This document is contained within the Visitor Use Management Toolbox on Wilderness.net. Since other

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• This document is contained within the Visitor Use
  Management Toolbox on Wilderness.net. Since other
  related resources found in this toolbox may be of
  interest, you can visit this toolbox by visiting
  the following URL http//www.wilderness.net/index
  .cfm?fusetoolboxessecvum. All toolboxes are
  products of the Arthur Carhart National
  Wilderness Training Center.

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Indicators and Standards
What measures define when there is a problem
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Definition
Indicators

• Variables that can be measured to track change in
  conditions caused by human activity

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Process
Indicators

• Purpose
• Focus data collection efforts
• Translate desired character into something
  measurable
• Track trends in conditions over time
• Evaluate effectiveness of management

• Identify questions you are trying to answer
• Brainstorm list of potential indicators
• Run potential indicators through screening
  criteria
• Select high performing indicators. Do a trial
  run

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Untrammeled What are the status and trends of
actions that control or manipulate the community
of life in wilderness? of agency actions that
control or manipulate plant communities, animal
populations, soils, water bodies or natural
disturbance processes
Natural What is the status and trends of human
threats to natural conditions? Air pollutants
(ozone, sulfur and nitrogen deposition
measures) Non-native species that alter the
composition of plant and animal communities Fire
regime ( of acres in condition class 3)
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Undeveloped What are the status and trends of
physical evidence of modern human occupation or
modification? and development level of
buildings, trails, roads, dams, mines, utility
infrastructure What are the status and trends of
the use of motorized equipment and mechanical
transport? of motorized equipment and
mechanical transport use days
Solitude or primitive, unconfined recreation
What are the status and trends of outstanding
opportunities for solitude or primitive
recreation and unconfined recreation? Remote
trailless wilderness Wilderness
visitation Creature comforts index Trail
development level Management restrictions on
visitor behavior
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Screening Criteria

• Meaningful Does the indicator tell you what you
  want to know? Will there be a management
  response?
• Free of variation Is the indicator independent
  of environmental variation?
• Reliable Can the indicator be measured reliably?

• Responsive Is the indicator responsive to
  management action within a reasonable time
  frame?
• Sensitive Does the indicator act as an early
  warning, alerting you to deteriorating conditions
  before unacceptable changes have occurred?

• Minimum impact Can the indicator be measured
  with minimal impact to the resource or visitors
  experience?
• Cost effective Can the indicator provide
  information which is worth the time and cost
  required?

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Indicator Screen

• Indicators are REQUIRED to meet the following
  criteria
• reliable, quick, and measurable response to
  visitor impacts
• non-destructive to measure
• repeatable with different personnel
• ecological relevancy indicative of significant
  adverse effects
• Indicators SHOULD meet the following criteria
• minimal spatial, temporal and climatic
  variability
• easy to sample
• large window of time for sampling
• cost effective
• short training time
• baseline data available
• response over a range of conditions
• high ecological relevancy
• Resilient

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Indicators Selected

• SPUR SOCIAL TRAILS Numbers of social trails used
  within a two hour time along a 100 m transect
  indicates the areal extent of soil surface
  impacts and erosion potential
• CRYPTOBIOTIC SOIL CRUST INDEX This indicator is
  the most indicative of overall ecosystem health.
  Lack of crustal development means less soil
  stability, less nitrogen and carbon fixation,
  lower nutrient concentrations in vascular plants
  and less water available for vascular plants. It
  is very sensitive to visitor use.
• SOIL COMPACTION Soil compaction is easily and
  accurately measured. It is sensitive to visitor
  use, and can respond quickly to management
  action. Increased compaction is detrimental to
  ecosystems, as it disrupts natural nutrient and
  hydrologic cycles. It is indicative of subsurface
  microfaunal biomass and diversity, and litter
  decomposition rates.
• SOIL AGGREGRATE STABILITY Easy to measure, this
  is very sensitive to visitor use. Aggregate
  stability is indicative of soil structural
  integrity, surface stability, soil fertility,
  microfloral and microfaunal populations.

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CRYPTOBIOTIC SOIL CRUST INDEX An index of soil
crust development was calculated for each
quadrat. This was done by designating crust
development categories, and assigning each
category a value 0 loose sand 1 a flat
continuous surface 2 a slightly bumpy,
textured surface 4 humps heaved well up from
the soil plane (gt 1
cm) 6 humps heaved up, some lichen or moss
development 10 well-developed
lichens and/or mosses Daubenmire cover class
values (1-6) were used to estimate the amount of
each type present. These two numbers were
multiplied (index value x cover class) resulting
numbers were then added to give an overall index
value for the quadrat.
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LAC StandardsDefinition

• Measurable statement that defines minimally
  acceptable conditions.
• Absolute limits lines in the sand not
  warnings.
• Point at which conditions go from being
  acceptable to being unacceptable and corrective
  action will be taken.
• The compromise we desire, not the condition we
  desire.

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LAC Standards
Without some management, wilderness cannot
survive the number of people who seek to enjoy
it. But with too much management, or the wrong
kind, we will destroy the spiritual component of
wildness in our zeal to preserve its physical
side. Laura and Guy Waterman.
Explicitly defining a balance
Freedom from restrictions
Quality resource and experience conditions
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LAC Standards
Objectives

• Directional statement
• Desired conditions
• Does not define when there is problem no end
  point
• May define acceptable management performance

• Absolute limits
• Acceptable conditions
• Clearly defines when there is problem triggers
  action
• Public assurance that restrictive action wont be
  taken unless standard not met

Both LAC Standards and Objectives must be
measurable and attainable.
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LAC standards are applicable when there is an
inherent conflict between goals and a willingness
to compromise to some extent.
Examples Air Maximum of 5 change in visual
contrast compared to best visibility day (90th
percentile) Campsites Maximum of 50
vegetation loss on campsites compared with
reference sites.
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Objectives are applicable when there is no
inherent conflict between goals or there is
unwillingness to compromise.
Examples Eliminate unauthorized vehicle use
along 20 former vehicle routes by 1998 to enhance
the undeveloped quality of the wilderness.
Clear 75 of the trail system miles annually to
prevent the development of multiple trails.
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Setting Standards
Standards should be informed by science but
setting standards is a value-based, management
decision
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What management hoped for
Percent reporting acceptable condition
Number of people in view
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What management got
Percent reporting acceptable condition
Number of people in view
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Standards are defensible if

• Decision contains explicit rationale (link to
  desired character)
• NEPA test There must be a link between facts
  found and choices made. Consider and Inform
  (hard look)
• The public had ample opportunity to comment and
  participate.

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WildernessExamples ?