Managing Routes and Trails - Tourism and Trails: Cultural, Ecological and Management Issues - page 216

managers of public lands, they have been devised more for spatial points and
areas rather than line attractions. The challenge here is to tease out the ele-
ments that have higher utility as administrative tools for trails and routes.
Supply perspectives
Controlling visitor fl ows
One of the most common management tools is to close certain trails or
parts of them (Cubit & McArthur, 1995). This has several functions. First, it
allows impacted vegetation areas to recover and regenerate without visitors
trampling on them (Lee et al. , 1999). Second, trails can be closed at certain
times of the year to divert large crowds during high season into other areas
that are less prone to ecological or social impacts and to avoid negative con-
sumer experiences by overcrowding. Third, certain trails can be made
impassable to certain types of users. For instance, motorized users can be
banned from using footpaths or hiking trails either by rules against them or
by physical barriers through which motorized vehicles would find it difficult
to pass. On water trails, limiting the use of human-powered vessels can be
effective in mitigating some impacts (Settina & Kauffman, 2001). While this
has the potential to create conflict between users, it has long been an effec-
tive management tool (Rasor, 1988).
A related principle is the notion of dispersal. Overcrowded trails can be
injurious to fragile habitats because they tend to concentrate people in one
area. Disproportionate concentrations of tourists and recreationists should be
avoided (Bell, 2008). Setups that encourage dispersed visitation help reduce
environmental stresses and help make the experience more satisfying for visi-
tors. This can be done in several ways, such as the closures noted above, but
one of the most essential options is to offer a variety of networks that expand
through various biomes, agricultural areas or cultural zones. A self-policing
system that encourages trail consumers to register allows their patterns and
activities to be monitored better. As well, certificates of completion or 'club'
memberships for individuals who utilize an entire trail system might encour-
age people to use less-trodden parts of the circuit and may generate return
visitation as well (Weaver, 1995: 602). In some cases, imposing a one night
stay at a hut or campground, as is the case on many of New Zealand's Great
Walks (Kearsley & Coughlan, 1999), reduces the likelihood of congestion at
certain key stops along these routes, but then the question of congestion is
determined by carrying capacities - an issue discussed later in the chapter.
Limiting numbers of users and activities can also be effective in natural
and cultural corridors, albeit often an unpopular move. In some backwoods
areas, permits may be required, which is a good way to limit volumes of
consumers, especially during more vulnerable times of the year. Pricing has
been an effective tool in various heritage areas (e.g. archaeological sites) to
reduce the number of visitors by pricing entrance fees high enough to