SORP + NSBF Fact Sheet

SORP partnered with the National Scenic Byways Foundation to create a VUM Fact Sheet for the scenic byways community. 

VUM for Byways Quick Tips:

• One of the first - and most important steps - in visitor use management is building a coalition and gaining buy-in for visitor use management needs. Byways groups are a great resource for beginning this step and remember to consider underrepresented voices and perspectives.
• The VUM Framework is adaptable to the planning processes and documents of federal and non-federal organizations. Many organizations follow the framework or aspects of it without explicitly using the terminology. Use language that resonates with the people and communities along your byway.
• Communicating expectations for visitor experiences and amenities goes a long way in helping people enjoy their trip! Visitor use management planning can help create a shared vision and approaches for the type, location, and availability of visitor resources.
  

Visitor Use Management Publications

The IVUMC is made up of six federal land and water management agencies: BLM, NPS, USFS, NOAA, USFWS, and USACOE. Representatives from these agencies work together to develop guidance for consistent planning and implementation of visitor use management regardless of jurisdiction. The council published the 2016 Visitor Use Management Framework that outlines four core elements and associated steps for visitor use management planning regardless of scale. They also published associated guidebooks on desired conditions, visitor capacity, and monitoring.

Past Visitor Use Management Workshops & Trainings

Virtual Visitor Use Management Training | September 16-18, 2025

SORP hosted its first-ever virtual delivery of the Visitor Use Management (VUM) Foundations Training, bringing together participants from across agencies and landscapes. While many virtual trainings risk becoming passive viewing sessions, this one was intentionally designed as a working environment rather than just a sit-and-watch experience. Each day balanced presentations with collaborative scenario work. Participants were divided into groups and assigned one of five case studies, ranging from managing high visitation at popular trails, to planning first-time infrastructure at small preserves, to addressing user conflicts and unauthorized trail building in urban parks. Learn More

Visitor Use Management Training & Symposium | June 2 - 5, 2025 | Vancouver, Washington

As visitor use increases and public expectations change, we need to have the training and tools to provide high quality experiences while protecting natural and cultural resources. We encourage any land managers to join us so we can diversify industry knowledge including tribal, state, local and federal land and water managers, researchers and professors, consultants. and others who participate in recreation planning and management. Learn More.

Visitor Use Management Workshop | August 2023

SORP worked with Acadia National Park to host a hybrid workshop in August 2023. This workshop focused on local, state and federal perspectives on visitor use management. Managers in the New England region have a long history of working across jurisdictions to plan for and provide outdoor recreation opportunities. Participants heard from land managers and researchers about case studies and discussed best practices and lessons learned for visitor use management. VUM Workshop Summary