Browsing by Author "Bo Shelby"

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    Carrying capacity, values, and the satisfaction model: A reply to Greist
    (1977) Thomas A. Heberlein; Bo Shelby
    David Greist contends that ratio measures of satisfaction are necessary in order to establish carrying capacity on the basis of a model which aims to maximize aggregate satisfaction. While this measurement problem may lead to invalid estimates of carrying capacity in the context of the satisfaction model, it does not in the study criticized because satisfaction does not vary with use level. While satisfaction scores should not be treated as ratio, they may safely be treated as interval so that curves relating satisfaction to density (and other variables) can be estimated. Such estimates may answer questions posed by managers. Other conceptual problems with the satisfaction model are noted, which are more serious than the measurement issue noted by Greist. Carrying capacity cannot be established by data from sociological or biological studies alone; value judgments about management goals are also necessary. The lottery procedure proposed by Greist is not a device for establishing carrying capacity but, rather, a creative way to allocate use once capacity has been established.
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    Research, Politics, and Resource Management Decisions: A Case Study of River Research in Grand Canyon
    (2007) Bo Shelby
    The literature on research utilization and policy mak- ing suggests that decision processes involve both rational, intellectual analysis and social or political interaction. Several writers suggest that this relationship also exists in the recreation and resource management fields, but few studies treat the issue explicitly. This paper presents a case study of river research in Grand Canyon National Park. It illustrates the role of research in the political decision process, develops generalizations from the case study, and ties them to the utilization and policy literature.