“On the Staff of the Grand Canyon”: Assessing Manager and Stakeholder Perspectives on Sustainable Wilderness Visitor Use Management

Authors

William L. Rice, University of Montana, Missoula
Oakes Spivey
Peter Newman, Pennsylvania State University
B. Derrick Taff, Pennsylvania State University

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

International Journal of Wilderness

Publication Date

4-2021

Volume

27

Issue

1

Abstract

Overall visitation to Grand Canyon National Park (GRCA) grew 36%, and backcountry overnight visits increased 8% from 2010 to 2019. This research examines how park managers and other key stakeholders, such as park-partner staff, are managing increasing visitation levels. In total, 36 semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted with park managers and other key stakeholders during the summer of 2019. This study aims to inform sustainable visitor use management at GRCA and other wildland protected areas by examining the social, physical, and managerial considerations described by respondents. Results demonstrate both immediate and long-term operational issues and constraints for park management stemming from increasing frontcountry and backcountry recreational use.

Rights

© 2021 The WILD Foundation

Recommended Citation

Rice, William L.; Spivey, Oakes; Newman, Peter; and Taff, B. Derrick, "“On the Staff of the Grand Canyon”: Assessing Manager and Stakeholder Perspectives on Sustainable Wilderness Visitor Use Management" (2021). Society and Conservation Faculty Publications. 33.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/soccon_pubs/33