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Wild River perception and management: Study of users and managers of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River Item Info

Evidence indicates that foresters who manage the Middle Fork of the Salmon River are very much in tune with floaters in their personal outlook on river management. Middle Fork managers correctly predicted user reactions to more than three-fourths of the questionnaire statements presented in this study. Sampling included 253 of 367 floaters and all Forest Service personnel questionnaires were returned. Eighty percent of the statements were correctly perceived by managers. Forest Service personnel, however, did not accurately perceive many of the characteristics of users,. First, managers indicated that only 35% of the users would belong to conservation organizations while this study found that more than half (52%) of the users belonged to such organizations. Second, managers did not have a good indication of the educational level and income of floaters -- managers indicated that only 49% of the users would have a college education or higher and an average income of $15,000 while this study found that 69% of the users had a college degree or higher and an average in come of $26, 000. Finally, managers did not have a good indication of the types of user floating the Middle Fork�managers indicated that 77% of the users fell into the commercial group while this study found that only 68% of the users fit into this category. Managers did not feel as strongly about environmental issues as did users. Fifty percent of the users showed a definite ''strong purist'' attitude about the environmental statements presented while managers indicated a less intense purist attitude. Users responded more intensely than managers to the importance of solitude in the wild river experience. Eighty percent of the users felt solitude was ''very important'' to the floating experience while only 58% of the managers indicated solitude was ''very important'' to the wild river experience. Managers appeared to be more development-oriented than did users. Ninety-two percent of the managers felt that users would be ''bothered'' at camping in places with no sanitary facilities or developed areas while 65% of the users indicated they would ''enjoy'' such areas. Forest Service personnel stressed stronger feeling toward the need for controls on the Middle Fork than did users. All managers favored controlling use of the river at the present time while only 64% of the users were in favor of such action. In addition, all Forest Service personnel indicated that limiting the size of parties floating the river is necessary while only 73% of the users favored party size limitations. The responses to management alternatives were not generally perceived by managers. Forest Service personnel indicated that users would oppose the restriction of limiting use to only those with prior river experience when in fact more than 20% of the users favored such action. In addition, approximately 80% of the Forest Service personnel responding felt users would favor the issuance of a limited number of permits on a first-come, first-served basis. A majority of the users (55%) indicated they were opposed to this alternative. Also, managers felt users would favor the assignment of campsites when in fact 59% of the users opposed this alternative. Middle Fork managers appear to be similar in their responses to those of users which indicates knowledge of the Middle Fork user. Needs include (1) additional information into all factors that may be a result of increasing use, (2) establishing guidelines that will determine when the maximum number of people is attained and controls imposed to correct it, and (3) continual information flow from users.

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Title:
Wild River perception and management: Study of users and managers of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River
Authors:
Peckfelder, Robert Larry
Date Created (ISO Standard):
1973-06
Description:
Evidence indicates that foresters who manage the Middle Fork of the Salmon River are very much in tune with floaters in their personal outlook on river management. Middle Fork managers correctly predicted user reactions to more than three-fourths of the questionnaire statements presented in this study. Sampling included 253 of 367 floaters and all Forest Service personnel questionnaires were returned. Eighty percent of the statements were correctly perceived by managers. Forest Service personnel, however, did not accurately perceive many of the characteristics of users,. First, managers indicated that only 35% of the users would belong to conservation organizations while this study found that more than half (52%) of the users belonged to such organizations. Second, managers did not have a good indication of the educational level and income of floaters -- managers indicated that only 49% of the users would have a college education or higher and an average income of $15,000 while this study found that 69% of the users had a college degree or higher and an average in come of $26, 000. Finally, managers did not have a good indication of the types of user floating the Middle Fork�managers indicated that 77% of the users fell into the commercial group while this study found that only 68% of the users fit into this category. Managers did not feel as strongly about environmental issues as did users. Fifty percent of the users showed a definite ''strong purist'' attitude about the environmental statements presented while managers indicated a less intense purist attitude. Users responded more intensely than managers to the importance of solitude in the wild river experience. Eighty percent of the users felt solitude was ''very important'' to the floating experience while only 58% of the managers indicated solitude was ''very important'' to the wild river experience. Managers appeared to be more development-oriented than did users. Ninety-two percent of the managers felt that users would be ''bothered'' at camping in places with no sanitary facilities or developed areas while 65% of the users indicated they would ''enjoy'' such areas. Forest Service personnel stressed stronger feeling toward the need for controls on the Middle Fork than did users. All managers favored controlling use of the river at the present time while only 64% of the users were in favor of such action. In addition, all Forest Service personnel indicated that limiting the size of parties floating the river is necessary while only 73% of the users favored party size limitations. The responses to management alternatives were not generally perceived by managers. Forest Service personnel indicated that users would oppose the restriction of limiting use to only those with prior river experience when in fact more than 20% of the users favored such action. In addition, approximately 80% of the Forest Service personnel responding felt users would favor the issuance of a limited number of permits on a first-come, first-served basis. A majority of the users (55%) indicated they were opposed to this alternative. Also, managers felt users would favor the assignment of campsites when in fact 59% of the users opposed this alternative. Middle Fork managers appear to be similar in their responses to those of users which indicates knowledge of the Middle Fork user. Needs include (1) additional information into all factors that may be a result of increasing use, (2) establishing guidelines that will determine when the maximum number of people is attained and controls imposed to correct it, and (3) continual information flow from users.
Subjects:
recreation floating surveys
Location:
Salmon River
Latitude:
45.74
Longitude:
-116.32
Collection:
IWRRI
IWRRI number:
197336
Rights:
Rights to the digital resource are held by the University of Idaho. http://www.uidaho.edu/
Publisher:
University of Idaho
Contributing Institution:
University of Idaho
Type:
Text
Format:
application/pdf
Cataloger:
wbv
Date Digitized:
2012

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Source
Preferred Citation:
"Wild River perception and management: Study of users and managers of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River", Idaho Waters Digital Library, University of Idaho Library Digital Collections, https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/digital/iwdl/items/iwdl-peckfelder_1973.html
Rights
Rights:
Rights to the digital resource are held by the University of Idaho. http://www.uidaho.edu/
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