Management of Recreation and Nature Based Tourism in European Forests

Cost

Acknowledgements

Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction

1.1 Background to the Study

1.2 Structure of the Book

1.2.1 Research Design

1.2.2 Regional Approach

Chapter 2 Atlantic Region

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Forest Cover, Development and Ownership

2.2.1 Forest Cover and History

2.2.2 Forest and Demographics

2.2.3 Forest Distribution

2.2.4 Forest Ownership

2.3 Legal Background, Public Access and Forest Functions

2.3.1 Legal Background

2.3.2 Impact of Legislation on Different Types of Forest Related Outdoor Activities

2.3.3 Forest Functions

2.4 Forest Managers Education and Tasks Regarding Recreation in Forests

2.5 Conflicts

2.5.1 Conflicts: Functions, Competence and Scale

2.5.2 Types of Conflicts

2.5.3 Important Activities and Their Conflicts with Nature Interests

2.5.4 Impacts and Disturbance of Other Societal Activities on Recreation

2.6 Planning, Management and Monitoring

2.6.1 Planning for Recreation and Nature Tourism

2.6.2 Guidelines and Planning Steps

2.6.3 Public Participation

2.6.4 Monitoring

2.7 Recreational Infrastructure

2.7.1 Supply of Basic and Additional Infrastructure

2.7.2 Additional Facilities

2.7.3 Quality of Infrastructure

2.8 Approaches to Visitor Management

2.8.1 Restrictive Management Actions

2.8.2 Soft Management Actions

2.8.3 Facilitating Management Actions

2.8.4 Urban--Rural Continuum

2.8.5 Acceptance of Management Actions by the Public

2.9 Future Trends and Challenges

2.9.1 Conclusions

2.9.2 Trends

2.9.3 Challenges for Forest Planning and Management

Chapter 3 Nordic Region

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Forest Cover, Development and Ownership

3.2.1 Forest Cover

3.2.2 Development

3.2.3 Ownership

3.3 Legal Background, Public Access and Forest Functions

3.3.1 Legal Background

3.3.2 Public Access

3.3.3 Forest Functions

3.4 Forest Managers Education and Tasks Regarding Recreation in Forests

3.5 Conflicts

3.5.1 Types of Conflicts

3.5.2 Important Activities and Their Conflicts with Nature Interests

3.5.3 Impacts and Disturbance of Other Societal Activities on Recreation

3.6 Planning, Management and Monitoring

3.6.1 Planning for Recreation and Nature Tourism

3.6.2 Overall Evaluation of Recreation and Tourism in Planning and Monitoring

3.7 Recreational Infrastructure

3.8 Approaches to Visitor Management

3.8.1 Restrictive Management Actions

3.8.2 Soft Management Actions

3.8.3 Facilitating Management Actions

3.9 Future Trends and Challenges

Chapter 4 Central Region

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Forest Cover, Development and Ownership

4.2.1 Forest Cover

4.2.2 Development

4.2.3 Ownership

4.3 Legal Background, Public Access and Forest Functions

4.3.1 Legal Background

4.3.2 Public Access

4.3.3 Forest Functions

4.4 Forest Managers Education and Tasks Regarding Recreation in Forests

4.5 Conflicts

4.5.1 Types of Conflicts

4.5.2 Important Activities and Their Conflicts with Nature Interests

4.5.3 Impacts and Disturbance of Other Societal Activities on Recreation

4.6 Planning, Management and Monitoring

4.6.1 Planning for Recreation and Nature Tourism

4.6.2 Planning Steps

4.6.3 Overall Evaluation of Recreation and Tourism in Planning and Monitoring

4.7 Recreational Infrastructure

4.8 Approaches to Visitor Management

4.8.1 Restrictive Management Actions

4.8.2 Soft Management Actions

4.8.3 Facilitating Management Actions

4.9 Future Trends and Challenges

Chapter 5 Mediterranean Region

5.1 Introduction

5.1.1 Vegetation -- Forest Cover

5.1.2 Forests and Tourism

5.1.3 Forest Threats

5.2 Forest Cover, Development and Ownership

5.2.1 Forest Cover

5.2.2 Distribution of Forests

5.2.3 Forest Ownership

5.2.4 Regional Differences

5.3 Legal Background, Public Access and Forest Functions

5.3.1 Legal Background of Public Access

5.3.2 Forest Functions

5.4 Forest Managers Education and Tasks Regarding Recreation in Forests

5.5 Conflicts

5.5.1 Types of Conflicts

5.5.2 Important Activities and Their Conflicts with Nature Interests

5.5.2.1 Impacts and Disturbance of Other Societal Activities on Recreation

5.6 Planning, Management and Monitoring

5.6.1 Planning for Recreation and Nature Tourism

5.6.2 Planning Steps

5.6.3 Overall Evaluation of Recreation and Tourism in Planning and Monitoring

5.7 Recreational Infrastructure

5.7.1 Supply of Basic and Additional Infrastructure

5.7.2 Additional Facilities

5.7.3 Quality of Infrastructure

5.8 Approaches to Visitor Management

5.8.1 Restrictive Management Actions

5.8.2 Soft Management Actions

5.8.3 Facilitating Management Actions

5.9 Future Trends and Challenges

5.9.1 Trends and Challenges

5.9.2 Specialities in the Region

Chapter 6 Eastern Region

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Forest Cover, Development and Ownership

