The control of outdoor recreational land use : pricing and public participation

This thesis is part of a study which assessed the suitability of a number of methods of controlling (or "rationing") recreational land use. Specifically it concerns three aspects of the study; (a) The design of a survey of which the main aim was to obtain data on Victorian recreationists* attitudes to various rationing methods. (b) An assessment of the effectiveness of pricing as a method of rationing recreational land use. (c) A discussion of the role of public participation in recreational land management, particularly when rationing is under consideration. The emphasis of the thesis is on pricing. The effectiveness of pricing as a rationing method is assessed by reference to published studies on recreation demand and its elasticity, by a review of public attitudes to the use of pricing, and by the analysis of survey data collected as part of the present research. In particular, the thesis addresses the following topics: (a) The methodology of estimating demand elasticity. (b) Patterns of elasticity variation among recreation sites. (c) The effectiveness of pricing as a means of reducing usage. (d) Public attitudes to pricing. (e) The effectiveness of differential pricing as a means of redistributing usage. The role of public participation is discussed by reviewing some of the literature on public participation in decision-making generally before focussing more specifically on recreation management. Several arguments are identified in favour of public participation in recreation management in addition to those which apply in other decision-making areas. Responses to a question in the survey provide data on Victorian recreationists* perceived need for increased public participation in management of the site.