
filed under: conservation
From Science to Application
Leave No Trace educational techniques.
Presenter: Ben Lawhon, Education Director, Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics
Leave No Trace has become a prominent educational technique used to curb inappropriate or depreciative behaviors amongst park and protected area visitors. Over the past 15 years, much of the research on Leave No Trace has focused on recreation ecology and the ecological importance of Leave No Trace principles: What are the best ways to convey Leave No Trace principles to visitors? What are the most effective messages used to alter visitor behavior? How effective do visitors think Leave No Trace Principles are in curbing impacts?
This research investigated the influence of several use-related, environmental, and managerial factors on soil loss on recreational trails and roads at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, a unit of the U.S. National Park Service.
All-Terrain Vehicle Sustainability Assessments
The sustainable management of ATV use is an expensive proposition requiring careful design, construction, and maintenance of ATV trails.
This research assessed the condition and sustainability of the trail system at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, a National Park Service unit that partners with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in the management of this unit.
The Influence of Layout on Appalachian Trail Soil Loss, Widening, and Muddiness
This research investigates the influence of layout and design on the severity of trail degradation.