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<br />001121 <br /> <br />Summary of Conclusions <br /> <br />INCREASED VISITATION DUE TO DESIGNATION <br /> <br />In each study area there was a small but immediate increase in visitation <br />following designation. In each study area visitation was already on <br />the rise prior to designation. In each study area the fact of the, <br />designation and its subsequent river management program have placed a <br />ceiling on the number of people using the river. that would not have <br />been there without designation. The effect of designation on increasing <br /> <br />use was primarily on out of state visitors. In most cases local use <br /> <br />I <br />n <br />~ <br /> <br />feel off somewhat as out of state use increased. Exact figures on <br /> <br />how much of the gross increase in use was due to designation and how <br /> <br />much would have occurred anyway were not available. Local people saw <br /> <br /> <br />the designation as being the greatest influence in the use increase. <br /> <br /> <br />River managers, State and Federal agencies feel that most of the use <br /> <br /> <br />would occurred anyway and that designation merely speeded up the process. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Research on this topic would be primarily useful for rivers with <br />characteristics like the St. Croix where local people have settled <br /> <br />the area and are concerned about "outsiders" coming in. <br /> <br />There is also a nationwide increase in the use of free-flowing rivers <br /> <br /> <br />for recreation that has sparked a rise in use of rivers that have a <br /> <br /> <br />white water "reputati on" regardless of whether they are designated or not. <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />-18- <br />