how many visitors is too many at arches?

How Many Visitors is Too Many at Arches?

How Many Visitors is Too Many at Arches?•Problem: trampling of fragile soils and

vegetation (microbiotic soil crust); crowding•Strategies: limit use; reduce the impact of use•Practices: zoning; information/education; facility

development/site design/maintenance; law enforcement; rationing/allocation

•Carrying capacity/Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP)

•Two-fold mission of NPS• Increasing use of national parks/Arches National

Park•Arches National Park•Delicate Arch

How Many Visitors is Too Many at Arches?•Ed Abbey•Program of research

▫Indicator of quality: crowding▫Standard of quality: maximum acceptable

level of use (people at one time (PAOT))•Sizing of parking lots/parking regulations•Permit systems for other areas• Information/education: Web site; park

newspaper; film; signs; Visitor Center; interpretive programs; Facebook and Twitter

•Signs and fencing along trails•Monitoring

Arches National Park

1. Formulate management objectives and associated indicators and standards of quality.

2. Monitor indicators of quality.

3. Implement management practices to maintain standards of quality.

Optimal or Preferred Condition

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

1

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0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Number of Groups Encountered Along A Trail Per Day

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Range of Acceptable Conditions

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Minimum Acceptable Condition

Crystallization (Dispersionaround points defining the norm curve)

0 5 7 12 15 21 22 26 36 45 52 63 66 68 78 108-4

-3

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-1

0

1

2

3

4

People at One Time (PAOT)

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gSocial Norm Curve for Delicate Arch