VISITOR PERCEPTIONS OF CLAYOQUOT SOUND: IMPLICATIONS FROM A RECREATION SPECIALIZATION MODEL Rick Rollins, Malaspina University College Stephen Connolly, BC Ministry of Small Business, Tourism and Culture Introduction Clayoquot Sound has received international attention as an outstanding natural setting and tourism attraction. A key component of the ongoing protection of marine protected areas like Clayoquot Sound is the management of visitors. Visitor behavior may result in undesirable environmental impacts, such as litter, or harassment of wildlife (Hammitt & Cole, 1998). Further, the facilities and services sometimes provided for visitors can result in undesirable impacts (Duffus & Dearden, 1990). However, it can be argued that tourists can be persuaded to behave in ways that create very little impact (Hendee, Stankey & Lucas, 1990; Manning, 1998). More to the point, satisfied visitors can be the strongest advocates for the ongoing protection of places like Clayoquot Sound (Whelan, 1991). Hence the purpose of this study was to examine visitor perceptions of Clayoquot Sound, focusing on issues such as logging, fish farms, litter, and crowding. The second purpose of the study was to examine how "specialization" might influence visitor perceptions of these issues. Recreation specialization has been defined as "a continuum of behavior from the general to the particular, reflected by equipment and skills used in the sport and activity setting preferences" (Bryan, 1977). For example, canoeists can be ranked along a continuum from generalists to specialists, based on their canoeing skills and number of previous experiences. It has also been suggested that generalists are less committed to the protection of pristine environments compared to specialists who are often the people most active in bringing about or sustaining the protection of significant natural areas (Carless, 1997; Quamnen, 1998; Duffus & Dearden, 1990). Methods A survey research design was developed to measure visitor perceptions of issues, using a four-point scale, labeled as 1 = "not a problem", 2 = "slight problem", 3 = "moderate problem", and 4 = "serious problem." Recreation specialization can be measured in a variety of ways, including experience use history, skill level, and psychological involvement. Most of these approaches measure specialization with respect to an "activity" (e.g. kayaking or sailing), whereas our interest was to measure specialization as related to interest and familiarity with "place" (i.e. Clayoquot Sound), building on studies conducted by Williams, Patterson, Roggenbuck and Watson (1992), and Moore and Graefe (1994). Five variables were used to measure "place specialization": (1) first trip or repeat trip to Clayoquot Sound; (2) frontcountry or backcountry visitor; (3) first trip or repeat trip to Clayoquot marine backcountry; (4) mode of travel in the backcountry; and (5) guided or personally organized trip. Interviews were conducted with a random sample of 760 people contacted at beach campsites during June, July, and August of 1997. With a sample of this size the results can be considered accurate within plus or minus 5%, at the 95% confidence level. Results Visitors perceive the "amount of visible logging" to be the most apparent concern (63%), followed by "places to camp" (31%), "presence offish farms" (28%), "airplane noise"(24%), "boat noise" (22%) and "litter on beach"(22%). Issues of lesser concern included: privacy when camping (18%), damaged vegetation at campgrounds (16%), human waste (12%), litter on water (14%), and number of people encountered on shore (8%).
