Element 1: Build the Foundation
What are some of the most relevant issues related to visitor use?
The federal land management agencies are working to invite and welcome the next generation of visitors, many of whom may have different expectations and needs than current visitors. The agencies continue to work toward being responsive to societal changes, improving visitor experiences, and developing new ways for people to access their public lands and connect to their natural and cultural heritage. Additionally, many small communities are looking toward recreation as a vital part of local economies. Management agencies are working to balance these changing needs with maintaining the authenticity of the areas and associated desired conditions.
While many positive benefits are associated with the transformation of recreation and the lifestyle economy, the changes in visitation have also led to new demands on facilities and services, operational challenges for federal management agencies, social conflicts among visitors, new impacts on natural and cultural resources, and spillover effects on adjacent communities. Agency teams are working to address the needs associated with increasing visitation and the emergence of new activities.
Element 1: Build the Foundation
Building the foundation is the first of the four elements of the framework. The purpose of this element is to understand why a project is relevant and how best to approach the project.
The steps in this element help managers understand what needs to be done, how to organize the project, and how to define the resources needed to complete the project. Use the sliding scale to determine the amount of effort needed for the steps in this element. Completion of this element establishes a foundation for the other three elements of the framework and is a key component in developing a solid process.
Element 1 includes four interrelated steps:
Step 1. Clarify the project purpose and need.
Step 2. Review the area’s purpose(s) and applicable legislation, agency policies, and other management direction.
Step 3. Assess and summarize existing information and current conditions.
Step 4. Develop a project action plan.
Step 1. Clarify the project purpose and need.
The importance of this step cannot be overemphasized. The scope of a project may range from localized issues, such as small-scale construction or maintenance, to comprehensive management planning. The outcome of this step is a purpose and need statement, which is an expression of the visitor use management opportunities and issues (subsequently referred to as issues) to be addressed.
The project’s purpose and need are derived in part from an area’s purpose(s), legislative mandates, and issues uncovered during scoping. Writing the purpose and need statement is a dynamic and iterative process and may evolve with greater clarity while working through the other steps. In the purpose and need statement, explain the nature of the overarching issue and the compelling reason for action, not the proposed action or solution. Clarify the issues (see the subsequent description for determining and analyzing the project issues).
This step provides the foundation for identifying management objectives, strategies, and specific actions (see element 3). When developing a NEPA document, this step provides the foundation for a reasonable range of alternative management decisions.
Determine the Project Issues
Issues are often presented as opportunities or points of controversy with adverse effects to physical, biological, social, and managerial attributes. Identify issues early in the process, and carefully document them by writing issue statements (an example of an issue statement is provided in appendix B under step 1). This is essential for determining which issues are within the scope of the project and clarifying the project purpose and need. Not all issues can or should be addressed in a single process or project.
Analysis of Issues
Consider the following questions as an issue analysis tool and a way to formulate and shape the issue statements:
- What is creating the issue or opportunity
- Amount or timing of visitor use?
- Changes in visitor preferences and interests for specific activities?
- Changes in behavior of visitors?
- Operational change that allows for a new opportunity?
- Changes in the status, trends, or vulnerability of the area’s natural and/or cultural resources?
- Budget changes that impact the ability to manage visitor use effectively?
- What key values or desired conditions could be affected?
- Who is or could be affected by the issue? What is known about their interests and concerns?
STEP 2. Review the area's purpose and applicable legislation, agency policies, and other management direction.
The purpose of this step is to identify, review, and become familiar with an area’s stated purpose(s) and the authorities that established it. Every area has at least one unique purpose or special value associated with it that differentiates it from other areas. In some instances, the purpose of an area may be included in legislation designating the area or in planning documents, such as foundation documents, comprehensive conservation plans, land management plans, land use plans, and other long-range planning documents. In other instances, the purpose of an area may be stated as part of the area’s vision or mission or may be clarified in case law. Typically, specific policies and management directions for the area reflect its fundamental legal purposes.
Pay special attention to agency policies, regulations, and management direction (see chapter 4). These provide an interpretation of congressional intent and implementation guidance for agency planners and managers.
Step 3. Assess and summarize existing information and current conditions.
