Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/13
Outputs
Target Audience: One target was the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands that is responsible for developing the State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) for Maine. We provided tlhem with the outdoor recreation trends data developed in the study for use in the SCORP report that will be developed over the next year. The other target was Cooperative Extension specialists and agents that specialize in recreation issues and economic development issues in the northern forest region of Maine. Results of the recreation trends data have been provided to them as well. The recreation trends data was again updated during the year to include data for the years 2011 and 2012. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The analysis has been dissiminated to the state agency and people who are responsible for developing the State Comprehenisive Outdoor Recreation Plan. The principal investigator has met personally with the agency personnel who will develop the SCORP. Results have also been disseminated through the state specialist in economic development to other extension personnel and groups interested in expanding ooutdoor recreation in their regions. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Historical data for 19 recreational activities/facilities were collected and used to determine the use trends in these activities/facilities. We found that only 4 of the 19 facilities/activities had positive and statistically significant trends over the 1993-2012 time period typically analyzed. Those four activities/facilities are state park camping, state park day use, resident fishing and non-resident fishing. The other 15 activities/facilities had negative use trends for the time period analized. These include Acadia National Park, Baxter Park, North Maine Woods, hunting, snowmobiling, and ATV use, among others. This information is being distributed through Cooperative Extension to the individuals and organizations who are working to increase recreation and ecotourism activies in the northern forest region of the state. The trends data have also be given to the state agency that will use it in the development of the State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan that will be updated over the next year. A survey was conducted to obtain information that will provide insight into impact that forest management practices may have on outdoor recreation/ecotourism activities in the northern forest region. Visitors to the region were asked to indicate whether various characteristics, including some impacted by forest management practices, have a positive or negative impact on their recreational experience. These data will be anallyzed over the next few months and results will be distributed to Cooperative Extension and tourism-related groups in the nothern forest region of the state.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Reiling, S.D. and H. Cheng. 2013. Outdoor Recreation Trends in Maine. Maine Agricultural Experiment Station Publication No. 3346. School of Economics. University of Maine. Orono, Maine. 19 pp
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Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Data were collected for the yeas 2009 to 2011 to provide a more up-to-date view of participation and use trends for the various recreational activities and facilities being monitored. These include resident and non-resident hunting licenses, resident and non-resident fishing licenses, resident combination (hunting and fishing) licenses, resident and non-resident snowmobile registrations, resident ATV registrations, resident boat registrations, rafting data for the Dead, Kennebec and Penobscot rivers, and attendance data for Baxter State Park, Acadia National Park, the North Maine Woods Association, the Allagash Wilderness Waterway and Maine State Park day-use and overnight use. A survey has been developed that will be administered to Maine residents in 2013 that will determine whether people have visited the northern forest region of Maine and the characteristics of those trips. It will also determine the characteristics of the area that add to or detract from their enjoyment of visits to the northern forest region. For those that have not visited the region recently, the survey will determine likelihood of future visits and the factors that would enhance the probability of future visits to the area. PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Cooperative Extension personnel who work with tourist groups in the northern forest region of Maine and the tourist groups themselves. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Because of funding shortages, the survey designed to determine who visits the northern forest region and why they visit the area has be downsized and modified. Originally, the plan was to survey recreational visitors who participate in specific activities, such as hunting, snowmobiling, bird watching and kayaking, as the factors that attract them to the region probably varies with the specific activities in which they participate. Now we are doing a general population survey and therefore, will not be able to tie specific attributes of the region to specific activities. We will still be able to say something about this relationship, but it will be less comprehensive that originally planned.
