To Improve Visitor Use Management on Public Lands

1. Working Across Agency Lines To Improve Visitor Use Management on Public Lands Working Across Agency Lines

2. Presentation Overview • Key Terms and Concepts • Update on the Interagency Visitor Use Management Council (the council) • Recommendations on Capacity Legal Requirements • Overview of Visitor Use Management Plans Working Across Agency Lines

3. Visitor Use Management Process for managing all characteristics of visitor use and settings • Sustain resource conditions and visitor experiences • Variety of strategies and tools • Education • Site management • Regulation • Enforcement • Rationing/allocation

4. Visitor Capacity • Subcomponent of visitor use management • Maximum amounts and types of visitor use that an area can accommodate • while sustaining desired resource conditions and visitor experiences 4

5. Importance of Visitor Use Management Proactively planning for visitor use maximizes the ability of agencies to encourage access and protect resources and values The Importance of and Challenges with Visitor Use Management and Visitor Capacity

6. The Challenge of Implementation Inconsistent and inadequate implementation of VUM and capacity methodologies across the agencies: • Not meeting agencies’ missions • Reduced accountability • Confusion in the field • Inability to demonstrate success • Litigation The Importance of and Challenges with Visitor Use Management and Visitor Capacity

7. The Interagency Visitor Use Management Council • Mission: • Provide guidance on long-term visitor use management policies and give direction on the most pressing needs by building technical competencies and improving interagency coordination. Working Across Agency Lines

8. Expected Outcomes • Consistent guidance across agencies • Professional and scientific approach to managing visitor use • Increased communication and collaboration • Cost savings and improved efficiency • More defensible decision-making The Interagency Visitor Use Management Council (IVUMC)

9. Work Plan Establish guidance directives Develop tools Conduct training Communicate effectively Build institutional capacity The Interagency Visitor Use Management Council (IVUMC)

10. Highlights for 2012 - 2013 • Developing consistent terminology and a framework for agency decision-making processes -- on review in 2013 • Integrating guidance into on-going projects • Developing separate “how-to” guidebooks for: • the visitor use management framework • visitor capacity • visitor capacity for wild and scenic rivers • indicators and thresholds The Interagency Visitor Use Management Council (IVUMC)

11. Highlights for 2012 – 2013 (Continued) • Preparing a clearinghouse of visitor use management information -- available on a council website in 2013 • Prepared a communications plan and organized an outreach team • Recruited over 20 volunteers to support the council’s work • Coordinating with the Federal Interagency Council on Outdoor Recreation • Coordinating with related agency programs and councils The Interagency Visitor Use Management Council (IVUMC)

12. Council Position Paper • Shift focus from narrow concept of visitor capacity to the broader concept of visitor use management • Key terms are consistently defined across agencies • Presents a visitor use management framework to be integrated into agency decision making processes -- using a sliding scale approach • Specific guidance for applicable legal requirements re: capacity • Wild and Scenic Rivers • NPS General Management Plans • National Scenic and National Historic Trails (under development) The Interagency Visitor Use Management Council (IVUMC)

13. Specific Direction for Wild and Scenic Rivers • Comprehensive River Management Plans must include visitor capacities • Maximum number of people that can be received without adversely impacting outstandingly remarkable values • Must manage use within the capacities • Management decisions in the plan • Ongoing projects: Merced River, Snake River, Virgin River The Interagency Visitor Use Management Council (IVUMC)

14. Specific Direction for Wild and Scenic Rivers • Acknowledge the adaptive nature & describe adjustment process The Interagency Visitor Use Management Council (IVUMC)

15. Direction for National Scenic and Historic Trails A Comprehensive Plan mustprovide for the acquisition, management, development, and use of the trail, including but not limited to, the following items: Specific objectives and practices to be observed in the management of the trail, including the identification of all significant natural, historical, and cultural resources to be preserved..., details of any anticipated cooperative agreements..., and an identified carrying capacity of the trail and a plan for its implementation; An acquisition or protection plan..., along with detailed explanation of anticipated necessary cooperative agreements for any lands not to be acquired; and General and site-specific development plans including anticipated costs. The Interagency Visitor Use Management Council (IVUMC)

16. QUESTIONS?