Dr. Juniper Katz, along with co-author David P. Carter, published a paper in the Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning that examines how public lands users respond to different land management policy tools. Using a survey experiment that varies the imposition of fees and quotas in hypothetical scenarios, they analyzed U.S. rock climbers’ resistance or receptiveness to visiting public lands climbing destinations. Their results showed that participants are most resistant to management tools that impose financial burdens. User receptiveness increases, however, when exclusive public land benefits can be secured. They showed that land management policy tool receptiveness is conditioned by household income and desire for solitude in recreation. The study's contribution is to illustrate the theoretical utility of accounting for institutionally contingent shifts in resource good types, while also raising concerns regarding the exclusionary potential of land management policies, particularly in regards to lower-income users. Their study offers guidance for land managers and policymakers aiming to balance conservation, recreational access, and use by shedding light on the interplay between management policies, user characteristics, and types of goods.
Link to article: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1523908X.2024.2330531