Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
• regimentation.
The standard range of recreational classes established by ROS are developed, semi-
developed, semi-natural and natural.
Perhaps the key limitation to the use of the ROS is its emphasis on the setting at the
expense of the type of visitor. Part of the reason for this is the influence of earlier cultures
from the landscape planning and architecture professions that suggested visitor
management could be largely addressed through site and facility design. Although the
ROS was extensively used in the early 1980s, its adoption by recreation resource
managers was starting to wane by the early 1990s (Lipscome 1993; Hall and McArthur
1998).
THE LIMITS OF ACCEPTABLE CHANGE
The Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) system began with the fundamentals of the
Recreation Opportunity Spectrum and initial principles of carrying capacity. Its designers
then shifted the focus from a relationship between levels of use and impact to identifying
desirable conditions for visitor activity to occur in the first place, as well as management
actions required to protect or achieve the conditions (Clark and Stankey 1979; Stankey
and McCool 1984). The LAC implies an emphasis on establishing how much change is
acceptable, then actively managing accordingly. The LAC model avoids the use/impact
conundrum by focusing on the management of the impacts of use (Stankey et al. 1985).
The model informs management whether the conditions are within acceptable standards;
that is, that current levels and patterns of use are within the capacity of the host
environment. When conditions reach the limits of acceptable change they have also
reached the area's capacity under current management practices. Management is then
equipped with a logical and defensible case to implement strategic actions before any
more use can be accommodated. One action may be to limit use.
The LAC system is based on a nine-stage process:
1 Identification of area concerns and issues.
2 Definition and description of opportunity classes.
3 Selection of indicators for conditions.
4 Inventory of resource and social conditions.
5 Specification of standards for indicators.
6 Identification of alternative opportunity class allocations.
7 Identification of management actions for each alternative.
8 Evaluation and selection of the preferred option.
9 Implementation of actions and monitoring of conditions.
Prosser (1986a) identified a number of key strengths of the LAC system as being:
• emphasis on explicit, measurable objectives
• promotion of a diversity of visitor experiences
• reliance on quantitative field-based standards
• flexibility and responsiveness to local situations
• opportunity for public involvement
