Recreational opportunity
spectrum
Recreational Opportunity Spectrum

The basic idea behind ROS is that people should be provided with a
range of recreation opportunities so that individual tastes can be
appropriately accommodated.

Goal of recreationist:
“Have satisfying leisure experiences by participating in preferred
activities in a favorable environmental settings”
NOTE and CREDIT: the
following information was
adopted from the USDA
USFS ROS Users guide
and from Jason
Siniscalchi, Ph.D.
2
Opportunities for achieving satisfying experiences..
Are a function of:

natural elements (vegetation, landscape and scenery)

areas controlled by land management agencies (developed sites,
roads, regulations)
3
ROS

The purpose of an Recreation Opportunity Spectrum Inventory is to
identify, delineate, classify and record areas into recreation
opportunity classes based on their current state of remoteness,
naturalness and expected social experience.

It is also to provide information about existing recreation
opportunities to land use planners and resource managers to assist
them in making decisions on appropriate land uses, resource
development objectives and management prescriptions.
4
Goal of the resource manager

Is to provide the opportunities to obtain the experiences by
managing the natural setting and the activities within it.
Challenges:
While recreation must have a
physical base of land or water,
the product (recreation
experience) is a personal
phenomenon.
5
6
ROS six class spectrum
Recreation Opportunity Spectrum
Primitive

SemiSemiRoaded
primitive primitive Natural
Non
Motorized
motorized
Rural
Urban
For the resource manager and the recreationist, recreation
opportunities can be expressed in terms of three principal
components:
Activities
Setting
Experience
7
Activities
Recreation Opportunity Spectrum
Primitive
SemiSemiRoaded
primitive primitive Natural
Non
Motorized
motorized
Rural
Urban
Land
based
Hunting
Camping
RV camping
Resort
lodging
Bed and
breakfast
Bus touring
Water
based
Fly Fishing
Canoeing
Waterskiing
Sailing
Boat Ferries
Tour boat
Snow
based
Snowshoeing
Xcountry
skiing
Downhill
skiing
Snowmobiling
Sledding
Ice skating
8
Experience
Recreation Opportunity Spectrum
Primitive
SemiSemiRoaded
primitive primitive Natural
Non
Motorized
motorized
Rural
Urban
Isolation
Highest
probability
Mostly high
moderate
Just as
likely to see
people
Likely to see
groups
Groups are
prevalent
Interaction
with
nature
Very close
mostly
close
close
Not as
important
some
Must make
an effort for
it to happen
Amt of
challenge
or risk
High degree
present
some
some
Have to
search it out
Mostly just a
spectator
9
Setting (GIS can be used here!!!)
Recreation Opportunity Spectrum
Primitive
SemiSemiRoaded
primitive primitive Natural
Non
Motorized
motorized
Rural
Urban
Remoteness
All natural
Mostly
natural
Mostly
natural
Evidence of
man’s
influence
Substantial
modified
Mostly
altered
Size
Large
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate to
smaller
Smaller
Varies
Evidence of
humans
Don’t see
many
others
Low but
evident
Others
evident
Moderate
Moderate to
high
predominant
10
Mapping of areas currently providing recreation
opportunities
W
h
e
r
e
G
I
S
C
a
n
Setting Component
Mapping Criteria
Physical
Remoteness
Size
Evidence of humans
Social
User density
Managerial
Managerial regimentation and
noticeability
H
e
l
p
11
Remoteness
Primitive
SemiSemiRoaded
primitive primitive Natural
Non
Motorized
motorized
Rural
Urban
An area
designated
at least 3
miles from
all roads,
railroads or
trails with
motorized
use
An area
designated
at least ½
mile but not
further than
3 miles from
all roads,
railroads or
trails with
motorized
use
No distance
criteria
No distance
criteria
An area
within ½
mile of
primitive
roads or
trails used
by motor
vehicles;
but not
closer than
½ mile from
better than
primitive
roads
An area
designated
within ½
mile from
better than
primitive
roads and
railroads
12
Tucker County example
primitive roads and railroads
13
Tucker County example
All roads, railroads and trails
14
Tucker County example
Distance from primitive roads and
railroads
15
Tucker County example
Distance from All roads, railroads
and trails
16
Remoteness
Primitive
SemiSemiRoaded
primitive primitive Natural
Non
Motorized
motorized
Rural
Urban
An area
designated
at least 3
miles from
all roads,
railroads or
trails with
motorized
use
An area
designated
at least ½
mile but not
further than
3 miles from
all roads,
railroads or
trails with
motorized
use
No distance
criteria
No distance
criteria
An area
within ½
mile of
primitive
roads or
trails used
by motor
vehicles;
but not
closer than
½ mile from
better than
primitive
roads
An area
designated
within ½
mile from
better than
primitive
roads and
railroads
Using these to
reclass the
distance grids…
17
Tucker County example
Legend
Primitive
Semi-primitive non-motorized
Semi-primitive motorized
Roaded natural
Rural / Urban
18
Mapping of areas currently providing recreation
opportunities
Setting Component
Mapping Criteria
Physical
Remoteness
Size
Evidence of humans
Social
User density
Managerial
Managerial regimentation and
noticeability
19
Size
Primitive
SemiSemiRoaded
primitive primitive Natural
Non
Motorized
motorized
Rural
Urban
5,000 acres
2,500 acres
No size
criteria
No size
criteria
2,500 acres
No size
criteria
Using these
cutoffs to evaluate
our remoteness by
size…
20
Tucker County example
Legend
Primitive
Semi-primitive non-motorized
Semi-primitive motorized
Roaded natural
Rural / Urban
Areas under 2,500 acres
21
Tucker County example
Legend
Primitive
Semi-primitive non-motorized
Semi-primitive motorized
Roaded natural
Rural / Urban
Areas between 2,500 and 5,000 acres
22
Tucker County example
Legend
Primitive
Semi-primitive non-motorized
Semi-primitive motorized
Roaded natural
Rural / Urban
Areas 5,000 acres or larger
23
Tucker County example
Remoteness adjusted for size
(must be at least 2,500 acres in this
example)
Legend
Primitive
Semi-primitive non-motorized
Semi-primitive motorized
Roaded natural
Rural / Urban
24
Mapping of areas currently providing recreation
opportunities
Setting Component
Mapping Criteria
Physical
Remoteness
Size
Evidence of humans
Social
User density
Managerial
Managerial regimentation and
noticeability
25
Evidence of humans
Primitive
SemiSemiRoaded
primitive primitive Natural
Non
Motorized
motorized
Rural
Urban
Setting is an
unmodified
natural
environment
Setting may
have subtle
modification
s that are
noticeable
but not draw
the attention
Setting is
culturally
modified
and
dominates
Setting is
dominated
by
alterations
Structures
are very rare
Structures
are isolated
Setting has
moderate
alterations
that draw
attention
Structures
are
isoloated
Easily
noticed
alterations
Structures
are
generally
scattered
Public
ownership
Using these to
adjust our mapped
remoteness…
Structures
are readily
apparent
Private land
ownership
Structures
are
dominant
Developed
areas
26
Tucker County example
Legend
Public ownership
Private ownership
Developed areas
Evidence of humans
27
Tucker County example
Final Physical Setting component of
the recreational opportunity
spectrum
Legend
Primitive
Semi-primitive non-motorized
Semi-primitive motorized
Roaded natural
Rural
28
Urban
Tucker County example
Final Physical Setting component of the ROS compared to
existing managed recreation lands
Legend
Blackwater Falls State Park
Canaan Valley NWR
Canaan Valley State Park
Dolly Sods Wilderness
Fairfax Stone State Park
Fernow Experimental Forest
Monongahela Nat. Forest
Otter Creek Wilderness
Legend
Primitive
Semi-primitive non-motorized
Semi-primitive motorized
Roaded natural
Rural
Urban
29
Mapping of areas currently providing recreation
opportunities
Setting Component
Mapping Criteria
Physical
Remoteness
We
Used
GIS
Legend
Semi-primitive non-motorized
Semi-primitive motorized
Roaded natural
Rural
Urban
More
subjec
tive
Size
Primitive
Evidence of humans
Social
User density
Managerial
Managerial regimentation and
noticeability
30
Social Setting Criteria
Primitive
SemiSemiRoaded
primitive primitive Natural
Non
Motorized
motorized
Rural
Urban
Usually has
less than 6
parties per
day
encountered
on trails and
less than 3
parties
visible at all
campsites
Usually 6-15
parties per
day
encountered
on trails and
6 or less
visible at
campsites
Frequency
of contact is
moderate to
high in
developed
sites, on
roads and
trails and
water
surfaces
moderate
away from
developed
sites
Large
numbers of
users onsite
and in
nearby
areas
Low to
moderate
contact
frequency
Frequency
of contact is
moderate to
high on
roads, low
to moderate
on trails and
away from
roads
31
Managerial Setting Criteria
Primitive
Semiprimitive
Non
motorized
Semiprimitive
Motorized
Roaded
Natural
On-site
regimentation
is low with
controls off
site
On-site
regimentation
and controls
present but
subtle
On-site
regimentation
and controls
present but
subtle
On-site
regimentation
and controls
are noticeable
but harmonize
with the
natural
environment
Rural
Regimentation
and controls
obvious and
numerous,
largely in
harmony with
the man-made
environment
Urban
Regimentation
and controls
obvious and
numerous
32
Other components outside of the setting criteria:
Class Attractiveness for each ROS

