Visitor management in national park and nature areas

Not only natural values, but also the specific values for which many people like to visit these areas, like quiet and solitude, might become threatened if visitors and car numbers continue to grow. Visitor management (and traffic management) is necessary to balance the needs of visitors with conservation objectives.

The Land Use Planning group has a long history of studying visitor behaviour and traffic flows in and around nature areas. This research is used to evaluate the effects of measures and to provide information to the managers and policy makers and to facilitate them in planning and decision making. The results are not only published in scientific papers but also presented and discussed with the growing group of professional that deal with this issue.

There are different options for a thesis as part of this research program. A thesis can focus on a specific area and thus have a more practical relevance, but it is also possible to compare results from different areas and focus on a broader perspective. The specific aim of the thesis will be discusses at the beginning of the thesis; there are many possibilities, varying from visitor monitoring in a specific area to studying the planning and decision processes.

Period: by mutual agreement

Contact persons:    
Raoul Beunen, raoul.beunen@wur.nl