| Abstract |
Collecting data on visitors demographics, their experiences, and general use patterns at recreation sites, such as trails, requires significant effort and resources. Despite this information being highly valuable to recreation planners for decision-making, there is often a scarcity of data at the appropriate spatial and temporal scales. To address this data gap, we developed a community science method, VisitorsCount!, to engage visitors in the data collection process. Visitors provide information about their recreation trip by interacting with a simple text-messaging chabot. This method allows visitors to submit data on recreation use and visitor experience with no prior training. We tested this method in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington State, USA. |
