Visitor impact assessment of scenic view areas at Bryce Canyon National Park

C. A. Call; J. R. Barker; C. M. McKell

ABSTRACT:

Intensive visitor use of scenic view areas at Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, has resulted in damage to vegetation, soil compaction, accelerated erosion, and reduced aesthetic quality. An assessment of the degree of disturbance at selected scenic viewpoints showed vegetal cover and soil infiltration rates to be consistently lower on high-use areas than on low-use areas. Soil bulk density and sediment production were consistently higher on high-use areas than on low-use areas. More effective management of visitor use is necessary to protect soil and plant resources.

Footnotes

C. A. Call and J. R. Barker are research assistants with the Institute for Land Rehabilitation, Utah State University, Logan, 84322. C. M. McKell is director of the Institute and a professor of range science at Utah State University. This research was funded by the National Park Service, Grant No. USDI/NPS CX 1200-8-B034.
Copyright 1981 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society

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