Christopher A. Monz
National Outdoor Leadership School, Lander, WY

Abstract
Assessment and monitoring programs were initiated in two very different coastal ecosystems in western North America: Baja California, Mexico and Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA. Each project is an effort to assess the location, condition and distribution of primitive campsites. By adapting established monitoring protocols to each of these environments, campsites were evaluated on the basis of condition class estimates, size of impacted area, degree of vegetation loss, and extent of soil erosion.

In general, campsites at these areas represent a wide range of the impact spectrum, from relatively highly impacted to nearly pristine. In Prince William Sound, the primary campsites at 63 beaches were intensively measured and designated for permanent monitoring. Sites were found most commonly on organic soil (forest understory) or on beach gravel. Vegetation on both of these soil types was very susceptible to use with the gravel sites (beach grasses) exhibiting a 93% median cover loss, and the organic soil (mixed herbs and mosses) yielding an 81% loss. Analyses at the Baja campsites revealed similar trends of vegetation loss and emphasized the need to utilize available resistant substrates, such as unvegetated beach gravel, for camping and recreational activities.

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Campsite assessment paper