6.2.1 Forest Cover

6.2.2 Development

6.2.3 Ownership

6.3 Legal Background, Public Access and Forest Functions

6.3.1 Legal Background

6.3.2 Public Access

6.3.3 Forest Functions

6.4 Forest Managers Education and Tasks Regarding Recreation in Forests

6.5 Conflicts

6.5.1 Types of Conflicts

6.5.2 Important Activities and Their Conflicts with Nature Interests

6.5.3 Impacts and Disturbance of Other Societal Activities on Recreation

6.6 Planning, Management and Monitoring

6.6.1 Planning for Recreation and Nature Tourism

6.6.2 Planning Steps

6.6.3 Integration of Recreation and Tourism in Forest Planning and Monitoring

6.7 Recreational Infrastructure

6.7.1 Additional Facilities

6.7.2 Quality of Infrastructure

6.8 Approaches to Visitor Management

6.8.1 Restrictive Management Actions

6.8.2 Soft Management Actions

6.8.3 Facilitating Management Actions

6.9 Future Trends and Challenges

Chapter 7 Cross-European Comparison

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Forest Cover, Development and Ownership

7.2.1 Forest Cover

7.2.2 Ownership

7.3 Legal Background, Public Access and Forest Functions

7.3.1 Historical Background of Public Access

7.3.2 Effect of Legislation

7.3.3 Functional Classification Systems

7.3.4 The Importance of Recreation as a Forest Function

7.4 Forest Managers Knowledge of Recreation and Tasks Regarding Recreation in Forests

7.5 Conflicts

7.5.1 Types of Conflict

7.5.2 Conflicts with Recreational Activities

7.5.3 Environmental Impacts

7.6 Planning and Monitoring

7.6.1 Existence of an Independent Planning System

7.6.2 Planning Steps

7.6.3 Public Participation in Planning

7.6.4 Monitoring

7.6.5 Overall Evaluation

7.7 Recreational Infrastructure

7.7.1 Supply of Basic and Additional Infrastructure

7.7.2 Additional Facilities

7.7.3 Supply of Infrastructure: Over-equipped?

7.7.4 Quality of Infrastructure

7.8 Visitor Management

7.8.1 Use of Different Types of Management Actions

7.8.2 Acceptance by the Public

7.9 Conclusion, Problems and Challenges

Chapter 8 Good Practice in European Recreation Planningand Management

8.1 Introduction

8.1.1 Forest Recreation and Nature Based Tourism -- a Dynamic Phenomenon

8.1.2 New Challenges for Management

8.1.3 Good Practise Examples in Europe

8.1.4 Regional Differences in Problems and Solutions

8.2 Planning Forest Recreation

8.2.1 Planning Types

Box 1: Recreation planning in context with conservation planning

Box 2: Design of a recreational forest

Box 3: New offers for recreation and nature based tourism

8.2.2 Steps in the Planning Process

Box 4: National household survey on forestry

Box 5: Manual on visitor monitoring

8.2.3 Public Involvement in the Planning Process

Box 6: Public involvement in the management of a nature area

Box 7: Active participation in the development and implementation of a recreational area

Box 8: Close collaboration between a municipality and a local forestry society

Box 9: Public private partnerships: óopen forestó project (Opinn skógur), Iceland

Box 10: Toolbox on public involvement: involving people in forestry

Box 11: Handbook on participation: interacting with green space

8.2.4 Upgrading Foresters' Knowledge of Recreation Planning

Box 12: Forest user councils

Box 13: Dialogue process related to forests

Box 14: Forest recreation and tourism in Europe: a handbook

Box 15: Forest recreation in Ireland -- a guide for forest owners and managers, Ireland

8.2.5 Planning Tools and Guidelines

8.2.6 Management Concepts

8.2.6.1 Introduction

8.2.6.2 Certification and Auditing schemes

Box 16: Certification ''living forest'', Norway

Box 17: Certification of ecotourism

8.2.7 Risk Management Concepts

8.2.7.1 Management Dealing with Natural Risks

Box 18: Risk index for fire management

Box 19: Fire reel hose system for fire management in recreational forests

Box 20: Fire rings in picnic sites, Switzerland and Finland (see color plate 10)

