An exploration of perceived benefits of recreation in the Pine Valley District of the Dixie National Forest

Public land agencies are mandated to incorporate Ecosystem Management practices into forest planning and management. The human dimensions of Ecosystem Management, including recreation and amenity uses of forest lands constitute a critical component associated with management decisions. Recently, research has extended the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) concept of experience based management, to one of Benefits Based Management (BBM). This Research presents results of a study on the Dixie National Forest to examine and test some components of the BBM concept as a means of improving recreation planning and management. This study utilized an on-site survey targeted to capture visitors knowledge about beneficial outcomes: expectations, desirability, acquisition and maintenance. Results of this study reveal that visitors could articulate these types of beneficial outcomes; indicating this type of research can assist in formulating design and management strategies for forest lands through the objectives incorporated in the human dimension of Ecosystem Management.