An Analysis of Social Carrying Capacity in Natural Park

The purpose of this paper is to analyze a causal model determining social carrying capacity(SCC) in natural parks, to answer the research question: What is the mechanism for determining SCC in natural parks (NP)\ulcorner After reviewing the literature on SCC and recreation activities in Korean natural parks, we constructed a conceptual framework and formulated the hypothesis of this research. We obtained data through a questionnaire which surveyed 487 visitors at 6 of the 73 NP in Korea during 2001, based on a stratified sampling method. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistical methods, the mean difference test, Pearson's correlation analysis, and path analysis method. We found that 1) The direct effect of resources, activity space(AS), visitor's expectation(VE), encounter, crowding, damage of resources(DR), maintenance condition of resources and facility(MCRF) to SCC are 3.45, 3.62, 2.75, 2.72, 1.32, and 4.77 times more important than that of crowding, respectively, while the indirect effect of resources, AS, VE, encounter, and DR to SCC is 13.03, 11.19, 3.34, 1.3, 2.05, 1.10, 0.05 and 2.30 times more important then that of crowding, respectively, 2) Causal effects of resources, facility, AS, VE, number of visitors(NV), encounter, crowding, VM, DR, and MCRF to SCC turned out to have 0.3523, 0.3321, 0.1751, 0.1465, 0.0307, 0.0762, 0.0604, -0.0510, -0.1177 and 0.2165, respectively, and 3) The causal effect of activity base(AB) and activity atmosphere(AA) to SCC turned out to have 2.57 and 1.1 times higher than that of MCRF, respectively. The research results suggest that 1) this conceptual framework is highly useful for the development of substantive theory and methodology; 2) management issues of AA and MCRF turned out to have 0.81 times in SCC that of AB, i.e, SCC can be significantly improved from control of AA and MCRF; and 3) supply of excellent resources and convenient facilities is needed to increase social carrying capacity. It is recommended that more empirical studies be performed in the future according to the season, visitor characteristics, and AS by NP.

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