Opportunities for Solitude in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

Publisher： Society of American Foresters

ISSN： 0742-6348

Source： Northern Journal of Applied Forestry, Vol.12, Iss.1, 1995-03, pp. : 12-18

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Abstract

Recreation visitors to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota were surveyed to examine the effects of a Forest Service proposal to reduce the number of entrance permits in hopes of increasing opportunities for solitude and reducing resource damage. Results suggest that: (1) reducing recreation-use limits will benefit a portion of the overnight visitors who reported difficulty finding an unoccupied campsite; (2) solitude opportunities can be meaningfully described by comparing visitor encounter levels with visitor tolerance for encounters; and (3) the least number of daily encounters rather than the average number may be the most useful evaluation criteria in determining if solitude opportunities exist. Furthermore, while minimal opportunities for solitude must be provided to meet the mandate of the Wilderness Act, understanding visitor preferences can help determine the quality of wilderness recreation opportunities. North. J. Appl. For. 12(1): 12-18.