Campers' perspectives about boating in the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest, New York

Product Type: Report, Pages In

Year: 2009

Author(s): Kuehn, D. and R. Schuster

Pages: 324-330

Suggested Citation: Kuehn, D. and R. Schuster. 2009. Campers' perspectives about boating in the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest, New York. In: D.B. Klenosky and C. LeBlanc Fisher (eds.). Proceedings of the 2008 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium. . Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 324-330 p.

Abstract

This study examines the beliefs and attitudes of campers in the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest in New York's Adirondack Park with respect to participation in nonmotorized boating, motorized boating, and personal watercraft use. Initially, qualitative interviews with land managers provided insight into campers' beliefs and attitudes about boating; these insights were used to develop a questionnaire for campers. In 2007, a mail survey of 1,000 registered campers was conducted with the assistance of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Descriptive statistics were calculated to quantify camper demographics, trip characteristics, recreational experience, and beliefs and attitudes towards the three types of boating. A confirmatory factor analysis was used to validate the belief and attitude factors.