Conference on Monitoring and Management of Visitor Flows in Recreational and Protected Areas

Areas of high ecological value, i.e. parks and protected areas, experience ever increasing pressures from recreation and tourism. In addition, new technologies make remote areas increasingly accessible. This leads to extensive ecological impacts, and to in-creasing user conflicts. In order to manage protected and recreation areas within acceptable eco-logical and social carrying capacities, one needs to monitor visitor numbers, activities and behaviour, and deepen the understanding of expectations and motivations. A thorough exploration and dis-cussion of efficient and cost-effective monitoring and recording methods, and associated analysis is necessary. This conference is a first step in this direction and is looking for contributions from practicioners and researchers alike. Between January 30 and February 02, 2002 about 200 managers of conservation lands and urban parks, social science and natural resource researchers, members of governmental agencies, as well as landscape planers from 34 countries discussed about the current trends and research issues concerning monitoring and management of visitor flows in recreational and protected areas. M