This course examines recreation management in a wilderness setting. Upon successful completion of this course, students will understand wilderness management strategies to address visitor use, visitor experiences, measuring and monitoring biophysical and social impacts, communicating effective wilderness education, interpretation, information, and conceptual approaches to communication, search and rescue protocol, and law enforcement.

Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to:

·       Recognize that an understanding of wilderness use and users is essential to appropriate wilderness management, including the ability to describe existing use, users, trends, and projections.

·       Explain the dimensions and significant of visitors' wilderness experiences and the factors that influence them, including the effects of direct and indirect management.

·       Describe different techniques commonly used to manage biophysical and social impacts of wilderness visitors.  Discuss the Limits of Acceptable Change, Carrying Capacity, Visitor Experience Resource Protection, and Keeping it Wild management approaches.

·       Describe the importance of monitoring social and physical indicators of wilderness conditions.  Explain why standards of wilderness quality are important and illustrate how they are generated.

·       Identify the importance of communicating information to the public and the role education plays in managing wilderness impacts.  Understand the conceptual approaches to learning and describe when each is appropriate.  Illustrate the elements of an effective visitor education program.

·       Understand the provisions and approaches of the different agencies' emergency responses and understand alternative viewpoints for "rescue-free" wilderness.  Describe the wilderness manager's obligation to provide public safety.