Recreation specialization, place attachment, and site attribute preferences of river paddlers in Canadian mountain national parks / by Jennifer Bond.

Abstract

To plan and direct use on a river that balances the ecological integrity and the quality of the recreational experience, it is necessary to know how different users relate to an area and what features of that area they consider to be important. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship among recreation specialization, place attachment, and site specific river characteristics important to river users. Interviews with paddlers, both canoeists and kayakers, were used to develop a map of use in the study area and a list of important river characteristics. From the use map, sites on each river were selected for on-site contact with paddlers. On-site contacts were then asked to a) complete a short one-page survey; and b) to participate in a more detailed mail-out survey on their level of specialization, their degree of place attachment, and to indicate their sites/routes on a map and rank the importance of various attributes when they chose that particular location. Results indicate that a) the level of place identity, place commitment, and place lifestyle differ with recreation specialization level; b) the importance of route specific characteristics such as route length and gradient, differ with recreation specialization level; and c) the trends between place attachment and river characteristics must be examined on a factor-by-factor basis, as should recreation specialization.

Rocky Mountains arks included : Jasper National Park (Alberta) , Banff National Park (Alta), Yoho National Park (B.C.), Kootenay National Park (British Columbia), Mount Revelstoke National Park (B.C.).