Progress 11/14/16 to 09/30/18
Outputs
Target Audience:This project targets academics and managers in outdoor recreation/forestry. In this reporting period, we continued collaboration with recreation managers at the two study locations: Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (CNNF) and Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC). In October to November 2017, we worked with FPCC to administer an online version of the survey to campers. In summer 2018, we shared draft study reports with managers in each forest. Soon thereafter, we met with managers from each forest to review the results, connect findings with management implications, and gather input for the final reports. Study findings were shared with recreation researchers and managers through two presentations at the 2018 National Environment and Recreation Research Symposium. In addition, study findings were shared through a graduate seminar (delivered summer 2018) and thesis (completed fall 2018). Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Two graduate student seminars resulted from the study - one to faculty, students, and community members at UW - Stevens Point, and one to an academic audience at North Carolina State University. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?In addition to the study reports referenced in the products section, a one-page findings summary was prepared for each forest. This summary was provided to project partners to share with staff and other interested individuals in their forest. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
As personal technology moves into natural settings, a need exists to understand associated implications for forest visitor experiences and outdoor recreation management. Outdoor recreation provides benefits to individuals, society, the economy, and the environment. These benefits are supported by effective management, informed by research. This project sought to provide just that - research findings in support of technology-related visitor management in two forests. During this reporting phase, this was accomplished through data analysis, meetings with project partners, preparation of study reports, conference presentations, and completion of a graduate thesis. Accomplishments by objective are as follows: 1. Within the cognitive hierarchy framework, determine forest visitor attitudes, norms, and behavioral intentions regarding personal technology use in forest recreation settings. Data gathered in 2017 were analyzed, and findings for the variables described in this objective were shared through project partner meetings, study reports, conference presentations, and a graduate thesis. 2. Building upon the recreation experience preference scales, determine forest visitor motivations for technology escape and technology use. Forest visitor motivations for technology escape and technology use were shared through project partner meetings, study reports, and a conference presentation. 3. Determine the relationship between the variables above and selected visitor characteristics (e.g., age, gender, traditional motivations, technology use in everyday life). This objective was a central component of a graduate thesis (thesis research objective 2), and was also addressed through project partner meetings, study reports, and conference presentations. 4. Compare findings from an urban-proximate and remote forest. This objective was a central component of a graduate thesis (thesis research objective 1), and was also addressed through a conference presentation. 5. Based on the above, create a technology typology of forest recreation visitors. Data gathered in 2017 were analyzed to create a typology based on technology use in everyday life and technology use in the forest. Variables listed in the objectives above were analyzed relative to this typology to identify significant differences. Management implications were discussed with study partners during project partner meetings, and the typology is the intended focus of an upcoming conference presentation and journal article. 6. In collaboration with forest recreation managers, connect the visitor technology typology with management implications and possible management actions. This was accomplished through project partner meetings. In general, partners confirmed that study findings were in keeping with their understanding of visitors, and expressed the greatest interest in findings related to visitor support for potential technology management actions. Additional analysis was included in the study reports based on partner feedback.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Anderson, L. Powell, R., and Floress, K. (2018). Understanding Forest Visitor Connections to Technology: Forest Preserves of Cook County Visitor Survey Report. Prepared for the Forest Preserves of Cook County. 1-37.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Powell, Roslynn. (2018) Understanding visitor connections to technology in remote and urban-proximate forests. (Masters thesis.) College of Natural Resources. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Anderson, L., Powell, R., and Floress, K. (April, 2018). ⿿Tents, trails, and ⿿tweets?: Visitor connections to technology in a remote national forest Presentation at the National Environment and Recreation Research Symposium, Annapolis, MD.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Powell, R., Anderson, L., and Floress, K. (April, 2018). ⿿From s⿿mores to selfies: Understanding visitor connections to technology in an urban-proximate forest Presentation at the National Environment and Recreation Research Symposium, Annapolis, MD.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Anderson, L. Powell, R., and Floress, K. (2018). Understanding Forest Visitor Connections to Technology: Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Visitor Survey Report. Prepared for the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. 1-22.
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Progress 11/14/16 to 09/30/17
Outputs
Target Audience:The project's target audience includes both academics and managers in outdoor recreation/forestry. In this reporting period, we worked directly with recreation managers at the two study forests - Chequamegon Nicolet National Forest and Forest Preserves of Cook County - in developing and implementing questionnaires for the study. We also gathered data that will be shared with managers and academics through reports and conferences in the next reporting period. 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?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue work on the original six objectives.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
As personal technology moves into natural settings, a need exists to understand associated implications for forest visitor experiences and outdoor recreation management. Outdoor recreation provides benefits to individuals, society, the economy, and the environment. These benefits are supported by effective management, informed by research. During this reporting phase, data were gathered to provide insight on this issue across two forest settings. In fall 2016 and winter/spring 2017, project staff sought input on questionnaire items and study sites from managers at Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (CNNF) (a remote forest) and the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC) (an urban-proximate forest). Questionnaires were finalized in late spring and administered to visitors on-site in June, July, and August. Data were entered into a database for analysis by September, and an online version of the FPCC survey was prepared to facilitate additional data collection from that forest. These data will be central to presentations, papers, and a graduate thesis, which will be shared with academics and managers to support effective outdoor recreation management. Accomplishments by objective are as follows: 1. Within the cognitive hierarchy framework, determine forest visitor attitudes, norms, and behavioral intentions regarding personal technology use in forest recreation settings. Questionnaires developed for each forest include items targeted at these variables. Over 10 weekends in June, July, and August, data were gathered on-site from 262 FPCC visitors (75% response rate) and 183 CNNF visitors (89% response rate) and entered into a database for analysis. 2. Building upon the recreation experience preference scales, determine forest visitor motivations for technology escape and technology use. Items addressing technology motivations were developed and included in the questionnaires referenced above. 3. Determine the relationship between the variables above and selected visitor characteristics (e.g., age, gender, traditional motivations, technology use in everyday life). All of the variables listed in objective #3 were included in the study questionnaires. Additional visitor chracteristics measured include: experience use history, group size, group type, primary activity, primary residence, education level, and race/ethnicity. 4. Compare findings from an urban-proximate and remote forest. As noted above, data were collected at FPCC (an urban-proximate forest) and CNNF (a remote forest). In addition, sites selected at CNNF reflect different levels of development - Boulder Lake, a popular, developed site in the southeast section of the forest and the more primitive Namekagon Lake region in the northwest. This will allow for additional setting comparisons within the remote forest. 5. Based on the above, create a technology typology of forest recreation visitors. Data gathered in objectives #1 - #4 will be used to generate this typology, in the next reporting phase. 6. In collaboration with forest recreation managers, connect the visitor technology typology with management implications and possible management actions. Findings will be shared with managers and connected to management in the next reporting phase. All of the above objectives are expected to contribute to a change in knowledge, which will be shared through reports, conference presentations, and a graduate thesis in the next reporting phase.
Publications
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