Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
It is evident that the range of issues which have guided research exhibit a large degree
of commonality. Patmore (1983) outlined the main themes associated with the spatial
analysis of rural recreational resources in terms of lost resources (to development and
progress), preservation of resources, the active use and enjoyment of resources, the role
of balancing conservation and use, and preservation and profit-recreation attractions. In
addition, Patmore (1983) outlined the range of resources designed for rural recreation
(e.g. forests, parks and the urban fringe), the use of linear resources (e.g. roads and
footpaths), water resources and the coastal fringe, each of which have a significant rural
dimension. Among the early research on some of these themes was Coppock's (1966)
landmark study which sought to summarise information on recreational land and water in
Britain, while Duffield and Owen (1970) and Goodall and Whittow (1975) examined
forest resources, and Tanner (1973, 1977) researched water resources.
A debate on the perception of scenery and its recreational value also emerged in the
controversy over landscape evaluation (Penning-Rowsell 1973; Appleton 1974) which
has an explicit recreational dimension and focused on the way people value the aesthetics
of the landscape and different methodologies to understand the value and meaning of
landscapes. The compilation of resource inventories by geographers focused on the
supply of rural recreation resources, though there was little continuity in such research in
the 1980s, with Pigram (1983) being critical of such studies where they had only a
limited practical application.
IMPACT OF RURAL RECREATION
G.M.Robinson (1990:270) observed that 'awareness and concern has grown over the
environmental impact of recreational activity. In fact the growing severity of this impact
reflects the concentrated form of rural recreation with distinctive foci upon a few “honey-
pot” sites' where concentrated use may lead to adverse environmental impacts. In
addition to direct impacts, the issue of conflict remains a consistent problem associated
with recreational resources in the countryside. Many conflicts occur between recreation
and agriculture (Robinson 1999) which Shoard (1976) attributed to the ad-hoc manner in
which recreational use of agricultural land has developed. For example, farmers are
frequently dissatisfied with recreationalists' use of rights of way across their land due to
the damage and problems caused by a minority of recreationalists (e.g. litter, harassment
of stock and pollution). One problem which has emerged in New Zealand is the rise in
the prevalence of giardia, a water-borne disease spread by recreationalists and tourists
defecating and urinating in streams and water sources. By contrast, in Wales the
Countryside Commission estimate that 16 million people use paths covering a wide scale
and there is great potential for adverse environmental impacts and conflict, aside from
physical erosion and the subsequent need for ongoing protection from this erosion and, in
some cases, the use of non-natural products (e.g. tarmac) to control it. However, as
Owens (1984) summarised:
In general, research has been problem-orientated to meet specific
managerial requirements, with the consequence that ad hoc site studies
proliferated without there being any particular intention of making a
