Studies

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published Jun 2018

Outdoor Participation Report 2018

by Outdoor Foundation

A participant in outdoor recreation is defined as an individual who took part in one or more of 42 outdoor activities at least once during 2017.


published Dec 1999

Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express National Historic Trails Comprehensive Management and Use Plan / Final Environmental Impact Statement

by National Park Service

This Comprehensive Management and Use Plan / Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express National Historic Trails is shaped, in part, by the planning requirements found in section 5(f) of the National Trails System Act. It focuses on the trails’ purpose and significance, issues and concerns related to current conditions along the trails, resource protection, visitor experience and use, and long-term administrative and management objectives. Elements of the proposed plan have been developed in cooperation with federal, state, and local agencies, as well as nonprofit trails organizations — the entities that form the core of any partnership for national historic trails.


published Dec 2017

Old Spanish National Historic Trail

by Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service

The strategy described here provides guidance for the administration of the entire trail and a vision to be fulfilled through future, specific resources studies, and site and segment management plans. Much of the basis for the “Comprehensive Administrative Strategy” was developed during the earlier comprehensive management plan efforts.


published Aug 2010

Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express National Historic Trails Long-Range Interpretive Plan

by National Park Service

This plan provides broad-based policies, guidelines, and standards for administering the four trails to ensure the protection of trail resources, their interpretation, and their continued use. Subsequent planning efforts tier off of the Comprehensive Management and Use Plan and provide more detailed recommendations and guidance. Among the many recommendations in the Comprehensive Management and Use Plan is one calling for a trails-wide interpretive plan.


published Jan 2012

The Economic Impact of the South Dakota Snowmobiling Industry

by University of South Dakota

South Dakota’s snowmobile trail system is maintained without any contribution from general fund dollars, but brings substantial economic activity into the state. This study estimates the magnitude of that economic activity and its effect on the overall state economy.


published Jun 2017

Economic Impact and Importance of Snowmobiling in Idaho

by Department of Economics, Boise State University

Snowmobiling provides a major recreational opportunity in Idaho given the State’s climatic conditions and mountainous terrain. In addition to the enjoyment provided by snowmobiling, it generates significant impacts in terms of employment and economic activity in many counties and for the State as a whole. In order to estimate the economic importance of snowmobiling in Idaho, the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR) contracted with the Department of Economics at Boise State University (BSU) to perform this study of snowmobiling on a county by- county basis and statewide.


published Jul 2014

Montana Recreational Snowmobiles

by Bureau of Business and Economic Research, University of Montana

The Bureau of Business and Economic Research’s most recent surveys suggest that about 8 percent of the state's households include snowmobile recreationists. Nearly always, the whole family participates. With an average household size of about 2.5, perhaps as many as 100,000 Montanans participate in the sport each winter.


published Dec 2015

Best Management Practices for Adaptive Trail Grooming

by American Council of Snowmobile Assns. (ACSA)

Trail grooming has changed significantly since initial trails and grooming programs were established decades ago. Snowmobile tourism has grown, bringing higher user expectations and requirements. At the same time trail grooming equipment and operating costs have also increased dramatically compared to costs in previous decades. Consequently grooming management in today’s operating atmosphere requires more adaptive approaches to be most responsive to increased needs, expectations, and costs.


published Dec 2006

Evaluation of ATV Use On Groomed Snowmobile Trails

The growth in ATV numbers has driven a desire for more places to operate them recreationally on trails. In some areas of the Snowbelt this has led to a growing interest for ATV operation on groomed snowmobile trails during the winter season. This can be a challenge for land and trail managers.


published Sep 2014

Assessment of Tracked OHV Use on Groomed Snowmobile Trails

by American Council of Snowmobile Assns. (ACSA)

Many snowmobile trail managers are facing new management challenges related to OHV use that have been evolving over the past ten to fifteen years. This evolution has included significant growth in overall OHV numbers, the addition of wider side-by-side utility vehicles (UTVs), and some OHVs now being equipped with tracks. Consequently a growing number of local administrators must evaluate what’s best for their local area: continuing to provide only ‘single use’ motorized trails for snowmobiles – or integrating concurrent snowmobile/OHV use onto some groomed trails.