Balancing outdoor tourism and recreation development and environmental conservation after major infrastructure improvements: dualling the A9 through Cairngorms National Park.

This thesis explores the changes of visitor patterns resulting from a major infrastructure<br/>development in Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park (CNP), and in turn, the potential impacts<br/>on sensitive conservation areas. The A9, Scotland’s longest road and transport corridor<br/>between the Central Belt and the Highlands, is currently being dualled between Perth and<br/>Inverness. To investigate the possible changes in visitor patterns between resulting from this<br/>major road development, and the implications for protecting sensitive sites from visitor<br/>disturbances, this study adopted a sequential mixed-methods approach based on two case<br/>study areas, including questionnaire surveys, an adopted Delphi technique, and by analysing<br/>user-created geographic information (UGI) from social media and GPS-tracking platforms.<br/>Involving the perspectives of visitors in the National Park, outdoor tourism businesses, and<br/>experts, and comparing these to UGI allowed the exploration of changes from different angles.<br/>With the help of UGI, spatiotemporal overlaps between outdoor activities and two grouse<br/>species (capercaillie and black grouse) could be identified. Based on this, this study assessed<br/>how possible changes in visitor patterns could potentially threaten disturbance-free areas in<br/>the future. Although the A9 dualling may not influence visitor distribution directly, the expected<br/>increase in the number and diversity of visitors and outdoor activities will affect the recreational<br/>capacity of both areas during popular visitation times. Crowding around current visitor hotspots<br/>may displace visitors and residents who seek solitude and ‘wildness’. However, crowding is<br/>unlikely to affect visitors who arrive with a pre-determined schedule.<br/>The Covid-19 has fuelled outdoor tourism and recreation and led to substantial increases in<br/>visitor patterns and diversity in the two case study areas, and may therefore provide a useful<br/>indication of future visitor patterns. The patterns between pre-Covid-19 were compared with<br/>summer 2020 and summer 2021 using UGI and expert opinions. The study concludes that<br/>crowding will be likely during busy visitation times, and that this will displace certain visitor<br/>groups. This in turn may lead to increased use patterns in previously quiet areas. The<br/>implications for wildlife species, particularly the two grouse species are discussed.<br/>These include an increase in functional habitat fragmentation, modification, and loss, and<br/>greater wildlife disturbance. However, the increase in visitors also provides opportunities to<br/>(re)connect a higher number of people with nature, which in turn, could lead to increased<br/>support for conservation. The A9 dualling also involves the construction of additional active<br/>travel corridors, which could help to reduce the number of cars, decrease pressure on existing<br/>routes, and direct visitors to underused areas.<br/>With the aim of minimising threats and maximising opportunities of increased visitor numbers<br/>and types, necessary site management, and on-site and off-site visitor management actions<br/>were discussed. More rangers in and around sensitive sites, improved ‘pre-visit’ information,<br/>and multi-channel communication were regarded to be of highest importance in both areas. In<br/>AL, investment in infrastructure was considered second most important, as visitor numbers<br/>will likely exceed the capacity the current infrastructure can handle. To protect sensitive sites<br/>from increased disturbance in BS, it was suggested to enhance screening and create natural<br/>barriers with the help of habitat improvements.<br/>Comparing the two case study areas revealed both similar and different potential changes in<br/>visitor patterns, and therefore similarities and differences in possible threats and opportunities,<br/>and management priorities. The different methods also revealed some discrepancies in<br/>findings. This shows that visitor management actions should be assessed on a local scale<br/>based on multiple sources of information, in order to identify appropriate and efficient actions<br/>to protect sensitive sites from increased disturbance.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy (awarded by UHI)

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral Thesis

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of the Highlands and Islands

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Schulz, Leonie Katharina

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Price, Martin Francis
• Bryce, Rosalind

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

oai:pure.atira.dk:studenttheses/dd01c811-e1c5-4ff5-a024-3c192664ec77

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:pure.atira.dk:studenttheses/dd01c811-e1c5-4ff5-a024-3c192664ec77