Modeling visitor use on high elevation mountain trails: An example from Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park, USA

Increasing use on mountain summits has both social and ecological implications.High numbers of visitors climbing mountain summits can be a safety issue,particularly in areas where terrain or elevation leads to queueing that may cause time delays.Estimating visitor use levels at site specific locations en route to summits is needed to understand the potential benefits and impacts of visitor use in these locations.However,it can be difficult to obtain reliable and robust data to estimate use and develop statistical relationships because of the remote and harsh climates on mountain summits,as well as the financial and personnel requirements involved to collect the data in remote locations.In 2015,data were collected on the higher stretches of the Keyhole Route on Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park,USA(RMNP)to better understand use levels near the summit and to explore potential statistical relationships to trailhead use data that are relatively easy to collect.Strong statistical relationships from robust regression analyses were found between trailhead use counts and daily and hourly use totals on the"Homestretch"which is a final section of the Keyhole Route.Additionally,a strong statistical relationship was found between total daily use and maximum hourly use on the Homestretch.The results suggest that trailhead counts are an accurate and reliable means from which to estimate use levels on upper portions of the Keyhole route.Moreover,this research demonstrates the usefulness of an approach using proxy variables to estimate visitor use along remote peaks where data collection can be difficult.These types of data can elucidate various options and decisions for park management teams who are charged with deciding if and how to manage high use areas.

A RESEARCH ON URBAN RECREATIONISTS' TRAVELING BEHAVIORS IN SHANGHAI

Urban recreationists consist of those who have used urban recreational facilities, no matter they are local residents or nonlocals. Traveling models will exert impacts not only on the use of urban recreational facilities but also on the development and management of recreational resources. Taking Shanghai as a sample of destinaton and origin of urban recreationists, the author did his study based on data from comprehensive travel measurement and users' survey, including field questionnaire survey, mailing questionnaire survey, home survey, and cordon monitonng. To analyze traveing models of urban recreationists in Shanghai, the author used techniques of Recreational Activity Space (RAS) and the Use Curve (UC) Analysis. Rogarding Shanghai as an origin, the author first discussed types and characteristics of the RASs which are presented by isotourist lines in the proper and outskirts of Shanghai, the Yangtze Delta and the China's Mainland respectively. These RASs reflect the trave directional bias of Shanghainese. Then the author regarded Shanghai as a deshnahon and analyzed the RASs of tounsts from Otier provinces, which demonstrated the attractiveness of and distance decay of Shanghai. He found that a U-shaped UC model existed in the distance decay under the influence of attractiveness and distance. Finally, the author suggested, that the availability, periodicity and attractiveness, besides distance, are the basic mechanisms that affect the urban recreationists' traveling models in a city such as Shanghai.

Timberland Investing and Private Property Rights in the United States of America

Investments in rural land for agriculture, timber, and other natural resource purposes occur frequently and globally. Fundamental principles of liberty and property found in the United States of America’s (“US”) legal system, from its origins to recent US Supreme Court decisions, continue to positively benefit holders of real estate in the Southern US, through a deep-rooted public policy of supporting private property rights and rural economic development. This stable rule of law enhances the long-term adaptability and sustainability of timberland as an asset class. This article is a commentary. It combines legal research methodology with the observations and conclusions of the authors. Its purpose is to demonstrate that the existence of alienable, documentable ownership, and related property rights create inherent stability and security. These principles form the basis of a culture that is defined by the rule of law and is “open for business.” This business mindset is particularly prevalent in the Southern US.