Forests Tourism and Recreation

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Economics, Policy, and Social Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2021) | Viewed by 13603

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Forest Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
Interests: ecotourism; community-based tourism; visitor management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forests are valuable tourism and recreation resources, attracting billions of visitors worldwide. Forests as tourism and recreation infrastructure contribute significantly to the economic as well as social output to the society. These public benefits are extremely valuable in supporting the community’s identity and livelihood and also enhancing the conservation of forest ecosystems and wildlife.

Nevertheless, many of these benefits are challenged by seasonality and possible overuse and the use of forests for tourism and recreation purposes might conflict with other forest uses.

Not surprisingly, as the Coronavirus pandemic continues, people are rediscovering the forests, leading to record visitation in many countries. We believe that the communities with access to forests have been much better off than those without access during the pandemic.

Over the years, social science researchers have made great effort to better understand how to manage forests and provide opportunities to obtain the socio-economic and environmental benefits available from forest tourism and recreation experiences.

In this Special Issue, we will cover various research from around the world that critically describes the current issues and challenges of society and update scientific knowledge related to forest tourism and recreation.

Dr. Seong-il Kim
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • pandemic and forest activities
  • carrying capacity
  • resource management and conflict
  • recreation as conservation tool
  • ecotourism and forest value
  • wildlife conservation and tourism
  • visitor impact management
  • protected areas and tourism
  • local community livelihood

