John J. Daigle

Predicting Hunting Intentions and Behavior: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior

Using a mail survey ( n = 395) of outdoor recreationists, the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1991) was applied to the prediction and explanation of hunting. In a series of hierarchical regression analyses, it was found that hunting intentions, but not perceptions of behavioral control, contributed to the prediction of self-reported hunting frequency. Hunting intentions, in turn, were strongly influenced by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceptions of behavioral control, and these predictors correlated highly with theoretically derived sets of underlying beliefs. Broad values related to wildlife and to life in general correlated weakly with hunting behavior, and their effects were largely mediated by the components of the theory of planned behavior.

A Comparative Study of Beliefs, Attitudes, and Values Among Hunters, Wildlife Viewers, and Other Outdoor Recreationists

A mail survey ( n = 395) assessed perceived benefits of outdoor recreation activities. Based on the theory of planned behavior, the study revealed that hunters, wildlife viewers, and other outdoor recreationists differ greatly in terms of their beliefs about the outcomes of these behaviors and in terms of their attitudes, subjective norms, and perceptions of behavioral control, as well as wildlife-related values and values to life in general. Preferred activities were perceived as producing more desirable outcomes than less preferred activities, and they were associated with more favorable attitudes, subjective norms, and perceptions of control. They also reflected broad value orientations to wildlife and to life in general. These findings suggest that some activities are better suited than others to produce desired benefits for different types of individuals, and that outdoor recreationists need to be served in different ways to optimize the benefits they derive.

The impacts of climate change on tribal traditional foods

American Indian and Alaska Native tribes are uniquely affected by climate change. Indigenous peoples have depended on a wide variety of native fungi, plant and animal species for food, medicine, ceremonies, community and economic health for countless generations. Climate change stands to impact the species and ecosystems that constitute tribal traditional foods that are vital to tribal culture, economy and traditional ways of life. This paper examines the impacts of climate change on tribal traditional foods by providing cultural context for the importance of traditional foods to tribal culture, recognizing that tribal access to traditional food resources is strongly influenced by the legal and regulatory relationship with the federal government, and examining the multi-faceted relationship that tribes have with places, ecological processes and species. Tribal participation in local, regional and national climate change adaption strategies, with a focus on food-based resources, can inform and strengthen the ability of both tribes and other governmental resource managers to address and adapt to climate change impacts.

Cultural impacts to tribes from climate change influences on forests

Climate change related impacts, such as increased frequency and intensity of wildfires, higher temperatures, extreme changes to ecosystem processes, forest conversion and habitat degradation are threatening tribal access to valued resources. Climate change is and will affect the quantity and quality of resources tribes depend upon to perpetuate their cultures and livelihoods. Climate impacts on forests are expected to directly affect culturally important fungi, plant and animal species, in turn affecting tribal sovereignty, culture, and economy. This article examines the climate impacts on forests and the resulting effects on tribal cultures and resources. To understand potential adaptive strategies to climate change, the article also explores traditional ecological knowledge and historical tribal adaptive approaches in resource management, and contemporary examples of research and tribal practices related to forestry, invasive species, traditional use of fire and tribal-federal coordination on resource management projects. The article concludes by summarizing tribal adaptive strategies to climate change and considerations for strengthening the federal-tribal relationship to address climate change impacts to forests and tribal valued resources.

The Convergence of Transportation, Information Technology, and Visitor Experience at Acadia National Park

In 2002, as part of the Acadia National Park Field Operational Test, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) components were deployed to help visitors travel around Mount Desert Island and in Acadia National Park. Real-time travel information was collected and integrated with Island Explorer buses and disseminated to visitors via an automated annunciator that transmitted an audio message and displayed the next bus stop on an electronic sign within the bus. Also, electronic signs displayed real-time departure times of the next Island Explorer bus at bus stops. Visitors could also obtain real-time parking conditions at two popular destinations in the park. Using data from surveys of visitors from July 29, 2002, to September 1, 2002, this article describes visit and visitor characteristics and their experiences using the traveler information. The implications of ITS as a tool for addressing transportation problems and enhancing visitor experience with the park are discussed.

Tourism Business and Intelligent Transportation Systems: Acadia National Park, Maine

A suite of intelligent transportation system (ITS) technologies was deployed as part of the Acadia National Park (Maine) field operational test (FOT). This study evaluated the FOT that took place in 2002 and focused on the experience of the managers of businesses in the gateway communities near the park. The ITS FOT was intended to test the effectiveness of ITS for addressing the transportation problems that had the potential to negatively affect visitor experience at the park and in turn the tourism industry upon which the region depends. A survey of 257 business managers presents their views on transportation problems in the area, attitudes toward the Island Explorer bus service, and reactions to ITS. The results indicate that managers perceive many benefits of ITS to visitors. They also see general economic benefits from ITS but are more neutral about direct effects to their own businesses. Finally, a surprisingly negative reaction from the business community to Acadia traveler information on the new Maine 511 telephone service illustrates the challenge of marrying the interests of the business community with those of travelers.

Using the Delphi Technique to Identify Key Elements for Effective and Sustainable Visitor Use Planning Frameworks

Protected areas around the world receive nearly 800 billion visits/year, with international tourism continuing to increase. While protected areas provide necessary benefits to communities and visitors, the increased visitation may negatively impact the resource and the recreational experience, hence the need to manage visitor use in protected areas around the world. This research focused on obtaining information from experts to document their experiences utilizing one visitor use planning framework: Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP). Using the Delphi Technique, 31 experts from seven regions around the world were asked to identify elements necessary for effective visitor management, as well as elements that facilitated or limited success when using VERP. Elements were categorized and rated in terms of importance. Scoring of the final categories was analyzed using Wilcoxon and Median non-parametric statistical tests. Results suggest that planning challenges stem from limitations in organizational capacity to support a long-term, adaptive management process, inferring that VERP may be sufficiently developed, but implementation capacity may not. The results can be used to refine existing frameworks, and to aid in the development of new recreation frameworks.

Vegetation Cover Change Detection by Satellite Imagery on Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park, Maine, USA: Does it Have Potential for Hiking Trail Management?

ABSTRACT: The primary objective of this study was to detect fractional vegetation cover changes associated with off-trail hiking or trampling using three vegetation indices (NDVI, SAVI and TVI) on Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park, Maine, USA. The study area was divided into two different zones on the basis of proximity to the trail network (Zone I: within 100 m from the trail network, and Zone 2: 100 m to 400 m from the trail network), with the expectation of much higher impact and lower recovery in closer proximity to the trail network. Spatial interactions between the trail network and the decreased vegetation areas were tested using Cross K-functions to assess whether or not the existing trail network attracted more vegetation impact in a spatial context. The results showed no statistically significant differences between the two zones in terms of the amounts of recovery and impact (all p values >0.05), indicating that the magnitudes of impact and recovery were similar regardless of the proximity to the trail. Nonetheless, the applied methods based on zoning and spatial interaction analyses were useful for identifying spatially explicit patterns of vegetation impact related to the hiking trail network.