Campsite condition data for four South-Central Wildernesses in Arkansas, Illinois, and Missouri

This data publication contains conditions of 91 campsites spread over four wilderness areas in the South-Central United States. Recreation impact was studied in Caney Creek, Upper Buffalo, Hercules Glades, and Garden of the Gods Wildernesses. Campsites were measured in 1993-1994, and Caney Creek campsites were measured again in 2007. Data include basic campsite measurements such as condition class, vegetation type, soils, dominant species, landform, distance to trail, distance to water, number of fire rings, tree damage, and other standard campsite data. A subsample (21 sites) of the non-trace campsites were assessed in more detail and data such as campsite area, ground vegetation (stone, forbs, grass, shrub, moss/lichen, etc.) and seedling counts were measured and similar data collected for a comparable control site. Additional measurements for these non-trace sites included tree counts by species and size as well as type of tree damage.
The purpose of this campsite study was to provide recreation impact information to areas of wilderness often neglected by research. The information gathered should allow wilderness managers in those areas to tailor campsite impact standards, monitoring protocols, and management programs to their individual situation.
These data were originally made available on the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute site: //leopold.wilderness.net. Original metadata date was 09/19/2013. Minor metadata updates on 12/23/2014. Minor metadata updates on 12/15/2016.