
Being a Wilderness supporter
in words, images, and deed
Being a Wilderness supporter
in words, images, and deed
Focusing on presentations for the public to understand the value and pitfalls of designated Wilderness areas in the USA.
Who gives a crap? Hikers do, that's who!
Research on visitor knowledge, attitude, and practices toward discarded used toilet paper (DUTP) in designated Wilderness areas is non-existent. Given the recent visitor increases to US public lands during Covid 19, with Wilderness and dispersed areas seeing the most increase (USFS, May 2021), addressing this gap has become increasingly relevant and timely. During the summer of 2021, I conducted visitor exit surveys at six trailheads in four Wildernesses in three western US states along with GPS data collection at associated campsites.
This novel research shows all surveyed hikers negatively associate to seeing DUTP, 73% (n=111) of respondents stated they saw no information about toilet paper, and 80% of respondents (n=89) have a stated tolerance levels for not returning to an area of 3 or less incidences yet average incidences of DUTP across all surveyed sites is 4.1 (SD=4.8).
Solutions identified through this research suggest Wilderness policy on packing out used toilet paper needs to be more readily accessible for the hiking public and that visitor tolerances have already been breached. These results will enable land managers to develop targeted strategies associated with discarded used toilet paper, and trash in general, to assist in desired visitor behavioral changes.
I have traveled through about 50 countries and have at least one photograph of a tree from each one. I love to climb them, study them, admire them, and am now intellectually armed to defend their environments as best as I can.
2021 National Forest Foundation Conservation Connect Fellow
Upside down with joy at the top of Africa, Mt. Kilimanjaro. Summited as the Sustainability Coordinator for Twende Maasai Tours.
Summer and Fall 2021 I conducted novel research on visitor knowledge, attitude, and practices toward discarded sed toilet paper and conducted GPS data collection to establish existing baselines.
Co-production of knowledge: 2 (or more) heads are better than one
Copyright © 2023 Elli Morris, speaking up and out on Wilderness stewardship - All Rights Reserved.
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