UK Personal Watercraft Management: A user perspective

The expansion of Personal Watercraft (PWC) usage around the UK presents unique challenges to organisations responsible for managing coastal areas. This study examines the role of PWC clubs in effecting better management of the sport. Questionnaires and personal interviews with both PWC operators and local authorities were used to gain information on the current UK situation. Within the sample group 73% of participants were also PWC club members. The study suggests changing patterns of PWC usage in the UK, based on the increasing influence of PWC clubs. Coastal managers should be aware of the potential of clubs in conflict resolution.     

RECREATION ECOLOGY: WHAT WE KNOW,WHAT GEOGRAPHERS CAN CONTRIBUTE*

Geographers have made substantial contributions to the field of recreation ecology, the study of recreational impacts on the environment, despite the absence of a uniquely geographic perspective. Knowledge about recreation impact is still rudimentary and open to further contributions by geographers. Three areas where geographic methods seem particularly useful are (1) understanding the spatial variability of site susceptibility, (2) analyzing spatial distributions of impact, and (3) integrating social and ecological concerns in the development of management programs.     

Community volunteer assessment of recreational water quality in the Hutt River,Wellington

ABSTRACT

Water is an important component of many recreational opportunities and New Zealand invests significant resources in recreational water quality (RWQ) monitoring to assess risks to public health. However, monitoring primarily focuses on microbiological hazards and RWQ is considerably broader than this. The goal of this study was to take a comprehensive approach to evaluating RWQ while exploring the potential for greater public involvement in monitoring. A popular river swimming site was co-monitored weekly by volunteers and a council field officer. The attributes monitored–water temperature, visual clarity, benthic cyanobacteria and filamentous periphyton cover, E. coli and rubbish–were identified from a volunteer workshop. There was good concordance between volunteer and council data suggesting that volunteer measurements can be considered reliable. This highlights the potential for volunteers, with professional support, including training and quality assurance, to extend council RWQ surveillance to additional monitoring sites while improving public engagement on water management.     

Modeling large-scale winter recreation terrain selection with implications for recreation management and wildlife

Winter recreation is a rapidly growing activity, and advances in technology make it possible for increasing numbers of people to access remote backcountry terrain. Increased winter recreation may lead to more frequent conflict between recreationists, as well as greater potential disturbance to wildlife. To better understand the environmental characteristics favored by winter recreationists, and thus predict areas of potential conflict or disturbance, we modeled terrain selection of motorized and non-motorized recreationists, including snowmobile, backcountry ski, and snowmobile-assisted hybrid ski. We used sports recorder Global Positioning System (GPS) devices carried by recreationists at two study areas in Colorado, USA, (Vail Pass and the San Juan Mountains), to record detailed tracks of each recreation type. For each recreation activity, we modeled selection of remotely-sensed environmental characteristics, including topography, vegetation, climate, and road access. We then created spatial maps depicting areas that recreation activities were predicted to select and combined these maps to show areas of potential ecological disturbance or interpersonal conflict between motorized and non-motorized activities. Model results indicate that motorized and non-motorized activities select different environmental characteristics, while still exhibiting some similarities, such as selection for ease of access, reflected in proximity to highways and densities of open forest roads. Areas predicted to have only motorized recreation were more likely to occur further from highways, with greater forest road densities, lower canopy cover, and smoother, less steep terrain, while areas with only non-motorized recreation were closer to highways, with lower forest road densities, more canopy cover and steeper terrain. Our work provides spatially detailed insights into terrain characteristics favored by recreationists, allowing managers to maintain winter recreation opportunities while reducing interpersonal conflict or ecological impacts to sensitive wildlife.     

Landscape Reconstruction and Recreation of Damaged Land in Opencast Coal Mine: A Review

Land resources in opencast coal mine are excavated and occupied during the process of mining. Severe soil compaction resulted from heavy machinery lead to a series of consequences: vegetation cannot grow normally, loss of soil and water take place constantly, and landscape is damaged. Therefore, for the future development of reclamation and ecological restoration in opencast coal mine, it has become one major task to carry out the reconstruction of damaged landscape. According to the damage characteristics of land landscape in mining area, this paper summarized the data acquisition methods of damaged land landscape in this field, including remote sensing, GPS RTK, UAV, 3D laser scanning. Fractal and landscape index methods reflecting landscape were also reviewed. Besides, landscape remodeling and reconstruction theories were concluded, which include landscape ecology, microtopography and imitated-nature landform. Base on the above mentioned, it was found out that the UAV, 3D laser scanning technologies and fractal characterization method were rarely applied. In order to provide theoretical guidance and scientific basis for improving the effect of damaged landscape reconstruction and recreation in opencast coal mine, future research should be targeted on strengthening technology, deepening the fractal theory, creating landscape planning and technology system of damaged land.     

城市防灾公园"平灾结合"的规划设计理念

城市防灾公园是破坏性地震发生时,为了保护市民的生命财产安全、强化城市防灾结构而建设的具有避难疏散场所功能的公园、绿地.游憩设施与防灾设施的和谐与整合确保一个公园具有一般公园和防灾公园的双重功能.探讨了避难所与公园广场、绿地;公园树木与防火树林带;水景设施与抗灾用水设施;广播设施、通信设施、发电设施、照明设施;公园仓库与抗震减灾资源物资储备仓库;公园入口形态、外围形态;临时厕所和公园管理机构等八个方面的整合设计.     

Improving the recreational value of Ireland's coastal resources: A contingent behavioural application

This paper measures willingness to pay (WTP) for public access to additional beach area and trail improvements to a coastal recreational site in the west of Ireland. The Contingent Behaviour model is used to measure the increased number of trips associated with improved public access using a connecting trail between two beach areas along a stretch of Irish coastline. Results show that improving access through the use of the connecting trail increases consumer surplus by €111.15 per person per annum. It is argued that in designing new regulation such as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) for the management of Ireland's coastline, an understanding of the values the Irish public place on coastal recreational access will be important to manage the resource in a sustainable manner.     

Adventure Racing Events in Australia: context,assessment and implications for protected area management

This paper investigates the adventure racing phenomenon in Australia, highlighting the nature and extent of adventure racing, its potential environmental and socio-cultural impacts, and the challenges and opportunities it presents for protected area management. We argue that there is cause for concern about the impacts of adventure racing, in particular in a context where activities of this kind are likely to continue and increase in popularity, and where there is a lack of key information about impacts and management. In this context, there is a need for rigorous and informed discussion about adventure racing.     

EMISSIVENESS AND DESTINATION CHOICE BEHAVIOR OF SHANGHAINESE IN THEIR WEEKEND RECREATION

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城市公园游憩行为的性别差异——以广州人民公园为例

以广州市人民公园为研究对象,通过实地踏勘和问卷调查,利用统计与观察分析方法解剖城市公园游憩行为的性别差异特征。在游憩者的行为和社会特征方面,两性之间存在明显差异;女性的公园游憩行为与其社会分工特别是家庭责任紧密联系;女性因对安全性的要求高而趋向视线开敞的集体区域活动,男性因要求独立性而趋向在有视线遮挡的区域活动,且男性同性恋活动区域对女性形成了一定的活动抑制;女性对出行距离较为敏感,而男性独自出行游憩的比例更高;女性对城市游憩空间的需求趋于稳定、有规律,也凸显了公园对女性日常生活的重要性。基于公平性与人性化原则提出相应的城市公园规划设计对策,特别应对公共设施进行细致而灵活的设计,以适应使用者的性别差异性;并应按照步行尺度进行游憩场所的规划布局,以保障女性就近游憩的需求。