Visitor Management and Carrying Capacity at Cumberland Island National Seashore
Project ID: J8W07080017
Federal Agency: National Park Service
Partner Institution: University of Vermont and State Agriculture College
Fiscal Year: 2008
Initial Funding: $18,860
Total Funding: $38,809
Project Type: Research
Project Disciplines: Social
National Park: Cumberland Island National Seashore
Principal Investigator: Manning, Robert
Agreement Technical Representative: Fry, John
Abstract: The purpose of this project is to gather information that will support application of the Visitor Experience Resources Protection framework to visitor management and carrying capacity decisions at Cumberland Island National Seashore. Principal Investigators from Clemson University and the University of Vermont will collaborate to complete the overall project. This task agreement pertains to the University of Vermont component of the study. Clemson University will assume the lead role in completion of fieldwork, data analyses, and report writing. The University of Vermont will assume the lead role in conducting study workshops and with interpreting and assessing the implications of study findings. The overall study objectives will be conducted in two phaese and focus on the three elements of the VERP framework that benefit the most from empirical data pertaining to visitor experiences: 1) collecting baseline data on visitor use, 2) identifying indicators and standards of visitor experience quality, and 3) management of visitor use to ensure that the standards of quality are maintained.
Deliverables: