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- Title
Ecological indicators for assessing management effectiveness: A case study of horse riding in an Alpine National Park.
- Authors
Bie, Kelly; Vesk, Peter A.
- Abstract
Recreation activities and visitor use often have deleterious ecological impacts in protected areas. Management agencies then face the difficult task of providing recreation and tourism opportunities without compromising environmental values. This study assessed the success of efforts aimed at conserving alpine vegetation along the Mt Bogong Massif in Victoria, Australia, through controlling the use of horses. Vegetation condition was assessed in 2001 to coinciding with restrictions on the use of horse riding on trails and then resurveyed 10 years later. Sampling was undertaken in track plots that included the trail and surrounding vegetation, and control plots located away from the trail. There were significant differences in the amount of bare ground, the height of shrubs and ground layer vegetation, and shrub cover between track and control plots in 2001. Ten years later, track plots were recovering with reductions in bare ground and changes in vegetation, with improved ground layer vegetation height. Results show that vegetation condition has improved with restrictions of horse numbers. The indicators selected were sensitive to changes in vegetation condition and hence should be used for ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of this and similar management interventions.
- Subjects
AUSTRALIA; BIOINDICATORS; EQUESTRIANISM; PROTECTED areas; MOUNTAIN plants
- Publication
Ecological Management & Restoration, 2014, Vol 15, Issue 3, p215
- ISSN
1442-7001
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/emr.12127