Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
of management, and the dynamic character of the environments
themselves. Moreover, it is not always possible to practice to separate
tourism activity from other human activities.
(Ceballos-Lacuarain 1996:131)
Indeed, it is relatively easy to argue that there is no such thing as a single carrying
capacity for any given site and that any capacity put forward is highly subjective and thus
difficult to defend. A good example of the judgemental limitation is Green Island in far
North Queensland. Concern over current crowding resulted in a carrying capacity being
set at 1900 visitors per day or no more than 800 at any one time (Queensland Department
of Environment and Heritage 1993). Green Island currently receives some 300,000 visits
per year. If the maximum daily level was reached every day, Green Island would receive
693,500 visitors in a year, over twice the current level (Hall and McArthur 1998).
Nevertheless, the notion of carrying capacity has made a methodological and practical
contribution to recreational and tourism resource management and has been at the heart
of a number of visitor management tools in natural areas (Page and Connell 2006). Yet
management ideas are changing as new debates within the recreational literature emerge,
particularly regarding the limits of acceptable change framework (Newsome et al. 2002).
INSIGHT: The Recreation Opportunity Spectrum
The Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) is a conceptual framework to clarify the
relationship between recreational settings, activities and experiences (R.N.Clark and
Stankey 1979). It is premised on the assumption that quality is best assured through the
provision of a diverse array of opportunities. The ROS provided a conceptual framework
for thinking about how to create a diversity of recreation experiences, rather than just
provide standard recreational facilities (Driver 1989).
A ROS is developed by identifying a spectrum
of settings, activities and opportunities that a given region may contain. For example, a
national park may contain a spectrum of settings that range from easily accessible, highly
developed areas and facilities, to remote, undeveloped areas with no facilities. The
information relating to each setting is entered into a tabular format to present the
characteristics of the site, the type of activities undertaken and the opportunities available
alongside each other. Comparisons can then be made across sites to determine what sort
of core opportunities appear to provided and the under or over supply to specific
activities and opportunities. The ROS can therefore be very useful at reviewing then
repositioning the type of visitor experiences most appropriate to a recreation or natural
heritage site (Hall and McArthur 1998).
Management factors considered when determining which recreational class a setting
should be categorised as include the following:
• access (e.g. difficulty, access system (roads and trails) and means of conveyance)
• the non-recreational resource
• on-site management (e.g. extent, apparentness, complexity and facilities)
• social interaction
• acceptability of visitor impact (e.g. magnitude and prevalence)
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