Event Title
Social and facility carrying capasities of coastal recreation areas on Oahu, Hawaii
Description
As popularity of Hawaii's beaches and coral reefs increases, there is a need to measure and monitor recreation carrying capacities and use thresholds to ensure that resources and experiences are not degraded. Objectives of this study were to estimate social and facility carrying capacities at various sites on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Data were obtained from surveys completed by recreationists at each site in 2007 (n = 2,821, response rate = 87%). Results showed that reported encounters with other users, perceived crowding, and maximum tolerances for encountering other recreationists differed among sites. Despite high encounter rates at some sites, less than 55% of respondents at each site felt crowded. Between 63% and 75% of visitors at each site encountered fewer people than their maximum tolerance limit, suggesting that indicators of social carrying capacity were not being exceeded at any of the sites. Satisfaction with some facilities at each site was relatively low partially because most respondents reported encountering fewer facilities than what actually exists. At some sites, there were not enough facilities to accommodate current use and recreationists' demands suggesting that some indicators of facility carrying capacity were being exceeded. Research and management implications will be discussed.
Document Type
Event
Start Date
8-3-2008 8:00 AM
Subject - LCSH
Recreation areas--Public use--Hawaii--Oahu; Recreation areas--Management--Hawaii--Oahu; Marine parks and reserves--Public use--Hawaii--Oahu; Marine parks and reserves--Management--Hawaii--Oahu; Coral reef management--Hawaii--Oahu;
End Date
8-3-2008 5:00 PM
Session
Resource Management: International
Genre/Form
abstracts (summaries)
Type
event
Geographic Coverage
Oahu (Hawaii)
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Keywords
recreation carrying capacity, coastal recreation, coral reef management, perceived crowding, satisfaction
Social and facility carrying capasities of coastal recreation areas on Oahu, Hawaii
As popularity of Hawaii's beaches and coral reefs increases, there is a need to measure and monitor recreation carrying capacities and use thresholds to ensure that resources and experiences are not degraded. Objectives of this study were to estimate social and facility carrying capacities at various sites on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Data were obtained from surveys completed by recreationists at each site in 2007 (n = 2,821, response rate = 87%). Results showed that reported encounters with other users, perceived crowding, and maximum tolerances for encountering other recreationists differed among sites. Despite high encounter rates at some sites, less than 55% of respondents at each site felt crowded. Between 63% and 75% of visitors at each site encountered fewer people than their maximum tolerance limit, suggesting that indicators of social carrying capacity were not being exceeded at any of the sites. Satisfaction with some facilities at each site was relatively low partially because most respondents reported encountering fewer facilities than what actually exists. At some sites, there were not enough facilities to accommodate current use and recreationists' demands suggesting that some indicators of facility carrying capacity were being exceeded. Research and management implications will be discussed.