Visitor monitoring and management in protected and recreational areas: new challenges, novel solutions for the Anthropocene

Project Information

VIMAS

Grant agreement ID: 101120250

DOI

10.3030/101120250

EC signature date 14 July 2023

Start date 1 November 2023

End date 31 October 2027

Funded under

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 2 892 664,80

Coordinated by

NORGES MILJO-OG BIOVITENSKAPELIGE UNIVERSITET
Norway

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - VIMAS (Visitor monitoring and management in protected and recreational areas: new challenges, novel solutions for the Anthropocene)

Reporting period: 2023-11-01 to 2025-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The VIMAS project aims to address the challenges of sustainable management of nature areas due to increased participation in outdoor recreation. The project acknowledges the diversification in visitor behaviour and the subsequent socio-ecological impacts. The main objective of VIMAS is to develop efficient governance of nature areas that benefits biodiversity, human well-being, and business development. This will be achieved through research on advanced monitoring methods, improved visitor management, and more inclusive governance. The project also aims to train a new generation of multidisciplinary scientists and strengthen European geo-digital businesses, public administration, and academia with talented researchers. VIMAS's innovative approach involves integrating quantitative and qualitative social sciences, ecology, and geo-informatics technology, and promoting inclusive approaches for non-agency stakeholders and citizens. VIMAS aims to achieve the following condensed research objectives:

RO1: Develop innovative visitor monitoring methodologies that integrate Big Data and traditional on-site monitoring. This will lead to the development of guidelines and policy briefs, and the publication of methodological and original research articles.

RO2: Enhance understanding of the role of improved visitor monitoring in boosting the sustainability and competitiveness of nature-based services and tourism. It will result in guidelines for knowledge management, policy briefs on financing public goods related to outdoor recreation, and several research articles.

RO3: Understand the conditions for successful visitor communication, behavioural change, and protection of natural soundscapes and dark skies. This will lead to guidelines for sustainable behavioural change, sound and light maps for nature experiences, and several original research articles.

RO4: Develop indicators and guidelines for evidence-based, sustainable, and efficient visitor governance. This will result in standards for policy-supporting indicators and several research articles.

Training Objectives: Develop skills in quantitative big data analysis, PPGIS, on-site research methods, strategic planning, and collaborative management. This will be achieved through training activities, course exams, secondments at national/regional agencies, and research reports/papers.

Strategic Objectives: Train a new generation of multidisciplinary scientists, strengthen European geo-digital businesses, public administration, and academia, enable long-term improvement of European academic cooperation, and improve contemporary visitor planning and management models. These will be accomplished through acquisition of transferable skills, secondments at non-academic institutions, establishment of two permanent doctoral-level courses, and knowledge transfers to key stakeholders.
VIMAS website: https://www.nmbu.no/en/research/projects/vimas

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

VIMAS started in November 2023 and has progressed according to plan. By August 2024, all ten doctoral candidates were recruited and developed research plans across four thematic areas: visitor monitoring technologies, sustainable tourism governance, behavioural change, and equity in outdoor recreation.
The first Training School, hosted by the University of Copenhagen, included participation in the 12th International Conference on Monitoring and Management of Visitors in Recreational and Protected Areas (MMV12), followed by lectures, excursions, and group discussions in September 2024. The second Training School took place in Finland in August 2025, focusing on sustainability, governance, and practical applications in nature-based tourism. Research combines traditional monitoring methods with innovative approaches such as participatory GIS, social media data, and machine learning to improve accuracy, scalability, and address ethical considerations. Parallel studies explore sustainability and financing models for public goods, behavioural interventions, and soundscapes in Norwegian national parks. Governance research has advanced through reviews and empirical studies on collaborative models and equity in outdoor recreation. Initial findings have been presented at major conferences, and manuscripts are in progress. Training schools, secondments, and networking have strengthened collaboration within the consortium and with external projects, creating opportunities for joint research and knowledge transfer.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Outdoor recreation offers significant benefits but poses challenges for sustainable nature area management. VIMAS aims to develop efficient governance for tourism and recreation, benefiting biodiversity, quality of life, and business development through research on smarter monitoring methods, improved visitor management, and inclusive governance. Outdoor recreation has transformed with increased visitor diversity, requiring new tools to address socio-ecological impacts. VIMAS focuses on novel monitoring techniques using digital data in the Nordic-Baltic region to tackle increased demand, inequality, and climate uncertainties. Innovations include integrating social sciences, ecology, and geo-informatics, developing evidence-based tools for smart governance and planning, optimizing public health, community well-being, business success, and ecosystem services while protecting environmental values. The VIMAS project has advanced visitor monitoring and management by integrating traditional methods with cutting-edge technologies such as machine learning, location-based social media data, and participatory GIS. These innovations enable more accurate, scalable, and ethically responsible monitoring of recreational use across diverse landscapes.
Research has generated new insights into sustainable tourism governance, financing models for public goods, and behavioural strategies to align visitor choices with conservation goals. Studies on soundscapes and digital trip planning have opened new perspectives on how environmental conditions and communication tools influence visitor experiences and behaviour.
The project has also contributed to collaborative governance frameworks that incorporate equity and diversity in outdoor recreation, supported by empirical validation of smart monitoring techniques. These approaches are expected to inform policy and management practices at national and international levels.
Several scientific manuscripts are under review, and major outputs—including methodological frameworks, indicators, and guidelines—are in development. These results have the potential to shape future standards for visitor management, strengthen sustainability in nature-based tourism, and foster innovation across research, policy, and industry.

VIMAS DCs during Training School 1, attending the MMV12 in Schneverdinger (Germany) Ph: Maremonti