Recreational impacts on backcountry campsites in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA

Cole DN. 1986. Recreational impacts on backcountry campsites in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA. Environmental Management. 10(5):651-659

In this study, backcountry campsites were examined in three desert vegetation types in Grand Canyon National Park. Relationships between amount of use and amount of impact were looked at within each vegetation type. The area disturbed was small, but impacts were generally severe. Important impacts were increased soil compaction and associated decreases in infiltration rates and soil moisture content; these were substantially more pronounced on high rather than low use sites.

Type
Journal Article
Authors
Cole, David
Units
GRCA
Keywords
Backcountry, Campsites, Desert, Habitat Alteration, Human Impact, Human Use, Juniper (Juniperus), NPSRecord, Pinyon-Juniper Forest, Plants, Recreation, Soil Compaction, Soil Moisture, Trampling, Vegetation Types

Series

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