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

Project description

Recreation management for the Anthropocene

In the Anthropocene era, when the great outdoors has become a cherished escape for many, the challenges of preserving our natural treasures have multiplied. The surge in outdoor recreation activities and tourism raises concerns about sustainable management. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the VIMAS project will develop new models for governing nature areas, ensuring they promote biodiversity, people’s well-being, and business growth. VIMAS aims to revolutionise the way we monitor and manage nature areas for tourism and recreation. The project’s focus is on developing monitoring techniques grounded in digital data, better knowledge of the socioeconomic and ecological impacts, and interdisciplinary management indicators.

Objective

Visitor management of protected and recreational areas in the Anthropocene
Loved by many, practised by even more. Recreation in the outdoors provides large benefits to individuals and societies, but with increased participation also follows challenges with sustainable management of nature areas. VIMAS’ primary objective is to develop more efficient governance of nature areas for tourism and recreation, in the best way possible for biodiversity, people’s quality of life and business development. This will be achieved through research about smarter monitoring methods, improved visitor management and more inclusive governance. Recreation in the outdoors has transformed in several ways; besides the increase in volume of visitors, the behaviour of visitors has diversified; visitors partake in a wider set of activities, visit more remote places, take more diversified trips in nature, have different motivations for visitation as well as levels of experience and skills. New monitoring and management tools honed for the Anthropocene must address the cumulative social and ecological impacts from increased tourism and recreation while striking a balance with ethics, privacy, and equal opportunities. To do this successfully, VIMAS focuses on novel monitoring techniques based on digital data developed and tested in the Nordic-Baltic region to address the contemporary challenges of increased demand, socio-economic inequality, and uncertain climate futures. The innovations of VIMAS are to realise potential from new knowledge developed in the intersection between quantitative and qualitative social sciences, ecology, and geo-informatics technology based on inclusive approaches for non-agency stakeholders and citizens. Through this, VIMAS will develop new, effective evidence-based tools towards smart governance and planning for recreational and protected natural areas for the next generation, optimising the delivery of public health, community well-being, business success as well as other ecosystem services while protecting environmental values.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-DN - HORIZON TMA MSCA Doctoral Networks

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2022-DN-01

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Coordinator

NORGES MILJO-OG BIOVITENSKAPELIGE UNIVERSITET
Net EU contribution
€ 595 497,60
Total cost
No data

Participants (6)

Partners (14)