Whitewater Boater and Angler Conflict, Crowding and Satisfaction on the North Umpqua River, Oregon

Abstract

User satisfaction has frequently been used to evaluate outdoor recreationists’ quality of the experience. Similarly, recreational conflict has been important in previous literature as an approach to providing for a better understanding of conflict. This article examined potential conflict between whitewater boaters and anglers on the North Umpqua River. Our goal was to test the influence of ingroup and outgroup conflict and perceived crowding on trip satisfaction. Two multiple regression analyses found that the overall trip satisfaction of boaters and anglers was negatively influenced by perceived crowding. There was very little conflict intensity, and the zoning approach seemed to minimize in- and outgroup conflict. In this case the river is seen as a well-managed river recreation setting.

Keywords:

• ingroup and outgroup conflict
• perceived crowding
• river recreation
• satisfaction