Figure 1. Concerns for "Visible Logging" by "Level of Specialization1'
These results also suggest some variability in perceptions. This variability in visitor perceptions was explored with a number of "specialization" factors. Each specialization factor produced statistically significantly greater levels of concern. This is illustrated in an analysis of perceptions of logging (Figure 1). Marine backcountry visitors are more concerned (66%) than frontcountry visitors (52%). When another level of specialization is added, the response of marine backcountry visitors who are repeat visitors to Clayoquot Sound increases to 74%. Adding the next level of specialization, "repeat visitor to Clayoquot marine backcountry", raises the level of concern to 78%. Adding the next level of specialization, kayakers, raises the level of concern to 86%. Finally, the most specialized visitors are those visitors who, in addition to each of the previous factors, also chose to travel on a guided trip. Of this highly specialized group, 92% expressed concern about visible logging. In summary, concern for logging increased from 52% for the people with low place specialization to 92% for people with high place specialization. Similar results were obtained when the other Clayoquot issues were examined with this specialization approach: concerns about fish farms increase from 18% to 77%; concerns for beach litter increase from 16% to 62%; concerns for boat noise increase from 14% to 46%; and, concerns for airplane noise increase from 14% to 31%. Discussion This study reveals that visitors to Clayoqout Sound are concerned about a number of aspects of the marine environment, including the amount of visible logging, presence of fish farms, airplane noise and boat noise. Most of these issues are not related to visitor use of the area. Of lesser significance are issues that relate more directly to visitor behavior, including litter, crowding, or vandalism. However, visitors to Clayoquot Sound are not an homogenous group in the ways they perceive the Clayoquot environment. Variability in perceptions is explained in part by place specialization, with more highly specialized visitors expressing higher levels of concern. Had this specialization analysis not been conducted the more intense views of the more specialized visitors would have been swamped by the more conservative views of other visitors. Of course, all views are important, but when there is some variability in responses it is important to determine probable reasons for variability. The views of less specialized visitors are important in shaping the experience of people for whom the backcountry is not as important; whereas the views of more highly specialized visitors help describe the experience desired by people for whom the Clayoquot backcountry setting is more important. A viable tourism industry depends on an understanding of these distinctly different user groups. Monitoring the perceptions of specialists regarding environmental conditions may be a useful technique for providing an "early warning" of unacceptable changes in environmental quality. This study also suggests that the concept of specialization warrants more attention. References Bryan, H. (1977). Leisure value systems and recreation specialization: The case of trout fishermen. Journal of Leisure Research, 9 (3), 174 -187. Carless, R. (1997). To Save the Wild Earth. Vancouver: Raincoast Books. Duffus, D. A. & Dearden, P. (1990). Non-consumptive wildlife-oriented recreation: A conceptual framework. Biological Conservation, 53, 213 -231. Hammitt, W. E. & Cole, D. N. (1998). Wildland Recreation: Ecology and Management, Second Edition. Toronto: John Wiley.
Hendee, J. H., Stankey, G. H., & Lucas, R. C. (1990). Wilderness Management. Golden, Colorado: Fulcrum. Manning, R.E. (1999). Studies in Outdoor Recreation, Second Edition. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press. Moore, R. L. & Graefe, A. R. (1994). Attachments to recreation settings: The case of rail - trail users. Leisure Sciences, 16, 17-31. Quammen, D. (1998). Wild thoughts From Wild Places. New York: Scribner. Whelan, T. (1991). Nature Tourism. Washington: Island Press. Williams, D., Patterson, D., Roggenbuck, J., & Watson, A. (1992). Beyond the commodity metaphor: examining emotional and symbolic attachment to place. Leisure Sciences, 14, 29-46. Rick Rollins, Department of Recreation and Tourism, Malaspina University College, 900 Fifth Street, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5S5, Canada; Phone: (250) 753-3245, ext2413; E-mail:
[email protected] Stephen Connolly, Senior Resource Planner, Ministry of Small Business, Tourism and Culture, P.O. Box 9804 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W9W1, Canada; Phone: (250) 356-1474; E-Mail:
[email protected]
ABSTRACTS of Papers Presented at the Tenth Canadian Congress on Leisure Research May 22-25,2002 Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta Abstracts compiled and edited by Edgar L. Jackson CCLR-10 Programme Committee Karen Fox Ed Jackson Gordon Walker
Copyright © 2002 Canadian Association for
The Canadian Congress on Leisure Research is held under the auspices of the Canadian Association for Leisure Studies Le congres canadien de la recherche en loisir Se tient sous les auspices de L'association canadienne d'etudes en loisir
BOARD OF DIRECTORS / CONSEIL D'ADMINISTRATION 1999 - 2002 President / President Susan Markham-Starr Acadia University
Past President / President-sortant Edgar L. Jackson University of Alberta
Treasurer / Tresorier Robert Soubrier Universite du Quebec a Trois-Rivieres
Secretary / Secretaire Linda Caldwell Pennsylvania State University
Directors / Directeurs Wendy Frisby, University of British Columbia Tom Hinch, University of Alberta Peggy Hutchison, Brock University Jennifer Mactavish, University of Manitoba Lisa Ostiguy, Concordia University Stephane Perrault, Universite du Quebec d Trois-Rivieres Jerry Singleton, Dalhousie University Bryan Smale, University of Waterloo Paul Wilkinson, York University
