Not in our park! Local community perceptions of recreational activities in peri-urban national parks. Issue 3 (2nd July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rossi, Sebastian Dario; Pickering, Catherine Marina; Byrne, Jason Antony
• Is Part Of: Australasian journal of environmental management. Volume 23:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 245
• Page End: 264
• Publication Date: 2016-07-02
• Subjects: Park non-users -- community perceptions -- sense of place -- conflict -- local visitors -- social judgement theory; Environmental policy -- New Zealand -- Periodicals; Environmental protection -- Australia -- Periodicals; Conservation of natural resources -- New Zealand -- Periodicals; Environmental protection -- New Zealand -- Periodicals; Conservation of natural resources -- Australia -- Periodicals; Environmental policy -- Australia -- Periodicals; Environmental protection -- Periodicals; 363.70099
• DOI: 10.1080/14486563.2015.1132397
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1448-6563

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Increased pressure to allow more recreational activities in peri-urban national parks may impact local communities. We surveyed residents living in local communities near six peri-urban national parks (IUCN Category II) in Queensland, Australia. We assessed their sense of place, their perceptions of different types of visitors' activities, and interactions between attitudes and perceptions. Most respondents, including national park users and non-users, perceived non-motorised recreational activities as appropriate but perceived motorised activities negatively. Overall, negative perceptions were related to a respondent's sense of place. Respondents with a stronger sense of place had more positive perceptions of non-motorised activities but more negative perceptions of motorised activities than respondents reporting a weaker sense of place. Results suggest that people identifying with their local national park may have a small 'latitude of acceptance' for motorised activities. We found limited displacement due to recreational conflicts; most respondents still visited these parks. The methods used here, if applied to other peri-urban national parks, could help determine a local community's recreational activity thresholds, offering park managers a way to potentially diminish conflict and enhance visitors' experiences.