Pacific Southwest Research Station

Programs and Projects

Wildland Recreation and Urban Cultures

The mission of the Wildland Recreation and Urban Cultures Research Unit is to examine recreation activities, management decision making, and evaluate management strategies, especially at the wildland/urban interface with a focus on: changing recreation use patterns, including those derived from ethnicity and technological changes; values, attitudes and behaviors, as well as barriers or conflict, related to natural resources; communication related to recreation and natural resource use; and the social and recreational aspects of fire and fire management.

Created in 1987, the unit has a primary focus on non-traditional recreation activities, non-traditional visitors, and heavily used wildland areas.

We are responding to the need to serve the large urban populations adjacent to forests and parklands and the increasingly ethnically and racially diverse constituency base they represent.

We have completed site based, regional, and nationwide studies. Recent study areas include National Forests and Bureau of Land Management, State and local parks. Our study sites are spread across locations from California to West Virginia.

RESEARCH EMPHASIS AREAS

Over the next five years the Wildland Recreation and Urban Cultures Research Work Unit will focus on four categories: changing recreation patterns, values, attitudes, behaviors and conflict related to natural resources, communication related to recreation and natural resource use, and social and recreation aspects of fire and fire management.