91制片厂

Each year, six million people visit New Hampshire鈥檚 White Mountain National Forest to hike, ski, leaf-peep, camp, and enjoy its rugged peaks and scenic vistas. That鈥檚 more visitors than either Yosemite or Yellowstone national parks, due in part to the White Mountains鈥� proximity to major population centers.

To better understand who鈥檚 coming to the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF), what they鈥檙e doing, where they鈥檙e spending money, and what they need, the USDA Forest Service has turned to 91制片厂. For more than a decade, researcher Mike Ferguson has partnered with the Forest Service to collect visitor data that informs decisions around staffing, trail maintenance, infrastructure investments like signage 鈥� and ultimately allocation of federal dollars.

Called the National Visitor Use Monitoring program, or NVUM, it鈥檚 research 鈥渢hat truly drives decisions impacting people across the state 鈥� from hikers and campers to entire communities and regions,鈥� says Ferguson, associate professor of recreation management and policy. 鈥淚t influences everything from outfitter guides and retail sales to local restaurants and the broader regional economy.鈥�

Mapping Visitor Peaks and Valleys

These surveys 鈥� conducted every five years for the past 25 years in every national forest across the country 鈥� provide critical long-term data. Ferguson led the WMNF鈥檚 visitor use survey in 2020, which revealed a 60% surge in overall visitation during COVID and a nearly 300% increase in use of designated wilderness areas. That level of popularity, he notes, runs counter to the core intent of federally designated wilderness.

鈥淣othing says 鈥榮olitude鈥� like a 300% increase in visitation,鈥� Ferguson quips.

The survey data also revealed that visitation at popular day-use sites like Diana鈥檚 Bath or Lincoln Woods declined during that period, but more remote wilderness areas saw a surge in visitation. That鈥檚 helped the Forest Service shift its limited funds to support this growing type of use. It also helped generate policies and campaigns, like the state鈥檚 Wildly Responsible New Hampshire program, which aim to nudge these new backcountry explorers into practices that keep them safe and the wilderness wild.听

Has visitation to the WMNF declined post- COVID? 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great question 鈥� and one only the data can truly answer this year,鈥� says Ferguson. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of speculation. Some say visitation has continued to climb, others believe it鈥檚 leveled off. That鈥檚 exactly why it鈥檚 so important for the Forest Service to keep collecting this kind of data.鈥�

Survey Says 鈥� A Family Affair

Ferguson points out that outdoor recreation contributes $4 billion per year to New Hampshire鈥檚 economy and supports 30,000 jobs.

Ethan O鈥橪eary, who鈥檚 pursuing a master鈥檚 degree in recreation management and policy, holds one of those jobs this summer; he鈥檚 being funded by Ferguson鈥檚 Forest Service research to conduct these surveys at trailheads, day use sites, and wilderness areas across the 800,000-plus acre national forest. When Ferguson needed a second surveyor for just 16 days spread out over the summer, O鈥橪eary recruited his father, Jimmy, a retired Massachusetts State police officer and longtime White Mountains visitor.

鈥淭his project gives me real-world experience in outdoor recreation management and allows me to contribute to a forest I care deeply about,鈥� says the younger O鈥橪eary. 鈥淚 also saw an opportunity to involve my dad 鈥� someone who鈥檚 always valued public service 鈥� and make this effort even more meaningful.鈥�

The O鈥橪eary鈥檚 multi-generational involvement aligns with forest management goals. 鈥淲e're always trying to manage not for this generation or the next generation, but for the next five generations,鈥� says Ferguson.

鈥淲e鈥檙e fortunate to have such an incredible resource and ever-increasing vitiation, especially since COVID,鈥� he adds. 鈥淭he challenge now is figuring out how to manage it sustainably 鈥� balancing the economic benefits, protecting the resource, and ensuring a high-quality visitor experience for all of New Hampshire.鈥