| Abstract |
Simulation models of recreation use patterns can be a valuable tool to managers of backcountry areas, such as wilderness areas and national parks. They can help fine-tune existing management programs, particularly in places that ration recreation use or that require the use of designated campsites. They can assist managers in evaluating the likely effects of increasing recreation use and the implementation of new management programs. They also can be used as a monitoring tool, being particularly helpful in predicting encounter levels in the interior as a function of easily measured counts of recreationists entering the area. The first backcountry travel simulation models were developed in the 1970s. They were never widely used, however, primarily because simulation runs were costly and difficult. Recent improvements in computer technology have ushered in a new era of travel simulation modeling. |