Variety

Outstanding features

Special areas
33
Other components outside of the setting criteria:
Activity Opportunities

Existing activities

Potential activities

Activity criteria
34
Other components outside of the setting criteria:
Recreation Developments

Existing developments
Legend
Blackwater Falls State Park
Canaan Valley NWR
Canaan Valley State Park
Dolly Sods Wilderness
Fairfax Stone State Park
Fernow Experimental Forest
Monongahela Nat. Forest
Otter Creek Wilderness

Potential developments
“Diff between ROS and
existing”
Legend
Primitive
Semi-primitive non-motorized
Semi-primitive motorized
Roaded natural
Rural
Urban
35
Other components outside of the setting criteria:
Capacity by ROS class

Land type

Vegetation

Social

Other (access, length of season, pattern of use, etc)
36
GIS and recreation / tourism references
McAdam, D. 1999. The Value and Scope of Geographic Information Systems
in Tourism Management. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 7(1):77-92
Tarrant, M.A. and H. K. Cordell. 1999. Environmental Justice and the Spatial
Distribution of Outdoor Recreation Sites: an Application of GIS. Journal of
Leisure Research 31(1):18-34.
Rogers, S. E. 1993. Current Research in Areas and Facilities. Park and
Recreation 28(12):22-25.
Olivieri, S. G. 1995. An Investigation of Recreational Facility Planning
Decisions Comparing Existing Facility Locations with Decisions Based on
Use of a Geographic Information System. PhD Dissertation. Texas A&M
University.
Wing, M. G. 1998. Using a Geographic Information System to Monitor Impacts
in a Forested Setting. Corvallis: Oregon State University.
Bahaire T. and M. Elliot White. 1999. The application of GIS in Sustainable
Tourism Planning; A review. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 7(2): 159-174.
Bishop I. D. and H. R. Gimblett. 2000. Management of Recreation Areas: GIS,
Autonomous Agents, and Virtual Reality. Environment and Planning B:
Planning and Design 27(3):423-435.
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