Visitor behaviors and resource impacts at Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park

Turner, Rex; LaPage, Wilbur

FIELD WORK: 2000 'The findings of this research, generated through unobtrusive observation of behaviors and comments, point to new research questions and hopefully give ANP managers newfound insights. The visitor behavior patterns outlined in this are an initial step toward understanding how to best balance visitor use and resource protection at Cadillac. All recomendations are based on a combination of observations, interpretations, and principles gleaned from visitor managemnet literature. If any recommendations seem to go beyond the perameters of the initial research problems, that is only because the ultimate factors influencing on site problems stem from larger issues. Specifically, the high amount of use at Cadillac confounds efforts to manage impacts. A major emphasis of this report is that while significant impacts are occurring, there was little evidence of willfully depreciateive behaviors. Furthermore, most visitors did not recognize the impacts. So, park managers are faced with a situation in which the resource is being damaged yet visitors appear to be very pleased with their experiences. And. reducing the amount of use may be a key management technique. At this juncture, it may be very usefull to make an effort to formally evaluate visitor attitudes toward current management on Cadillac and towards future alternative management schemes. Again, if the summit of Cadillac is to be protected, and especially if it is going to be restored, then more intensive management approaches should be looked into.' /STUDY LOCATIONS:/ /MOUNT DESERT ISLAND/Cadillac Mountain/