Date of Award:

8-2024

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Environment and Society

Committee Chair(s)

Anna Miller

Committee

Anna Miller

Committee

Jessica Schad

Committee

Paul C. Rogers

Abstract

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) spark strong emotional attachments among many people, yet they are ecologically in decline across North America. Aspen landscapes are also popular outdoor recreation destinations. Site-specific strategies are required for both managing for healthy aspen landscapes and enhancing the outdoor recreation experience. Our study investigated a highly-recreated and ecologically declining aspen forest in Summit County, Utah facing population decline. There were two distinct phases of data collection. First, we evaluated the condition of the aspen and identified potential management actions that could improve the condition of the aspen. Second, we surveyed people who visited the site to recreate. The survey assessed how people value aspen and asked them to rank their level of support or opposition for different aspen management strategies. We found that the presence of ungulate (deer and elk), soil contamination, and recreation worsened the aspen condition. We also found that people were generally supportive of the proposed management actions; specifically, those who had a stronger sense of place attachment were more likely to support management actions. This study can serve as a management guide for aspen landscapes that are recreation destinations.

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Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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