Predicting physical distancing on recreational trails during COVID-19.

The emergence of Coronavirus 19 led to societal and behavioral changes, including intensified use of many public parks and trails for mental respite and leisure time physical activity. As visitors sought stress-relief in the great outdoors, they also encountered stressful situations as they navigated risk exposure. Recommendations to physically distance between parties was a key component to reduce risk, but compliance is unknown in the outdoor arena. This observational study of more than 10 000 trail user encounters documented distancing and enabled predictive analysis that revealed wider trails, smaller groups and signage led to greater distancing compliance. Managers and planners can integrate these findings immediately and in consideration of future trail designs to minimize risk exposure. Management implications: Select site features increase odds of distancing compliance and can inform management decisions and designs immediately and in addressing future use surges: wider trails, unpaved surfaces, and COVID-19 signage.As distancing compliance waned with time but signage increased compliance, innovative and dynamic signs may sustain compliance and multi-media communications should be considered.Both activity size and group type influence distancing so considering group size recommendations and activity separation are in order.

Effects of weather factors on recreation participation in a humid subtropical region.

This study examines effects of weather, temporal factors, and gasoline price on outdoor recreation participation by using a time series model. We obtained more than 5 years of daily outdoor recreation visitation data by using infrared mechanical counters on a section of the Florida National Scenic Trail (FNST). Results showed that days with daily maximum temperatures of 16-22 °C brought the largest number of visitors, which suggests this is the most comfortable range of daily maximum temperatures to recreate on the FNST. Daily maximum temperatures below 6 °C and above 31 °C and heat index values above 38 °C brought significantly lower visitor numbers, suggesting these values are temperature thresholds for this region in a recreation context. A seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average model showed significant negative effects of temperature, relative humidity, cold snaps, and gasoline price and a positive effect of weekends and public holidays on recreational visitations to this trail. Days with heavy rainfall (> 2.54 cm) or a high heat index (≥ 35 °C) were likely to negatively affect recreation participation not only on the same day, but also on the next normal weather day. These findings imply that managers of facilities that need staffing and other resources should expect to receive fewer visitors on days following adverse weather conditions, even if that day has normal weather conditions.

Experiential benefits, place meanings, and environmental setting preferences between proximate and distant visitors to a national scenic trail.

Effective management of conserved natural areas often requires a good understanding of recreation visitors who possess various values for those areas. This study examined differences in experiential benefits sought, place meanings, and environmental setting preferences between proximate and distant visitors to a publicly managed national scenic trail, which transects a variety of conserved public lands. Data were collected using on-site post-hike interviews with visitors at low, moderate, and high use trailheads. Proximate visitors sought mental and physical health more strongly than distant visitors, while distant visitors sought environmental exploration more strongly than proximate visitors. No significant difference in family bonding and achievement benefits existed between the two groups. Meanings related to place dependence, family identity, community identity, and place identity were more strongly ascribed by proximate visitors, and both groups rated ecological integrity meanings highly. Distant visitors showed stronger tendencies toward preferring a lesser level of trail development, lower level of encounters with other groups, and higher level of natural landscapes, which indicated an inclination toward natural settings. These findings indicate a managerially relevant role of the degree of proximity to environmental resources on individuals' recreation behaviors, meanings ascribed to the resources and setting conditions. Understanding differences and similarities between groups dichotomized by proximity to natural resources should advance more effective management of recreation and benefit opportunities for diverse visitor groups.

Identification of environmental, managerial, and sociodemographic correlates of hiker volume on the Florida National Scenic Trail.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the association of environmental, managerial, and sociodemographic variables with hiker volume on the Florida National Scenic Trail. DESIGN: Monthly hiker count data from 43 count stations along the Florida National Scenic Trail were used. For each station the characteristics of the built and natural environment as well as sociodemographic variables were computed within a Geographic Information System based on census, land use, and land cover data, together with managerial data. SETTING: Counts were performed on access points of the Florida National Scenic Trail located between the panhandle area in the northwest and the Everglades in the south. SUBJECTS: A total of 34,734 hikers were counted across the 43 stations over 12-month periods for years 2003-2004 and 2008-2009. MEASURES: Hiker volume was measured through infrared counters and registration cards at trail access points. ANALYSIS: A negative binomial regression with monthly hiker counts as response variable. RESULTS: Positive associations with hiker volume were observed for (population density per hectare) 2 (ß â€Š=  .207, p < .02), residential areas (ß â€Š=  .041, p < .0003), household income between $25,000 and $49,999 (ß â€Š=  .266, p < .0001), household income between $50,000 and $99,999 (ß â€Š=  .135, p < .0001), open water (ß â€Š=  .135, p < .0001), and station kilometers north (ß â€Š=  .003, p < .0001). Negative associations with hiker volume were observed for age <18 (ß â€Š=  -.305, p < .0001) and presence of trail fees (ß â€Š=  -.583, p < .0001). Positive and negative associations were observed for different categories in categorical variables including prominent vegetation type (p < .0001), trail management agency (p < .0001), and month (p < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: The correlates should be considered for the design, planning, and promotion of hiking trails in publicly managed areas to increase hiker volume.

Identifying differences between off-highway vehicle (OHV) and non-OHV user groups for recreation resource planning.

Off-highway vehicle (OHV) riding is among the fastest growing recreational activities in the United States. However, little research exists about the central components of outcomes-focused management (OFM) as it relates to motorized recreation. Utilizing a two-activity dichotomy, OHV and non-OHV centric user groups were compared on several key concepts associated with OFM, including desired experiences, perceived and desired recreation opportunity spectrum-type settings, and intentional behaviors (i.e., place-protective behavior, spending-time intentions) toward potential changes in settings. Results indicated that the two groups were different in terms of intensity and relative rankings of their perceived experiences and settings. Although both groups preferred social bonding, stress relief, nostalgia and learning experiences, the OHV user group ranked using equipment and achieving physical fitness experiences as more important than the non-OHV group. The non-OHV user group preferred enjoying nature and solitude/tranquility experiences more strongly than the OHV user group. Further analysis found that both groups perceived settings that they recreated in to be pristine and preferred such conditions, and both groups preferred moderate levels of rules and regulations. Finally, the OHV user group was more reactive to rules and regulations, while the non-OHV user group expressed stronger intentions to protect the environmental quality of recreation areas. The results suggest that planners and managers who understand OHV user's perceptions and behaviors could provide enhanced recreation opportunities potentially providing additional beneficial outcomes for motorized and non-motorized groups in spatially different zones. Additional implications for planners and managers and future studies are discussed.

Valuing nature-based recreation in public natural areas of the Apalachicola River region, Florida.

As more people visit natural areas for tourism and recreation purposes, it is becoming increasingly important to understand the value they place on these natural resources. Specifically, tourists to Florida have been increasingly interested in visiting natural areas, forests, parks, and preserves-highlighting the importance of this new and growing phenomenon. We analyze visitors' demand for nature-based recreation in the Apalachicola River region of Florida using the travel cost method. The results from a count data regression model reveal that on average visitors would pay 74.18 dollars per visit-day for nature-based recreation resulting in a total economic value of 484.56 million dollars attributable to nature-based recreation in the Apalachicola River region. Results of this study provide useful information for natural resources management in the region and a rationale to preserve Florida's unique ecosystems.