I am a PhD candidate at Clemson University in the department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. I study visitor use and behaviors in parks and protected areas.
Public land managers are faced with an increasingly complex set of challenges associated with pro... more Public land managers are faced with an increasingly complex set of challenges associated with providing opportunities for enjoyment to the growing and diversifying public (McCool, Clark, and Stankey 2007). In response to these challenges, visitor use management (VUM) research emerged. VUM is the process of managing human use to maintain or achieve desired conditions or experiences (IVUMC 2016). This paper is designed to provide perspective and direction regarding VUM for another 100 years of success in national parks and other protected areas.
Using the Delphi Technique to Identify Key Elements for Effective and Sustainable Visitor Use Planning Frameworks, 2016
Protected areas around the world receive nearly 800 billion visits/year, with international touri... more Protected areas around the world receive nearly 800 billion visits/year, with international tourism continuing to increase. While protected areas provide necessary benefits to communities and visitors, the increased visitation may negatively impact the resource and the recreational experience, hence the need to manage visitor use in protected areas around the world. This research focused on obtaining information from experts to document their experiences utilizing one visitor use planning framework: Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP). Using the Delphi Technique, 31 experts from seven regions around the world were asked to identify elements necessary for effective visitor management, as well as elements that facilitated or limited success when using VERP. Elements were categorized and rated in terms of importance. Scoring of the final categories was analyzed using Wilcoxon and Median non-parametric statistical tests. Results suggest that planning challenges stem from limitations in organizational capacity to support a long-term, adaptive management process, inferring
that VERP may be sufficiently developed, but implementation capacity may not. The results can be used to refine existing frameworks, and to aid in the development of new recreation frameworks.
Public land managers are faced with an increasingly complex set of challenges associated with pro... more Public land managers are faced with an increasingly complex set of challenges associated with providing opportunities for enjoyment to the growing and diversifying public (McCool, Clark, and Stankey 2007). In response to these challenges, visitor use management (VUM) research emerged. VUM is the process of managing human use to maintain or achieve desired conditions or experiences (IVUMC 2016). This paper is designed to provide perspective and direction regarding VUM for another 100 years of success in national parks and other protected areas.
Using the Delphi Technique to Identify Key Elements for Effective and Sustainable Visitor Use Planning Frameworks, 2016
Protected areas around the world receive nearly 800 billion visits/year, with international touri... more Protected areas around the world receive nearly 800 billion visits/year, with international tourism continuing to increase. While protected areas provide necessary benefits to communities and visitors, the increased visitation may negatively impact the resource and the recreational experience, hence the need to manage visitor use in protected areas around the world. This research focused on obtaining information from experts to document their experiences utilizing one visitor use planning framework: Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP). Using the Delphi Technique, 31 experts from seven regions around the world were asked to identify elements necessary for effective visitor management, as well as elements that facilitated or limited success when using VERP. Elements were categorized and rated in terms of importance. Scoring of the final categories was analyzed using Wilcoxon and Median non-parametric statistical tests. Results suggest that planning challenges stem from limitations in organizational capacity to support a long-term, adaptive management process, inferring
that VERP may be sufficiently developed, but implementation capacity may not. The results can be used to refine existing frameworks, and to aid in the development of new recreation frameworks.
Uploads
Papers by Jessica Fefer
that VERP may be sufficiently developed, but implementation capacity may not. The results can be used to refine existing frameworks, and to aid in the development of new recreation frameworks.
that VERP may be sufficiently developed, but implementation capacity may not. The results can be used to refine existing frameworks, and to aid in the development of new recreation frameworks.