Sustainable Planning

1
Sustainable Planning
Protecting resources, promoting quality visitor
experiences, considering financial realities
2
Review

• What are some strategies for building rapport
  with an indigenous community?
• Why do you need to be careful of using indigenous
  photos in a publication?
• What is meant by the limits of acceptable
  change?
• What are three characteristics of a good
  indicator?
• What are three characteristics of a good
  standard?

3
Objectives

• To discuss key factors that need to be considered
  in terms of sustainable site design
• To review general planning principles for
  managing visitors using campground design as an
  example.

4
Readings

• Smith and Newsome, 2002. Campsite impacts. J.
  Sustainable Tourism 10(4)343-359.
• Worboys et al. 2005. Protected Area Management.
  Principles and Practice. 2nd Edn. Oxford.
  P274-287.
• References
• Hammit and Cole 1987 Hultsman et al. 1998 NPWSA
  1998.

5
The role of park managers in terms of
sustainability

• Address environmental issues
• Ie. protect biodiversity, educate people etc.
• Provide leadership
• Model sustainable behaviours
• Be accountable to the community

6
Sustainable Management Requirements

• Sustainability policy and planning
• Must be integrated through all levels.
• Performance Assessment and Monitoring
• Systematically monitor performance using
  sustainability indicators (eg. Earthcheck
  indicators)
• Role of EMS
• Resource consumption (water, energy, other
  resources)
• Waste production
• Greenhouse gas emissions
• Adoption and adherence to Sustainable Development
  Criteria
• Continual Improvement
• Sustainability Reporting
• Assessment of level of improvement or
  deterioration eg. via State of Environment,
  State of Parks Reports.

7
Basic Steps in Planning

• Assess the significance of the site
• Collect information (resource, social)
• Analyse information, compare with similar sites
• Determine significance
• Develop strategy
• Promote sustainable use of resource
• Promote quality visitor experience
• Implement strategy

8
Key management concern is actual and potential
impacts resulting from visitor useSimple
Planning Framework
Set Objectives
Inventory Conditions
Are Objectives Being Met?
Monitor
Monitor
Yes
No
Continue Current Management
Change Management
9
Processes
Good planning includes monitoring

• Define park conditions to be maintained in terms
  of objectives, desired conditions, associated
  indicators and standards
• Monitoring of indicator variables and comparison
  to existing conditions
• Applying management practices and on-going
  monitoring to ensure standards maintained

10
Design Considerations

• Analyse potential environmental impacts (eg.
  wildlife, vegetation, viewsheds).
• Minimise negative social economic impacts
• Understand the objective and audience for any
  development
• In every development consider
• Functionality
• Safety
• Operational efficiency
• Equity

11
Natural Context

• Climate (Wind, Sun, Rainfall)
• Topography
• Geology and Soils
• Vegetation
• Wildlife
• Aquatic Ecosystems
• Visual Character

12
Water

• Major Attraction, Major Problem
• Understand it
• water runs downhill
• if you allow it to run downhill over extended
  distances, volume and velocity increase
• water seeks low places
• building roofs act like mini-watersheds

13
Utility and Waste Systems

• Use of Alternative Energy
• Utility Systems / Corridors
• Storm Drainage
• Irrigation Systems
• Waste Treatment
• Night Lighting

14
Human Waste

• Dispersed
• do nothing
• minimal impact brochure
• poo tubes

• Concentrated
• do nothing
• flush toilets
• pit toilet
• vault toilet
• chemical
• composting
• Tassies Super Composting Toilet

15
Other Recreation Opportunities

• Campgrounds
• Trails
• Interpretive Opportunities
• Boat Ramps
• Fishing Docks

• Shops
• Outdoor Cinemas
• Organised Activities
• Barbeque and Picnic Facilities
• Visitor Centres

16
Trail Design

• Dependent on trail purpose and physical
  characteristics of the area
• Trail Configuration
• Simple loop
• Stacked loop
• Maze
• Linear
• Trail Length

(Source NPWSA 1998)
17
Site Access

• Dispersed vs Concentrated Development
• Sustainable Transport
• En Route Experience
• Road Design and Construction
• Other Access Improvements
• Core Site Access

18
Make your design interesting
Source NPWSA, 1998
19
Minimise visual intrusions
Source NPWSA, 1998
20
Curvilinear Road Design
Source NPWSA, 1998
21
Car Parks

• Car parks are major sources of water pollution.
• Oils and waxes spilt or leaked from cars can
  cause major runoff problems.
• Construct car parks with a 2 - 3 tilt away from
  significant feature
• Use a filter strip

22
Example of a design that maximises impact
Source NPWSA, 1998
23
Example of a design that minimises impact
Source NPWSA, 1998
24
Planning for People with Disabilities

• People with disabilities visit parks to have fun
  - not just to use the toilet! - Hultsman et al.
  1998
• Toilets (syringe bin)
• Trails (turnarounds)
• Picnic Tables
• Campsites

25
Todays PracOverview of Planning Concepts

• Case Study Campground

26
Case StudyCampgrounds -- issues to consider

• What ROS class are we dealing with?
• Does any area need to be avoided?
• What is the current visitor use like?
• Is current use causing significant impacts on
  resource or visitor experience?
• Who is the customer?
• Who are the stakeholders?
• What is the revenue potential?
• What is needed wrt access, facilities, services?
• Any concerns about safety?
• What is the competition like (public and
  private)?
• What product will be attractive to the desired
  clientele?
• How can we promote concepts of sustainability and
  community well-being?

27
Type of Campgrounds

• NT Classifications
• Minimal Use Camping (non-motorised)
• Dispersed Use Camping (motorised)
• Formalised Camping
• High Intensity Formalised Camping
• SA Classifications
• Category A or B (developed)
• Category C (bushcamping minimal faclities)

28
Campground Design Features

• Access
• Roads
• Campsites
• Focal Point
• Additional Features

29
Types of Campsites

• Reverse in
• Pull-through
• Group Camps
• Tent Sites
• Hike-In Sites
• Handicap Accessible

30
What to Consider at a Campsite

• Soil
• Water Movement
• Vegetation
• Screening, shade, hazard trees
• Type of user
• Unit size
• Proximity to other users
• Proximity to facilities
• Management of the site

31
Source NPWSA 1998
32
Impacts
Point where use was cut off
Impact
Time
33
Camping Area Impacts
Impact
(2 5 years)
Amount of Use (years)
34
The Campsite

• Unit construction
• Living Area Furniture
• Table, fire-ring, bbq grill, tent pad
• Other services
• rubbish disposal, electricity, taps
• Signing

35
Note for caravans, put living area on other side
Source NPWSA 1998
36
Fire to be or not to be?
37
Signing for Campsites
38
Other facilities

• Toilets
• Proximity, type, number
• Site hardening
• Access trails
• Public gathering areas
• Amphitheatres, picnic areas, playgrounds
• Carparks

39
Campground Issues to Consider

• Noise
• Reservation systems
• Pricing
• Temporal variation in pricing, variations based
  on facilities
• Number of cars per site
• Size of site
• Level of facilities
• Length of stay

40
Where we are meeting for the prac.

• The Paddocks
• Maxwell Rd
• Park near the dog area

Bridge Rd
Elder Blvd
Maxwell Rd
Main North Rd
Research Rd