Visitor Typologies for Micro-Zoning in Forest Recreation Sites

Forest recreation sites provide accessible settings for everyday leisure while accommodating multiple, and often competing, uses, making zoning both a central planning challenge and solution. This study advances micro-zoning as a novel, site-scale extension of established recreation zoning concepts, examining how zoning principles can be operationalized within intensively used forest recreation areas. Data were collected from 302 visitors using a structured questionnaire on visit patterns, valued forest attributes, disturbances, and socio-demographic characteristics. Descriptive statistics and tests of association were used to identify needs, disturbances, and recurring combinations of use. The results show that these forests function as everyday recreation spaces for diverse group visits, with high importance placed on peacefulness, shade, cleanliness, natural scenery, and basic infrastructure, alongside frequent reports of disturbance from music, crowding, and litter. Building on these patterns, the study develops a micro-zoning framework that delineates three interpretive planning micro-areas: Drive-in Forest Recreation, representing high-intensity, infrastructure-oriented social use; Low-Intensity Recreation, a moderate-use, low-noise nature-oriented area prioritizing separation from disturbance; and Active Recreation Use, comprising movement-focused routes for walking, running, and cycling. The study illustrates how visitor survey data can guide evidence-based micro-zoning and adapt zoning frameworks to the fine spatial grain of intensively used forest recreation sites.