Evaluation of the Bear Viewing Experience and Associated Thresholds at Katmai National Park and Preserve and Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, 2017-2020, Research Report

Brownlee, Mathew; Sharpe, Ryan; Dagan, Dani; Jackson, Sarah; Nettles, John

The purpose of this research was to quantify relationships between visitor use and resource and social conditions at Katmai National Park and Preserve (KATM) and Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (LACL). This baseline information about backcountry visitors (i.e., those in all areas of the parks except Brooks Camp in KATM) can inform visitor use management and associated planning at KATM and LACL. A normative approach guided the research process, reliant on indicators and thresholds. As a result, researchers used two phases of research. In the first phase, researchers developed indicators to evaluate both social and natural resource attributes related to backcountry and wilderness management in general, and the bear viewing experience specifically. In Phase 2, researchers measured thresholds for salient indicators and statistically verified the preliminary indicators, as well as collected data to determine the relationships between visitor use patterns and social conditions in key locations. This report focuses on the results of Phase 2 but refers to Phase 1 results (presented in a previous preliminary report; see Appendix A). In Phase 2, researchers developed an online, quantitative, questionnaire to assess visitors’ preferences for conditions experienced during their visit, as informed by responses to Phase 1. The researchers then distributed business cards with links to the questionnaire to visitors who recreated in backcountry areas of either KATM or LACL. While business cards were only distributed to backcountry visitors, some of these individuals may have also visited Brooks Camp during their trip. Potential respondents were encouraged to complete the survey within 14 days and were sent three subsequent reminder emails. Unless specified otherwise, data from KATM and LACL were combined for the subsequent analyses. The report is organized as follows: 1) introduction, research approach, and objectives; 2) description of methods and sampling; 3) initial results, demographics, and past use history; 4) overall normative thresholds; 5) analysis by intercept location; 6) additional analyses; 7) appendices.