Multiple use management: Using a GIS model to understand conflicts between recreationists and sensitive wildlife

The management of natural resources involves the integration of physical, biological, and sociological information. Computerized geographical information systems (CIS) offer the capacity to combine this information. GIS has the potential to be a powerful wildlife management tool for integrating recreational and biological information. This study develops a recreational use model using data from a traditional recreational survey and a mountain sheep habitat model within a GIS database. This study develops a method that provides the resource manager with a toot to make predictions about the locations where recreational users may be encroaching on mountain sheep. Findings of this study illustrate that frequent recreational use along two trails occurred within preferred sheep habitat. More than 45% of recreationists surveyed travel extensively off the designated trails into the wilderness areas and thereby further encroach upon sheep habitat. This study demonstrates the use of a GIS to identify critical habitat areas and model recreational behavior that may influence a sensitive wildlife species.