A major challenge facing all national park areas is how to balance our conservation and recreation mandates. Visitation in protected areas can have resource impacts and degrade the experiences of other visitors. To prevent these problems, park managers must recognize and understand the causes and consequences of these threats. The successful stewardship and protection of Acadia National Park for future generations therefore depends upon scientifically credible and timely answers to important questions.The social science research that Dr. Bob Manning has conducted at Acadia National Park over the last 20 years has provided the National Park Service with important insights about visitor attitudes relative to congestion, crowding, and conflicts among different user groups. These data have been used by the park’s management team to make decisions about how to appropriately manage visitor use so that the public can continue to have high quality experiences while ensuring that natural resources will be protected. The story that Dr. Manning tells in his new book will provide the reader with a better understanding of the challenges of managing New England’s only National Park and how science is helping to inform good decision making.
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