RECREATION ECOLOGY: WHAT WE KNOW, WHAT GEOGRAPHERS CAN CONTRIBUTE∗

∗I am grateful for the helpful comments of Katherine Hansen-Bristow on an early draft of this paper.

Abstract

Geographers have made substantial contributions to the field of recreation ecology, the study of recreational impacts on the environment, despite the absence of a uniquely geographic perspective. Knowledge about recreation impact is still rudimentary and open to further contributions by geographers. Three areas where geographic methods seem particularly useful are (1) understanding the spatial variability of site susceptibility, (2) analyzing spatial distributions of impact, and (3) integrating social and ecological concerns in the development of management programs.

Key words:

• recreation impact
• site susceptibility
• spatial distribution
• recreation ecology

Notes

∗I am grateful for the helpful comments of Katherine Hansen-Bristow on an early draft of this paper.

This article is a work of the US government. Copyright is not claimed.