Designate Campsites Require Permits or Reservations Establish Regulations

20. Establish Regulations Regulating Groups: Restrict Groups to Group Sites Require Reservations for Groups Limit Group Sizes

21. Campsite Impact Management StrategiesDispersal vs. Containment Containment (Concentration) Total Change (%) Dispersal Nights/Year (#)

22. . Containment . b a Unregulated Camping 1 campsite 45 nights/yr Close 2 campsites Dispersal Impact is minimized by closing two campsites and tripling use on the third. Impact increases on third site from “a” to “b” but aggregate impact is reduced from (3 x a) to (1 x b). . . . 3 campsites each w/15 nights/yr 45 sites, each w/1 night/yr 15 45 Rationale for Dispersal & Containment StrategiesUse/Impact Relationship Total Change (%) Nights/Year (#)

23. Camping Management Strategies Four Standard Strategies: • Area Closure to Camping • At-Large (Unregulated) Camping • Dispersed Camping • Established/Designated Site Camping (Containment)

24. Site Closure Area Closure Backcountry Closure Camping Management StrategiesArea Closure to Camping Visitors are restricted from camping in sensitive resource areas or in areas that are too close to developed areas, trails, water resources, or attraction features.

25. Cultural sites Sensitive wildlife habitats R,T&E species Closures

26. Open to camping Closed to camping Camping Management StrategiesAt-Large (Unregulated) Camping Camping is unregulated: visitors may camp in any location they choose. Advantages: Maximizes visitor freedom in site selection. Disadvantages: Jeopardizes visitor solitude and resource protection at higher use levels.

27. At-Large (Unregulated) Camping Problems: Poor site selection Social - too close to other sites Resource - fragile rather than resistant Campsite expansion Campsite proliferation

28. Total Dispersal Point Dispersal Lineal Dispersal Camping Management StrategiesDispersed Camping Visitors are instructed to camp on the most resistant surfaces available that show no obvious signs of previous camping use. Dispersal from popular areas may also be promoted to reduce problems with crowding or conflicts.

29. Camping Management StrategiesDispersed Camping Advantages: Provides greater visitor freedom in site selection and promotes solitude. When successful, avoids impact by dispersing use to a level that prevents formation of permanent campsites. Disadvantages: Visitors tend to resist dispersing very far. Considerable off-trail searching may be necessary to locate an appropriate site. Selecting, using, and renaturalizing a pristine site requires greater knowledge and effort.

30. Camping Management StrategiesDispersed Camping Why Resource Dispersal Is Often Ineffective: Park Environment - Limited flat land or resistant surfaces. Park Management - Restrictions on camping close to trails or water resources may prevent use of the most available flat land. Visitors not instructed to use only pristine sites or Leave No Trace camping practices. Insufficient visitor education. Park Visitors- Visitors may not want to disperse far from trails, water, or other groups. Visitors may lack or fail to apply LNT knowledge.

31. Designated Existing Sites Areas Camping Management StrategiesCamping Containment Visitors are encouraged or required to camp on existing sites or within designated areas. Sites or areas may be selected for their environmental resistance and/or to promote visitor solitude.

32. Camping Management StrategiesCamping Containment Options: Established Sites-Visitors are required to use existing “established” campsites. Managers close and rehabilitate sites that fail to meet minimum criteria for environmental resistance and/or distance to trails, water, other sites, etc. Advantages:Retains some visitor freedom in site selection and ensures solitude. Minimizes area of disturbance and aggregate impact more than an “at-large” camping strategy. Disadvantages:Permits more sites and greater impact than under designated site camping. Visitors may create new sites or camp on closed sites.

33. Camping Management StrategiesCamping Containment Options: Designated Sites-Visitors are required to use only designated campsites. The minimum number of sites needed for a specified level of overnight visitation are selected, based on their environmental resistance and solitude potential. Sites that fail to meet criteria or are unnecessary are closed to use. Advantages:Minimizes resource impacts while maximizing visitor solitude. Disadvantages:Restricts freedom in campsite selection, sites will become highly altered.

34. Shenandoah National Park (New) Designated Existing campsites campsites Dispersal and closure within designated areas Camping Management StrategiesMulti-Strategy Examples