Title:

Social conditions, visitor flow & travel simulation model for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (2nd Edition)

Author(s):

Douglas, Mark L.; Sanchez-Trigueros, Fernando; Borrie, William T.; Watson, Alan E.; Christensen, Neal A.

Publication Year:

2020

How to Cite:

These data were collected using funding from the U.S. Government and can be used without additional permissions or fees. If you use these data in a publication, presentation, or other research product please use the following citation:

Douglas, Mark L.; Sanchez-Trigueros, Fernando; Borrie, William T.; Watson, Alan E.; Christensen, Neal A. 2020. Social conditions, visitor flow & travel simulation model for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. 2nd Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2014-0010-2

Abstract:

Social conditions and visitor flows on the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) on the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota were monitored during the seasons of greatest visitor use (May-September) in 2010 and 2011. In 2010, four spatially defined areas within BWCAW were observed by technicians and both the number of encounters and typical visitor behavior were approximated. During the day travel encounters on the water were observed, and in the early mornings and evenings both campsite encounters and occupancy conditions were recorded. The qualities of other relevant variables were also measured such as weather and aircraft over-flights. In 2011 all trip leaders of permitted overnight boating trips into the BWCAW were contacted and invited to complete an online or hard copy survey reporting their trip itinerary such as lakes visited, length of stay, and party size as well as other variables related to their wilderness trip such as number and type of watercraft used. Between 2012 and 2019 the BWCAW VisSim 3.0 visitor travel simulation model, included in this package, was developed to assist managers in understanding visitors' use of backcountry campsites at the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in Northern Minnesota, USA. The model accounts for the unique travel patterns of visitors as they choose from 61 entry points and travel through 95 backcountry travel zones and Canada's adjoining Quetico Provincial Park. The model is based on actual itineraries contributed by nearly 12,000 BWCAW visitor groups after their trips in 2011 (this represents 56% of all trips taken during the 2011 permit season) and has been updated to incorporate modern (2020) design concepts and software technology for simulation processing.

Keywords:

social conditions; visitor flows; management; visitor monitoring; limits of acceptable change; LAC; planning; boundaries; environment; inlandWaters; location; society; transportation; Environment and People; Recreation; Natural Resource Management & Use; Wilderness; Minnesota; Superior National Forest; Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

Related publications:

• Douglas, Mark L.; Sanchez-Trigueros, Fernando; Borrie, William T.; Watson, Alan E.; Christensen, Neal A. Unpublished material. Social conditions, visitor flow & travel simulation model for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Technical report available March 31, 2020. (Included in the full data publication download \Supplements\Final_BWCAW_2010-2012_report_2020.pdf and is referred to as 'BWCAW technical report' throughout the rest of the metadata.).
• Douglas, Mark L.; Borrie, William T.; Watson, Alan E. 2014. Social conditions and visitor flow data for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. 1st Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2014-0010

Metrics:

Visit count : 309 0
Download count: 39
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