Box 21: Promoting fire safe behavior to local residents through community based marketing program ''I CARE''

8.2.7.2 Management Dealing with Social Risks

Box 22: Alternative risk and vandalism management approach

8.2.7.3 Management Dealing with Risks Caused by Activities

Box 23: Rising awareness for the risks of leaving ski slopes

8.3 Detailed Management Actions and Specific Solutions

8.3.1 Adaptive Management and Conflict Resolution

8.3.1.1 Introduction

8.3.1.2 Conflicts Between Recreation and Nature Conservation

Box 24: Beach plans -- zoning and channelling activities

Box 25: Fencing off sensitive areas

Box 26: Combining protected landscapes with development of recreational infrastructure

Box 27: Wooden trails in Belgium

Box 28: Wooden trails in Finland

Box 29: Temporal access restrictions

Box 30: Voluntary agreements -- climbers

Box 31: Voluntary agreements -- water related sports

8.3.1.3 Conflicts Between Recreation and Land Uses (Including Hunting)

Box 32: Raising awareness for wildlife disturbance by special user groups

Box 33: Guided tours for special user groups

8.3.1.4 Conflicts Within Recreational Uses (Crowding, User Conflicts)

Box 34: Ranger system to raise awareness and ensure existing rules are kept

Box 35: Timber harvesting in intensely used recreation areas

Box 36: Integrated sustainable wildlife management

Box 37: Separate trails for different user groups

Box 38: Dedication of forests to special uses -- dog forests

Box 39: Integrated management: hiking -- biking conflicts

Box 40: Arrangements with specific activity groups

Box 41: Code of conduct of specific activity group

8.3.2 Supply for Recreation in Forests

8.3.2.1 Introduction

8.3.2.2 Design of Forests

Box 42: Forest design

Box 43: Recreational forest

Box 44: Recreational forest

Box 45: Forest diversification

Box 46: Restoration of disturbed land

Box 47: Filtered view through forest towards light

Box 48: Varied forest structure

Box 49: Roadside design of forests

Box 50: Roadside felling

Box 51: Dramatising the sense of passage using pinch points

Box 52: Dramatising the sense of passage at road crest between deep cut banks

Box 53: Aesthetic effect of prospect

Box 54: Well light clearings as basis for sense of place

Box 55: Mysterious and mystical power of a waterfall in the forest

Box 56: Art in the forest

Box 57: Nature''s ''art'' in the forest based on human involvement

8.3.2.3 Design of Infrastructure

Box 58: Design of outdoor recreation

Box 59: Entrance point in Finland

Box 60: Entrance point in Latvia

Box 61: Car park in Scotland

Box 62: Car park in France

Box 63: Information sign

Box 64: Picnic site in Switzerland

Box 65: Picnic site in Cyprus

Box 66: Toilets facilities in Scotland

Box 67: Toilet facility in Cyprus

Box 68: Provision of play structures in the UK

Box 69: Play forests in the Netherlands

Box 70: Design guide on play Forests

Box 71: Recreational trail along an abandoned train line

Box 72: Trails in wetland areas

Box 73: Trail for disabled use

Box 74: Forest access for disabled use

Box 75: Interpretative design for trails

Box 76: Access to forests by railway

Box 77: Visitor centre stimulating curiosity and imagination

Box 78: Re-using existing facilities as visitor centre

Box 79: Visitor centre with nice architecture

Box 80: Visitor centre with focus on animals

Box 81: Mobile steel visitor centre

Box 82: Picnic, shelter and fire place

Box 83: Shelter in Scotland

Box 84: Picnic shelter in Finland

Box 85: Historic shelter

Box 86: Viewing tower

8.3.3 Unique Experiences

8.3.3.1 Introduction

8.3.3.2 Adventure

Box 87: Val di Vara Adventure Park

Imagination

Box 88: Open Air Museum of Gyftocampos

Box 89: Fairy Tale forest and Dwarf wood, Tervete Country Park

Box 90: Live role play

Box 91: Bare feet path

8.3.3.4 Health

Box 92: Nordic walking

Box 93: Trim trail at Athalassa National Forest Park

Box 94: Therapeutic use of the forest

8.3.3.5 Environmental Education

Box 95: Smell and feeling boxes with info boards in serigraphy and braille

Box 96: Forestry Open Air museum in Vydrovo Valley

Box 97: Teaching school children about forests

Box 98: Outdoor in all weather nurseries

8.3.3.6 Spirituality

Box 99: Faith woodlands

Chapter 9 Lessons Learned, Trends and Strategies for the Future

9.1 Lessons Learned

9.2 Trends and Challenges for the Future

9.3 Concepts for the Future

9.4 Members of Working Group Recreation Planning and Management within COST Action E33

References

Color Plates