A conceptual framework of indicators for the suitability of forests for outdoor recreation

Abstract

Forests' ability to provide opportunities for recreation is an important ecosystem service. This has prompted attempts to create indicators to assess forests' suitability for recreation, although hitherto with limited success. This study introduces a novel framework for indicators of potential and realised recreational values of forests, with a primary focus on Sweden and Fennoscandia. We divided forest attributes into intrinsic qualities (i.e. the structure and composition of the forest), extrinsic qualities (i.e. the location of the forest in relation to other components of the landscape), and facilitation qualities (i.e. the presence of recreational infrastructure). Using Fennoscandia as a case study, we performed a literature review to find specific indicators of recreational values, as well as evaluate the current availability of spatial data suitable to map the forest qualities on a national scale. The most important intrinsic quality we identified was tree size/age, whereas for extrinsic quality it was proximity to water. Systematic monitoring of recreational use is essential to estimate realised recreational values. The conceptual framework proved to be a valuable tool for identifying potential indicators, and applying it in other regions is likely to yield useful outcomes.

Keywords: Fennoscandia; Forests; Indicators; Indices; Outdoor recreation; Recreation potential.

Fig. 1

The conceptual framework of how recreation visits to a forest are driven by its qualities and accessibility (black arrows). Realised recreational values can be estimated by measuring the number and quality of forest visits by users, while the recreation potential of a forest can be assessed by using the forest’s qualities and accessibility as indicators (green arrows)