Visitor use management plan for the Isle au Haut district

National Park Service, Acadia National Park

From summary: "The purpose of this Visitor Use Management Plan is to re-establish a science-based visitor carrying capacity for the Isle au Haut district of Acadia National Park and prescribe other visitor management actions to protect park resources and provide high-quality visitor experiences. Isle au Haut is an island in Knox County, Maine, of which approximately half is in private ownership and half (2,900 acres) is federally-owned and administered as part of Acadia National Park by the National Park Service (NPS). This plan was prepared to comply with Public Law 99-335, passed in 1982. The law directs the NPS to preserve island resources, provide low-density recreational experiences, preserve the character of the town of Isle au Haut and its resource-based economy, and minimize adverse effects of park visitors on the local community and its residents. The law also requires the NPS to establish a visitor carrying capacity, and review the capacity every five years. A visitor capacity of 90 day-use visitors and up to 30 campers at the Duck Harbor campground was established by the NPS in the late 1980s, and has never been modified. Visitor carrying capacity figures described in this plan are based on an “indicators and standards” approach as outlined in the NPS Visitor Experience Resource Protection (VERP) Framework Handbook (NPS 1997a). This plan was developed based on research specific to Isle au Haut correlating resource condition to visitor use levels, social science research on visitor and resident preferences for encountering other visitors while recreating on Isle au Haut, and several public workshops seeking input from visitors and residents. Guided by this research, the visitor carrying capacity for Isle au Haut will rise from a total of 120 visitors per day to 128 visitors per day, and limit to six the number of days in July and August that this capacity will be allowed to exceed 128 total visitors per day. This six-day limit means that visitation for 90% of days in July and August will be 128 or less. Since 2002, the 128-person limit has been exceeded four times. Other major actions described in this plan include: monitoring visitor experiences through surveys every three years; establishing resource condition standards for trails and campsites and monitoring for them; retaining the primitive character of trails; reviewing campground layout and design to identify opportunities to enhance privacy and resource protection; continuing to maintain the park road; and continuing a non-promotion policy for Isle au Haut with other park visitors unless they ask. The plan is not a General Management Plan for the Isle au Haut district of Acadia National Park, and does not fully address the camping experience in Duck Harbor campground. Nor does it address broader park management issues such as wildlife management or fire protection. In accordance with P.L 99-335, this Visitor Use Management Plan will be reviewed and updated as needed every five years."