More connection and less prediction please: Applying a relationship focus in protected area planning and management

Integrating the concept of place meanings into protected area management has been difficult. Across a diverse body of social science literature, challenges in the conceptualization and application of place meanings continue to exist. However, focusing on relationships in the context of participatory planning and management allows protected area managers to bring place meanings into professional judgment and practice. This paper builds on work that has outlined objectives and recommendations for bringing place meanings, relationships, and lived experiences to the forefront of land-use planning and management. It proposes the next steps in accounting for people’s relationships with protected areas and their relationships with protected area managers. Our goals are to 1) conceptualize this relationship framework; 2) present a structure for application of the framework; and 3) demonstrate the application in a specific protected area context, using an example from Alaska. We identify three key target areas of information and knowledge that managers will need to sustain quality relationship outcomes at protected areas. These targets are recording stories or narratives, monitoring public trust in management, and identifying and prioritizing threats to relationships. The structure needed to apply this relationship-focused approach requires documenting and following individual relationships with protected areas in multiple ways. The goal of this application is not to predict relationships, but instead to gain a deeper understanding of how and why relationships develop and change over time. By documenting narratives of individuals, managers can understand how relationships evolve over time and the role they play in individual’s lives. By understanding public trust, the shared values and goals of individuals and managers can be observed. By identifying and prioritizing threats, managers can pursue efforts that steward relationships while allowing for the protection of experiences and meanings. The collection and interpretation of these three information targets can then be integrated and implemented within planning and management strategies to achieve outcomes that are beneficial for resource protection, visitor experiences, and stakeholder engagement. By investing in this approach, agencies will gain greater understanding and usable knowledge towards the achievement of quality relationships. It represents an investment in both place relationships and public relations. By integrating such an approach into planning and management, protected area managers can represent the greatest diversity of individual place meanings and connections. relationships, place meanings, trust, narratives, planning, protected area

Foundry Sand Source Reduction Options: Life Cycle Assessment Evaluation

Foundries represent a significant part of the world’s economy and are a large consumer of energy and producer of solid waste. Sand-handling processes can use 5–10% of a foundry’s total energy. The goal of this research was to explore source reduction and waste minimization at a foundry, using both economic and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) techniques to compare three secondary sand-reclamation options. LCA software modeled all sand processes at a mid-sized ferrous foundry in the USA. The LCA showed all secondary reclamation technologies, while more energy intensive at the foundry, lowered life cycle environmental impacts, including GHG emissions, ecotoxicity, and human health indicators, due primarily to source reduction and corresponding reduction in transportation both from the virgin sand source and to the landfill. Varying transportation distance had a large impact on LCA results to the point where the life cycle benefit of secondary reclamation became a liability in a zero distance scenario. Varying electricity generation to favor greener sources was also examined, but proved to have minimal impact on the LCA results. This research suggests that the greatest reduction of life cycle impacts in the sand-handling processes for a foundry is to find a geographically closer source for virgin sand

“Changing Relationships with Wilderness: A New Focus for Research and Stewardship

Wilderness managers strive to provide quality recreation experiences. Because of this commitment, a need exists to further incorporate experiential aspects into current planning and management frameworks. This article suggests a focus on relationships with wilderness, moving beyond the examination of single transactions with a setting toward a consideration of the dynamic engagements visitors accumulate with wilderness over time. Understanding these relationships relative to social and cultural change may allow managers to incorporate diverse meanings into management planning and provide better protection of wilderness characte

Clark Canyon Recreation Survey: 2003-2004

This report summarizes a study of recreation use on Clark Canyon Reservoir and Barretts Campground from May 24, 2003 to February 29, 2004

The Montana Vacation Experience: Part 1

The Montana Vacation Experience is the analysis of in-depth interviews of 53 Montana vacationers. Part 1 provides direct quotes from vacationers in Montana related to their vacation experience. Five themes related to the vacation emerged: trip planning, experiences and activities, motivations, relationship to the environment, and impressions of Montana

The Montana Vacation Experience Part 2: Interview Summaries

Provides narrative summaries of the 53 interviews representing the researcher’s interpretation of the significant themes within each interview

Visitor Profile of Snowcoach Passengers in West Yellowstone, MT

The purpose of this study was to provide an understanding of who is using the West Yellowstone snowcoach, why they are visiting, and what encouraged them to take a snowcoach trip

Canyon Ferry Recreation Survey: 2003-2004

This report summarizes a study of recreation use on Canyon Ferry Reservoir from May 24, 2003 to February 28, 2004. The summer results from 2003-2004 are compared to the results of the 1995 and 1999 Canyon Ferry Recreation studies, as the same survey instrument was used

Threats and Changes Affecting Human Relationships with Wilderness: Implications for Management

For wilderness managers, the ability to recognize threats and changing conditions is vital. While these threats are typically associated with resource and social conditions, they can also be investigated relative to wilderness relationships. This paper explores how threats and changes may be affecting human relationships with wilderness and the possible implications for management. Previously, threats have been conceptualized as affecting ecosystem integrity or stakeholder values. This paper suggests these conceptualizations should be expanded to also consider the meanings and relationships attributed to wilderness. From such a lens, threats such as global climate change, wildland fire, and invasive species can dramatically influence both the wilderness landscape and the meanings associated with its character. They fundamentally alter the place in ways that conflict with personal histories and previous experiences. Thus, managers must be charged with finding ways to protect and foster these human relationships. Addressing threats to these relationships may also require managers to develop approaches that mitigate or adapt to these relationships over time. These approaches need to proactively define and protect a diversity of meanings and values to ensure ongoing human relationships with wilderness