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 4337 KiB  
Article
Perceived Benefits and Forest Tourists Consumption Intention: Environmental Protection Attitude and Resource Utilization Attitude as Mediators
by Bin Zhou, Siyi Liu, Hu Yu, Dongfang Zhu and Qihao Xiong
Forests 2022, 13(5), 812; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13050812 - 23 May 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3355
Abstract
Establishing a relationship model between environmental protection and resource utilization attitude and consumption intention is the key to promoting the sustainable development of forest tourism. From the standpoint of the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) framework, the purpose of this study is to explore the complex [...] Read more.
Establishing a relationship model between environmental protection and resource utilization attitude and consumption intention is the key to promoting the sustainable development of forest tourism. From the standpoint of the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) framework, the purpose of this study is to explore the complex causal relationships between perceived benefits, attitudes toward environmental protection, resource utilization attitudes, and consumption intentions in the context of forest tourism. The research data have been collected using a questionnaire survey of 436 tourists at Siming Mountain in the suburbs of Ningbo city, China. Furthermore, it is analyzed by structural equation modeling. The results indicate a positive correlation between the perceived benefits and tourists’ consumption intention that is mediated by the tourists’ attitude toward resource utilization. Although the independent mediating effect of environmental protection attitude is not supported in this study, both attitudes have played a chain-mediating role between perceived benefit and consumption intention. This study contributes to the existing knowledge by measuring the impact of perceived benefits and environmental attitudes of forest tourists on consumption intentions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forests Tourism and Recreation)
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23 pages, 10998 KiB  
Article
GIS-Based Aesthetic Appraisal of Short-Range Viewsheds of Coastal Dune and Forest Landscapes
by Arvydas Urbis, Ramūnas Povilanskas, Egidijus Jurkus, Julius Taminskas and Domantas Urbis
Forests 2021, 12(11), 1534; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12111534 - 7 Nov 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3267
Abstract
This paper demonstrates the possibilities of a Geographical Information System (GIS) for investigating and explicating the spatial variation of the short-range viewshed aesthetic appeal in a World Heritage coastal dune and forest area. The study pursues the following objectives: (1) develop and trial [...] Read more.
This paper demonstrates the possibilities of a Geographical Information System (GIS) for investigating and explicating the spatial variation of the short-range viewshed aesthetic appeal in a World Heritage coastal dune and forest area. The study pursues the following objectives: (1) develop and trial a GIS-based algorithm for computing the Aesthetic Appeal Index for a Short-Range Viewshed (ǣ); (2) deliver an output map showing the spatial variation of the computed ǣ values in the target territory and distribution of the zones with high scenic quality and potential aesthetic ecosystem services (PAES); and (3) assess management alternatives in zones with high PAES and high conservation value. This study combines two key innovative aspects. First, it integrates an objective digital map of habitats with subjective scenic preferences of coastal forest and dune landscapes based on psychophysical and cognitive perceptions of scenic beauty. Second, it applies a GIS-based algorithm to translate subjective scenic preferences to an output map of ǣ. The study’s main conclusion is that the combined aesthetic appraisal of the immediate and foreground viewshed of coastal forests and dunes, by applying a specially created GIS algorithm, allows an assessment of the scenic quality of this landscape reliably in statistical terms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forests Tourism and Recreation)
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18 pages, 2544 KiB  
Article
Social Preferences of Young Adults Regarding Urban Forest Recreation Management in Warsaw, Poland
by Agnieszka Mandziuk, Beata Fornal-Pieniak, Dagmara Stangierska, Stanisław Parzych and Katarzyna Widera
Forests 2021, 12(11), 1524; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12111524 - 5 Nov 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2602
Abstract
The paper presents results of questionnaire research conducted to determine social preferences regarding leisure in Warsaw municipal forests (WMF) (Poland). The preferences pertained to frequency of visits and willingness to pay for recreational infrastructure in a forest depending on its appearance, level of [...] Read more.
The paper presents results of questionnaire research conducted to determine social preferences regarding leisure in Warsaw municipal forests (WMF) (Poland). The preferences pertained to frequency of visits and willingness to pay for recreational infrastructure in a forest depending on its appearance, level of development, and the respondent’s income. The data were processed using statistical analysis (ANOVA Friedman test, U Mann–Whitney test, logistic regression). The results show that the higher the development level of a forest, the more often young people choose it for leisure. Willingness to pay for a forest depends on its development level, with respondents more willing to fund forests with a higher development level. No such correlation with the respondents’ income was found. Preferences regarding the selection of a specific type of forest for leisure were dependent on per capita income of the respondents only in the case of forests at a lower level of development. A forest’s preference level affected the willingness to pay for it and varied depending on the development level. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forests Tourism and Recreation)
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14 pages, 5794 KiB  
Article
How Dead Wood in the Forest Decreases Relaxation? The Effects of Viewing of Dead Wood in the Forest Environment on Psychological Responses of Young Adults
by Emilia Janeczko, Ernest Bielinis, Ulfah Tiarasari, Małgorzata Woźnicka, Wojciech Kędziora, Sławomir Przygodzki and Krzysztof Janeczko
Forests 2021, 12(7), 871; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12070871 - 1 Jul 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3312
Abstract
The intensity of the neutral environment impact on humans may be determined by specific features of space, including dead wood occurrence. Dead wood is claimed to be disliked by the public because it reduces the scenic beauty and recreational values of the forest. [...] Read more.
The intensity of the neutral environment impact on humans may be determined by specific features of space, including dead wood occurrence. Dead wood is claimed to be disliked by the public because it reduces the scenic beauty and recreational values of the forest. The attractiveness of a forest with dead wood may be determined by its variants. Much is known about the preference for landscape with dead wood, but there is little information available about how such a landscape affects a person’s mental relaxation, improves mood, increases positive feelings, levels of vitality, etc. Hence, the aim of our research was to investigate the psycho-logical relaxing effects of short 15-min exposures to natural and managed forests with dead wood. In the study, three areas within the Białowieża Primeval Forest were used to measure the impact of different types of forest with dead wood (A: forest reserve with dead wood subject to natural decomposition processes; B: managed forest with visible cut wood and stumps; C: man-aged forest with dead trees from bark beetle outbreak standing) on human psychological relaxation in a randomized experiment. The participants of the experiment were forty-one young adults aged 19–20. Each respondent experienced each type of forest at intervals visiting it. Four psychological questionnaires were used in the project (Profile of Mood States (POMS), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS), and Restorative Outcome Scale (ROS)) before and after the short exposure to the forest were evaluated. The results show that a forest landscape with dead wood affects the human psyche, and the relaxing properties of such a landscape are better in a protected forest with natural, slow processes of tree dieback than those obtained in managed forests Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forests Tourism and Recreation)
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