WHY MANAGE RECREATION?Outdoor recreation is fundamental to American culture. Every year, more and more people travel to public lands and waters to pursue a growing variety of recreational activities. To continue to benefit from the opportunities created by expanding recreational use, this nationwide trend requires that all of us—visitors, managers, and citizens—adopt more effective ways to manage visitor access and use that ensure these special places, and the benefits they generate, persist for this and future generations.
Bu
ild t
he
Fou
nd
atio
n
Defi
ne
Vis
ito
r U
se M
anag
emen
t D
irec
tio
n
1. C
lari
fy p
roje
ct p
urp
ose
an
d n
eed
.
2. R
evie
w t
he
area
’s p
urp
ose
and
ap
plic
able
leg
isla
tio
n,
agen
cy p
olic
ies,
an
d o
ther
m
anag
emen
t d
irec
tio
n.
3. A
sses
s an
d s
um
mar
ize
exis
tin
g
info
rmat
ion
an
d
curr
ent
con
dit
ion
s.
4. D
evel
op
a p
roje
ct a
ctio
n p
lan
.
Ou
tco
me:
Un
der
stan
d w
hy
the
pro
ject
is n
eed
ed, a
nd
dev
elo
p t
he
pro
ject
ap
pro
ach
.
5. D
efin
e d
esir
ed c
on
dit
ion
s fo
r th
e p
roje
ct a
rea.
6. D
efin
e ap
pro
pri
ate
visi
tor
acti
viti
es, f
acili
ties
, an
d s
ervi
ces.
7. S
elec
t in
dic
ato
rs a
nd
es
tab
lish
th
resh
old
s.
Ou
tco
me:
Des
crib
e th
e co
nd
itio
ns
to b
e ac
hie
ved
or
mai
nta
ined
an
d
ho
w c
on
dit
ion
s w
ill b
e tr
acke
d
ove
r ti
me.
8. C
om
par
e an
d d
ocu
men
t th
e d
iffe
ren
ces
bet
wee
n e
xist
ing
an
d d
esir
ed c
on
dit
ion
s, a
nd
, fo
r vi
sito
r u
se-r
elat
ed im
pac
ts,
clar
ify
the
spec
ific
links
to
vis
ito
r u
se c
har
acte
rist
ics.
9. Id
enti
fy v
isit
or
use
man
agem
ent
stra
teg
ies
and
act
ion
s to
ach
ieve
d
esir
ed c
on
dit
ion
s.
12. I
mp
lem
ent
man
agem
ent
acti
on
s.
13. C
on
du
ct a
nd
do
cum
ent
on
go
ing
mo
nit
ori
ng
, an
d
eval
uat
e th
e ef
fect
iven
ess
of
man
agem
ent
acti
on
s in
ac
hie
vin
g d
esir
ed c
on
dit
ion
s.
14. A
dju
st m
anag
emen
t ac
tio
ns
if n
eed
ed t
o a
chie
ved
esir
ed c
on
dit
ion
s, a
nd
d
ocu
men
t ra
tio
nal
e.
Ou
tco
me:
Imp
lem
ent
man
agem
ent
stra
teg
ies
and
act
ion
s, a
nd
ad
just
b
ased
on
mo
nit
ori
ng
an
d e
valu
atio
n.
Iden
tify
M
anag
emen
tSt
rate
gie
s
Imp
lem
ent,
M
on
ito
r, Ev
alu
ate,
an
d A
dju
st
10. W
her
e n
eces
sary
, id
enti
fy
visi
tor
cap
acit
ies
and
ad
dit
ion
al
stra
teg
ies
to m
anag
e u
se le
vels
w
ith
in c
apac
itie
s.
11. D
evel
op
a m
on
ito
rin
g s
trat
egy.
Ou
tco
me:
Iden
tify
str
ateg
ies
to
man
age
visi
tor
use
to
ach
ieve
or
mai
nta
in d
esir
ed c
on
dit
ion
s.
WH
YW
HA
T2
HO
W3
DO
4
Step
s:St
eps:
Step
s:St
eps:
1Elem
ents
and
ste
ps o
f the
Vis
itor
Use
Man
agem
ent
Fram
ewor
k
Backpackers getting oriented before their hike
Enjoying a guided horseback riding opportunity
V I S I T O R U S E M A N A G E M E N T F R A M E W O R K
A Guide to Providing Sustainable Outdoor Recreation
Edition 1
For more information, please see website visitorusemanagement.nps.gov
WHAT IS THE VISITOR USE MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK?The Visitor Use Management Framework (the framework) is a process designed for federal managers to collaboratively develop, implement, and monitor strategies and actions to provide sustainable access to lands and waters. The intent, and ultimate desired outcome, is to provide high quality visitor experiences, while protecting natural and cultural resources. Responsive and effective visitor use management requires managers to:
• Identify desired conditions for resources, visitor experiences and opportunities, and facilities and services;
• Gain an understanding of how visitor use influences achievement of those goals; and
• Commit to active / adaptive management and monitoring of visitor use to meet those goals.
The framework can be incorporated into existing federal agency planning and decision-making processes and is applicable across a wide spectrum of situations that vary in complexity and spatial extent from site-specific to large-scale planning efforts. The framework is a legally defensible and transparent planning and decision-making process that:
• Integrates applicable laws and policy requirements;
• Provides sound rationale upon which to base management decisions; and
• Facilitates adaptive management.
FRAMEWORK ELEMENTS, STEPS, AND OUTCOMESThe framework identifies four overarching elements with discrete steps under each. The graphic below illustrates the sequence (with a more detailed diagram on the back) and outcomes of these elements as well as the necessary steps in achieving each of the elements. It is important to note, these elements and steps are highly iterative in nature. The framework is intended to be applied in a flexible manner using the sliding scale concept. The strengths of this framework are that it is iterative, adaptable, and flexible.
Implement, Monitor, Evaluate, and Adjust
Identify ManagementStrategies
Define Visitor Use Management
DirectionBuild the
FoundationWHATWHAT
HOWHOW
DODO
3
4
WHYWHY 1
2Universal to
the Framework:Law
Agency PolicySliding Scale
Public Involvement
Overview of the Visitor Use Management Framework
Family exploring a trail
Level of Controversy/Potential for Litigation
Impact Risk
THE SLIDING SCALE APPROACHA sliding scale is used to ensure the investment of time, money, and other resources for the planning effort is commensurate with the complexity of the project and the consequences of the decision. Issues with clearly small impacts usually require less depth and breadth of analysis than those with impacts of greater significance. Applying this ‘sliding scale of analysis’ seeks to match the investment made in analysis with the level of uncertainty and risk associated with the issues being addressed. The sliding scale is used in each element of the framework. Regardless of the significance of the situation, all framework steps still apply. That is, the process does not vary with project complexity, rather the investment of time and resources varies.
Use the following criteria to determine the level of analysis for an issue:
• Issue uncertainty: What is the level of uncertainty about the issue?
• Impact risk: Are there considerable threats to the quality of resource conditions and visitor experiences?
• Stakeholder involvement: What is the level of stakeholder interest in the issue?
• Level of controversy/potential for litigation: What is the level of controversy/potential for litigation?
Once the sliding scale of analysis level has been determined, it is then used to determine the amount of effort needed for each element and step.
Issue Complexity
Stakeholder Involvement