Journal of Wilderness

Staff

Department of
Resource Recreation and Tourism

Click Here for Complete
List of Publications

 

The Wilderness & Protected Area Research Center  recently completed a five-year program of research (1994-2000) on: Wilderness Experience Programs for Personal Growth, Therapy, Education, and Leadership Development: Their extent, social-economic and ecological impacts and natural resource policy implications. Click here for final report.  

The formal plan of research : 

• Searched and annotated over 187 studies conducted on wilderness experience programs Click here for bibliography.    

• Created and operated three model wilderness experience programs to generate research data and program leadership experience;

• Surveyed over 350 wilderness experience programs (WEPs) to determine the extent, characteristics and dynamics of the industry;

• Surveyed wilderness manager’s attitudes and policies toward WEPs (see Gager et al. 1996 in publication list);

• Established a new student wilderness orientation program (IN IDAHO);
  
• Studied the links between wilderness characteristics and WEP benefits;
  
• Carried out a benchmark study of wilderness therapy theory, process and outcomes (See Russell, 1999 in publication list.)