While recreation managers try to meet the demands and expectations of people who want recreational experiences of various kinds, there are a number of factors not mentioned so far that, unless addressed, prevent many people from making the most of their visit. They are those things that tend to prevent people from enjoying themselves because […]
Category: Design for Outdoor Recreation
The Recreation Opportunity Spectrum
The ROS takes as its major premise the fact that recreation is more than just the activity, such as hiking, fishing and camping, in which people participate. It also includes the quality of the specific setting in which that activity takes place. This was alluded to in the introduction, and may seem to be common […]
Zoning
As already mentioned, zoning is one of the major ways in which to resolve conflicts between different users and between users and the landscape. The inventory and analysis described above may simplify the job. Zoning identifies what is acceptable where, although it can include more than just physical factors. Aesthetic considerations and expectations of the […]
SWOT analysis
There are various ways of refining the analytical process following from the basic inventory. One is to evaluate each character area or landscape zone. SWOT analysis provides a useful method. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. It is usual to divide the analysis of an area into those factors that are aspects of […]
Appraisal of opportunities
As part of the initial recreation planning, a survey or inventory of the landscape should be carried out. The area can be classified into areas of particular visual characteristics based on the landform and vegetation types, presence of water, land use, cultural heritage and so on. Special note should be made of sensitive places, those […]
Constructed facilities
A major opportunity for managers to increase the physical carrying capacity of an area is to construct various facilities. Hard-wearing surfaces can improve the robustness of access and confine the visitor to predetermined locations, as many are disinclined to stray far from a trail. Such action requires investment, continuing management, maintenance and good design. Although […]
Carrying capacity
The robustness or fragility of the landscape, and of the habitats and wildlife it contains, is termed its carrying capacity. The landscape’s resilience to wear and tear, and its ability to recover from damage, are key factors in determining what can or cannot be provided. Rock and soil are the first aspects to be considered. […]
Landscape variety
The variety of the landscape and its components can suggest what might be provided. A landscape of extreme topographic variation, such as a mountainous or hilly area, will probably offer more scenic attraction. It might also provide mountaineering, rock climbing, hill walking, hang-gliding and other pursuits not offered by flat terrain. A variety of vegetation […]
Land base
The extent of the land base will determine how many visitors can be spread out so that some can find true solitude while others can enjoy more gregarious situations. For example, larger areas can allow potentially conflicting activities to be zoned in space: a large lake can be zoned so that dinghy sailors and speed […]
The landscape as a setting for recreation
While it is possible to take part in many activities in an artificial or unattractive environment—for example, climbing on an indoor artificial rock face, or fishing from the bank of a canal in a derelict industrial area—for most people the setting in which the recreation takes place is a very important part of the whole […]