Work

Enhancing visitor use management in parks and protected areas through qualitative research

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Applied research aims to generate knowledge that can be used to improve policy and practice. In the field of visitor use management (VUM), researchers and park managers seek to generate knowledge regarding specific dimensions of visitor experiences within and across parks and other kinds of protected areas. A wide variety of management-centric questions are addressed through VUM research. In this article, we argue that to answer such questions, VUM researchers and managers can use qualitative methods (independent of or coupled with quantitative methods) to deepen our knowledge about visitor experiences while improving visitor use management policies and practices. We present current qualitative research designed to aid in the management of parks, and future directions for qualitative inquiry. Existing qualitative research and future possibilities call to expand our collective understanding of what kind of knowledge “counts” in VUM research.

Source: Parks Stewardship Forum

DOI: 10.5070/p5.35446

Authors: Jeff Rose, Chris Zajchowski, Jessica Fefer, Matthew T.J. Brownlee

Institutions: University of Utah, University of Idaho, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Clemson University

Language: English

Topic: Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $100

OpenAlex ID: W4402595712