The third step is to conduct information assessments to clearly define the project area and to identify which information needs and data gaps are most important. It is vital to develop a clear understanding of the project area, what affects it, and how the area influences other areas and people beyond its boundaries. Define the Project Area Clearly delineate the affected area to help determine how much investment is needed for reviewing existing data and assessing current conditions. Study existing maps and create new maps as needed. Visit the area. Consider the geographic scale of the area. Generally, the broader the scale, the more general the data collected (e.g., regional tourism data). At the local or site-specific scale, the data need to be more detailed to make accurate evaluations and decisions (e.g., number of permits issued for the site).
For relatively large project areas, consider:
- The role of the area in the larger ecosystem or landscape.
- Current status and condition of all natural, cultural, and recreational resources and visitor experience opportunities in the area.
- Threats to significant resources and visitor experiences.
- Public use and recreation trend data.
- Existing administrative resources and operations, including staffing, funding, and public use facilities.
For less complex projects, focus assessments on data from the specific site or a comparable site with a similar visitor use management issue.
Organize the Assessment
Coordinate as needed with other federal and state agencies, private organizations, user groups, tribes, and research institutions to obtain existing data and other pertinent information. Use the project purpose and need in conjunction with the area’s physical, biological, social, and managerial attributes to determine the value of data collected and how much information is relevant to the project. Not all information will be useful. Knowing what information is needed helps prioritize collection and assessment. Focus on information to help the project team, stakeholders, and decisionmakers reach a common understanding of the issues. Make the assessment account for major data gaps and help identify necessary management actions. Be sure to gather and synthesize information on those aspects of the project that may be controversial or of significant interest to stakeholders. Consider the costs and benefits of gathering and synthesizing existing data versus collecting new data at different scales. Use the sliding scale approach when making these decisions (see chapter 2). Determine how each dataset will be used in the project and what questions it will help answer.
The following questions may help determine data needs:
- Which data sources are necessary to make defensible visitor use management decisions?
- How will the identified data inform the project?
- How much confidence is there in existing data?
- Based on the previous questions, does new data need to be collected, or will existing data suffice? If new data is needed, can it be collected with existing resources, or will outside or technical assistance be required?
Document the Assessment
After completing the assessment and data inventory work, synthesize, summarize, and document the key information in a useful format. Produce an assessment document that records the most important physical, biological, social, and managerial attributes and values for the area or the site. Identify and map the opportunities and challenges for the area in descriptive terms, such as areas of land that are both suitable and desirable for recreational activities and other uses by visitors. Use the assessment document during the course of the project and as part of the final project documentation.
Step 4. Develop a project action plan.
The purpose of this step is to organize and develop a project action plan to identify who will accomplish the project and when. Project team membership is finalized based on needed expertise. Team members may include recreation planners, resource managers, ecologists, social scientists, landscape architects, communication/interpretive specialists, senior leadership, and administrative officers. The team now has enough information to clarify the scope of the project, including schedules and budgets. Parts of this step may be developed while working through steps 1, 2, and 3. Use the sliding scale approach to ensure the amount of investment in project planning and the number of people involved, including stakeholders, is commensurate with the scope of the project and the nature and magnitude of the decision (see chapter 2).
Depending on the specifics of the project, the project team size will likely vary. In the case of a small project with a lower level of analysis needed, the team could conceivably be a single person. For more complex projects with a higher level of analysis needed, the project team may consist of agency specialists and stakeholders.
The project team and the decisionmakers must discuss and agree on the quality of deliverables, timelines, and amount of resources to expend on the process.
When developing a project action plan:
- Organize the team and assign associated roles and responsibilities.
- Identify the resources needed and available to tackle the project.
- Develop the timeline, including schedules, project milestones, and deliverables.
- Develop a public involvement strategy.
Summary: Element 1
Building the foundation is the first element of the framework process—a key component in developing a solid project. The information in this section helps the team understand how to organize the project and the resources needed to complete it. Major steps in this element include clarifying the purpose and need of the project; reviewing the area’s purpose and reviewing establishing legislation, agency policies, and other management direction; assessing and summarizing existing information and current conditions; and developing a project action plan, including a plan for outreach and public involvement.
Exercise
Instructions:
- Use the area below to analyze the issues with your project. After you have answered all the questions move on to Element Two.
Question Element 1: What conditions are you trying to achieve? How will you know when you have achieved them?
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Element Two
Define Visitor Use Management Direction: What conditions are we trying to achieve?
Learn MoreElement Three
Identify Management Strategies: How will visitor use be managed to achieve desired conditions?
Learn MoreElement Four
Implement, Monitor, Evaluate, and Adjust: Are we making progress towards desired conditions?
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