title: Giving voice to wildlands visitors: selecting indicators to protect and sustain experiences in the eastern arctic of Nunavut.
abstract: Many public land management agencies are committed to understanding and protecting recreation visitor experiences. Parks Canada is deeply committed to that objective for visitors to Canada's National Parks. This 2004 study, informed by a 2003 qualitative study of visitor experiences and influences on those experiences at Auyuittuq National Park in Nunavut, worked to bring 50 potential elements of visitor experiences down to five articulated dimensions of the experience that is currently being received at this remote eastern arctic park. A hypothesized set of 17 influences on experiences, also reduced to just two factors with similar response patterns, and with some items that did not flow into the two factors, were used in a regression analysis to understand the relationship between experiences and factors of influence. A sample of 61.8% (84) of the total recreation visitor population 16 years of age or older was surveyed during deregistration after the trip. Knowledge about the dimensions of the experiences currently received and factors of influence on those experiences can be used to guide selection of indicators for describing objectives and prescribing monitoring protocol.
authors: Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 790 East Beckwith Avenue, Missoula, MT 59801, USA. awatson@fs.fed.us
authors: Alan
authors: A
authors: Watson
authors: Brian
authors: B
authors: Glaspell
authors: Neal
authors: N
authors: Christensen
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Lachapelle
authors: Vicki
authors: V
authors: Sahanatien
authors: Frances
authors: F
authors: Gertsch
mesh_terms: D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D020957:Nunavut; D011998:Recreation