Ana Elia thinks 麻豆社国产is doing everything right as far as managing trail user conflicts goes.
The University of British Columbia Forest Faculty doctoral student shared the findings of her intensive research on the topic to 20 locals at the 麻豆社国产Adventure Centre Monday (Oct. 18).
"I think 麻豆社国产is doing great and has set a good example for the rest of B.C.," she said.
Elia surveyed nine different trail areas in 麻豆社国产over 17 days in Sept. 2009, asking a total of 340 users their opinions on conflict on the trails.
Those participating in the survey were asked 30 questions regarding trail use and their opinions on what should be done to avoid conflict.
Elia said she was amazed at how willing and passionate those on the trails were about their activity.
"What really surprised me were all the responses I received," she said. "This community is so in tune with nature and it's a great example of an interest in outdoor activities."
She said that she's a strong proponent that forest management is all about managing different types of people and she discovered that zoning alone is not totally effective in reducing conflict.
"Zoning was only effective in five out of my 16 criteria to lower trail conflict whereas educational posters were effective in nine," she said.
She said 麻豆社国产does a good job with zoning and educational posters but more specific information is needed to further reduce conflict.
There was less conflict in the more managed areas as opposed to those areas where very little management is present, she said.
She also recommended workshops and training sessions with the various types of users to diversify the message and make groups aware of each another.
"Don't distinguish by genre," she said, pointing out most users have similar issues but simply aren't aware of it.
She also recommended the government work more with universities and other research groups, similar to what occurs in the United States.
She said it's important to remember above all that conflict isn't necessarily a bad thing and will never go away but it's just a matter of reducing and managing it.
"Conflict is a good thing, it makes us more active but we just need to learn better ways of managing it. I think my research has shown that it might not be as difficult as it seems," she said.
"Outdoor recreation can improve our quality of life and we all just want to have quality experiences. Better management of conflicts amongst users can enhance that experience for everyone."
Acknowledging what could be perceived as dry subject matter, Elia was pleased that so many people were interested in her results.
"About 20 minutes beforehand I was kind of panicking but I'm happy with the turnout," she said. "Especially late on a Monday night, it's great and I think it shows how much 麻豆社国产cares about its trails."
