Development of Environmental Attitudes and Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Use History in the Treasure Valley
Abstract
Outdoor recreation is a highly valued aspect of Idahoan life as well as a leading contributor to the decline of sensitive species on public lands. As off-highway vehicle (OHV) use increases, so does the likelihood of impacts on the environments where recreation takes place. By implementing Travel Management Plans (TMPs), federal land managers look to accommodate increased OHV recreation while reducing the impacts on the landscape and wildlife. However, the effectiveness of these plans is largely reliant on public compliance and self-policing by recreationists - human decision-making then becomes a crucial factor in the success of TMPs. In order to create successful TMPs, more must be known about the elements that determine how OHV users recreate. This project seeks to assist in understanding how environmental attitudes and recreation histories differ between OHV users. By exploring how people become OHV users and how their use history influences their perception of the environment, I hope to assist public land managers in creating more effective TMPs. This will allow for continued use of ecosystem services while also reducing the impacts on the environment and sensitive wildlife. Additionally, this information will assist in predicting how OHV recreation may change in the future.
Development of Environmental Attitudes and Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Use History in the Treasure Valley
Outdoor recreation is a highly valued aspect of Idahoan life as well as a leading contributor to the decline of sensitive species on public lands. As off-highway vehicle (OHV) use increases, so does the likelihood of impacts on the environments where recreation takes place. By implementing Travel Management Plans (TMPs), federal land managers look to accommodate increased OHV recreation while reducing the impacts on the landscape and wildlife. However, the effectiveness of these plans is largely reliant on public compliance and self-policing by recreationists - human decision-making then becomes a crucial factor in the success of TMPs. In order to create successful TMPs, more must be known about the elements that determine how OHV users recreate. This project seeks to assist in understanding how environmental attitudes and recreation histories differ between OHV users. By exploring how people become OHV users and how their use history influences their perception of the environment, I hope to assist public land managers in creating more effective TMPs. This will allow for continued use of ecosystem services while also reducing the impacts on the environment and sensitive wildlife. Additionally, this information will assist in predicting how OHV recreation may change in the future.