Climate change adaptation strategies and approaches for outdoor recreation 

Climate change will alter opportunities and demand for outdoor recreation through changing winter weather conditions and season length, changes in user preferences, and damage to recreational infrastructure, among other factors. Here, authors interviewed recreation managers and reviewed literature to develop a “menu” of potential climate adaptation strategies and approaches that address climate-driven recreation challenges. The menu is intended for use in project planning, and to serve as a stepping stone in translating broad adaptation concepts into specific actions.  

Management Implications:

• Adaptation responses to winter recreation vulnerabilities will depend on the goals and objectives of a specific project, and may differ substantially from location to location.
• The recreation menu was tested on two projects on two National Forests in very different environments. One of these (Somerset project, Green Mountain National Forest) included ample discussion of potential responses to changing winter recreation.
• Some of the responses to changing winter conditions included improving conditions for backcountry skiing/snowboarding in areas expected to be suitable for the next few decades, and decommissioning areas for snowmobiling that are already freezing inconsistently and often unsuitable.
• Overall in each test case, the menu encouraged consideration of longer time frames and a greater variety of options in recreation planning.

Management Implications: 

• Fat bikes have gained substantially in popularity over the last five years. These bikes open new terrain for cyclists, particularly winter snow trails.
• As riders explore new terrain, or ride in areas maintained for other types of winter recreation, management concerns have emerged including ecological impacts, conflict with other recreationists, trail safety, and increased trail maintenance costs.
• Many areas in the USA are actively perusing solutions to the above issues. Although little data exist, spatial and/or temporal separation of riders and other uses appears to be a particularly effective solution for many issues (See page 17 of this Greater MN Regional Parks and Trails Commission report for an inventory of shared use trails in northern MN).

Projected climate change impacts on skiing and snowmobiling: A case study of the United States

A PGIS-based climate change risk assessment process for outdoor recreation and tourism dependent communities

This study explored using a participatory geographic information system (PGIS) to integrate stakeholders into planning for collaborative management of natural resources in Minnesota’s nature-based tourism dependent communities along the north shore of Lake Superior. Sixteen local stakeholders participated in surveys and in-person focus groups to explore the potential effects of climate change on built infrastructure, natural resources, and recreation and tourism destinations. 

Management Implications: 

• Local stakeholders are often the first to notice changes and experience the impacts of climate change.
• Maps identifying vulnerable locations along the north shore can be used in cooperative management and planning efforts such as the updates to the Superior National Forest --Forest Management Plan.
• Moving forward, PGIS exercises can be invaluable in collaborative management planning, especially in generating list of critically vulnerable sites.