Nordic and Baltic Workshop on Visitor Information Needs and Monitoring Methods (NBW)

Protected areas are established for nature conservation purposes, but in many cases they also provide excellent opportunities for outdoor recreation. For instance, the national parks of the Nordic countries contain some of the finest sceneries in Northern Europe. An increased focus on protected areas also means that the effects of their recreational use on the nature and environment need to be monitored. As the importance of the specific areas for recreational use increases, a solid basis is needed for planning and management decisions. In order to provide accurate services and allocate resources accordingly, the managers of the areas need information on the visitors, their numbers, behaviour, expectations etc. This is the final report of the workshop "Nordic and Baltic Workshop on Visitor Information Needs and Monitoring Methods (NBW)". The report both summarises the results of the workshop and provides an overview of the status of visitor monitoring in the Nordic and Baltic countries.