Measuring the effects of aircraft overflights on recreationists in natural settings

Abstract

Part 1 is a detailed implementation guide which explains a monitoring system designed to assess the effects of aircraft activity on recreationists in natural settings. A visitor questionnaire survey is the monitoring method. The questionnaire is designed to be administered on site by a Department of Conservation staff member from the relevant local field office. Remote areas, however, will be surveyed via questionnaires left in huts and other places of visitor contact. The questionnaire includes questions pertaining to a range of indicators: general likes and dislikes, whether aircraft were noticed during the visit, number of aircraft noticed during the visit, experience compared with expectations, estimate of aircraft threshold level, reaction to aircraft (positive, negative, or neutral), extent of annoyance, and extent to which aircraft have affected total visit enjoyment. Data may be analysed using a computer spreadsheet programme. A customised spreadsheet has been designed for this purpose. Where possible, aircraft activity records will be collated from control tower records and/or airline company records, thus visitor reactions may be related to the frequency of flights. Part 2 outlines the issues and concepts explored during the development of the monitoring method, the evaluation of potential approaches, and the prospects for future research on aircraft overflight impacts. Qualitative methods (semi-structured interviews) were utilised to examine the effects of aircraft overflights on recreationists. Interviews were undertaken with visitors at two field sites, Mount Cook National Park and the Milford Track, Fiordland National Park. The interview data are supplemented by information already available from the literature.