Impacts
The additional years of trend data indicate that some of the activities/facilities have seen an increase in use/participation in the last three years. They include resident hunting and fishing license sales, Baxter Park, Acadia National Park, and Allagash Wilderness Waterway attendance, and State Park day use and camping activities. Although recovering somewhat, use/participation levels in recent years are still well below levels that occurred during earlier years. Other activities/facilities have continued to decline. Snowmobiling has been hurt by two consecutive years of poor snow conditions. Other activities/facilities that have continued to decline include non-resident hunting license sales, resident ATV and boat registrations, and visits to the North Maine Woods. These results, once finalized will be distributed directly to tourism groups in the northern forest region and through Cooperative Extension employees that work with the tourism groups. Survey results, when completed, will also be distributed through the same channels.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The result of the historical trend analysis for the years 1993 to 2008 have been shared with Extension personnel who work with communities interested in using outdoor recreation activities as an economic development tool. We are currently gathering additional data for the years of 2009-2010 and the trend analysis will be repeated to bring it up to date. A publication will then be written and distributed to interested communities and organizations. A publication based on the results of a snowmobiling study concerning the funding of snowmobile trail construction, maintenance and grooming has been completed and given to snowmobile clubs, the Maine Snowmobile Association and the Trails Division of the Maine Department of Conservation. Presentations were also given to each of those groups. Strategies are being developed to provide additional funding for snowmobile trails and a briefing will be given to the appropriate Maine legislative committee when the Legislature convenes in January of 2012. PARTICIPANTS: Maine Snowmobile Association, Maine Parks and Lands, Maine Department of Conservation-Trails Division, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, North Maine Woods Association, Baxter State Park, Allagash Wilderness Waterway. TARGET AUDIENCES: Public and Private Recreation and Tourism organizations in Maine that are interested in using nature-based tourism as a tool for sustainable economic growth in the Northern Forest region of Maine. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The results of the historical trend analysis found that many outdoor recreational activities/facilities have been declining of over the period of analysis, or increased in earlier years but have declined in recent years. This finding was surprising to many Extension personnel and other recreational advocates in Maine. It has resulted in additional discussion and debate about the role outdoor recreational activities can play in sustainable economic development. Updating the analysis by including 2009 and 2010 data will provide more up-to-date information for decision makers to consider in their discussions and plans for the future. The snowmobiling study clearly indicated a need to provide additional funding and different policies for snowmobile trail maintenance and grooming. Discussions are currently underway to determine the best approach to acquire additional funding. Once the plan is developed, the study results will be presented to the appropriate Maine Legislative committee in January, 2012
Publications
- Reiling, Stephen and Caroline Noblet. 2011. Snowmobile Trails Funding in Maine, 2011. Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station Publication Number 3218. School of Economics, University of Maine. Orono. June. 60pp.
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Progress 10/01/09 to 09/30/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Participation data have been collected for a wide variety of recreational activities in Maine. They include resident and nonresident snowmobile, boat and ATV registration data, attendance and camper nights data for Acadia National Park, attendance and camper nights data for Baxter State Park, use data for the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, attendance and camper nights data for the Maine State Parks System, participation data for white-water rafting on the Penobscot, Kennebec and Dead Rivers, resident and nonresident hunting and fishing license sales, and recreational use data for the North Maine Woods area of Maine. A survey is also under development that will examine the types of recreational activities in which people participate in the managed forest environment that exists in Northern Maine. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Preliminary results indicate that some of the recreation activities identified above are declining in Maine. These include hunting license sales, recreational use of the North Maine Woods area in Northern Maine, use of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, and attendance at Baxter State Park. Some activities are are also increasing, especially ATV and, to a lesser degree, snowmobile use. Knowing the long-term trend in these activities allows communities to better decide which activities they want to highlight in their marketing campaigns to attract more nature-based tourists to their area. Once the analysis is finalized, the results will be distributed to state and local groups involved in the nature-based tourism industry in Maine.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: No outputs were produced in the first year of the project. Upon returning from Sabbatical Leave in the fall of 2009, the principal investigator initiated efforts to collect the data needed to accomplish Objective 1 of the project. This objective is designed to determine the long-run trends in outdoor recreation participation in Maine, especially those activities associated with the northern forest region of the State. Data have been collected on state park camping participation, state park day visitors, Acadia National Park visitation data, snowmobile registrations in Maine, ATV registrations, fishing license sales, hunting license sales, combination hunting/fishing license sales, Baxter State Park visitations, and North Maine Woods Association visitations. Data that remains to be collected include hiking data for the Appalachian Trail in Maine, Borestone Mountain, Gulf Hagas, and the Maine Huts and Trails program. Other data that will be sought include white-water rafting participation data, and down-hill skiing participation data. Once data collection is complete, the date will be statistically analyzed to identify long-term trends in participation and attendance. The results will be presented to the state and local officials that are working on the implementation of the State's nature tourism initiative. PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Northern and western Maine economic development agencies, relevant state agencies, including the Department of Conservation, Office of Tourism, Department of Community and Economic Development. Also, regional organizations formed to develop economic development opportunities related to tourism. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
None to date. However, the following impacts are expected in the future. Future economic development initiatives by the State and local governments must be based on valid information to be successful. This study will provide information on the types of activities that have growth potential for Maine's northern forest region It will also provide information on the types of recreational activities that are consistent with the environment provided by a working forest that is actively managed. This information will allow state and local governments to focus their economic development and marketing efforts on those people who are interested in the recreational activities that are best suited to a working forest environment.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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