Wilderness Perception Scaling in New Zealand: An Analysis of Wilderness Perceptions Held by Users, Nonusers and International Visitors

Wilderness is a concept that has both a physical and a perceptual meaning. Wilderness images have been collected by a number of researchers in recent years in an attempt to understand precisely what wilderness users consider wilderness to be. This paper sets out to analyze the original works of three researchers, studying three distinct sample populations so that wilderness perception comparisons can be made. The results of this research show striking similarities and differences of perception, between different study samples. They show that many people have a common perception of wilderness, but that they may also hold quite different images of wilderness. Some of the implications of this for management are briefly discussed. The concept of wilderness can be defined in physical, legislative and perceptual terms. Each has a different appli- cation, and it can be argued, that for the purpose of visitor management, understanding perceptions of wilderness is particularly relevant. It has been suggested that recreationists may achieve wilderness experiences in any natural environment that they perceive to be wilderness. Such perceptions may comply with, or be far removed from legislated and designated wilderness areas. It is, therefore, likely that the majority of wilderness experiences can be accommodated in nonwilderness areas. In other words, wilderness experience can be satisfied in areas somewhat removed from (and possibly buffering) core wilderness des- ignations. Semi-remote areas or areas that have been devel- oped to provide for primitive recreational pursuits (for ex- ample, developments such as hut accommodation and tracks) are likely to provide wilderness experiences for all but the most purist of wilderness adventurers. This paper examines this theory and applies it to the New Zealand wilderness recreation context. It reports on three studies that examine the wilderness perceptions held by three distinct samples: users of the New Zealand recre- ational backcountry, the New Zealand general public and international visitors to the New Zealand recreational backcountry. All three studies involved the collection of primary data through the administration of questionnaires followed by the analysis of data employing the Wilderness Perception Scaling (WPS) technique (Stankey 1973). This technique allows discrete groups to be identified within each sample based on the wilderness perceptions that they hold. Labels are applied to each to illustrate the extent to which the wilderness perceptions common to each group comply with, or are increasingly removed from, legislative defini- tions of wilderness in New Zealand. The paper presents a detailed analysis of the qualities of wilderness sought by the members of each purism class; it then discusses the similari- ties and differences between them.