Positions

Research Areas research areas

Overview

  • Dr. Michael D. Ferguson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Recreation Management and Policy at the University of New Hampshire and the founder of the Applied Recreation Research Collaborative (ARRC) lab. His expertise in social science research focuses on visitor use management in parks and protected areas (PPAs). He collaborates with land managers, elected officials, and the outdoor industry to simultaneously provide: 1) high-quality visitor experiences, 2) protect natural and cultural resources, and 3) enhance economic opportunities in and around PPA settings.


    Dr. Ferguson and his team conduct scientifically grounded and legally defensible research on various topics, including visitor use management, carrying capacity, managed access, visitor education, needs assessments, program and facility evaluations, economic impact, workforce development, ecological impacts, energy development, and climate change. They collaborate with organizations such as the USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Sea Grant, State Parks and Forests, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and other federal, state, local, and private PPA organizations.

    For more information, please visit the Applied Recreation Research Collaborative (ARRC) lab website at www.unharrc.org.
  • Selected Publications

    Academic Article

    Year Title
    2023 The nature of the pandemic: Exploring the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic upon recreation visitor behaviors and experiences in parks and protected areas.Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism.  41:100498. 2023
    2022 Expanding the viewshed: Insights and implications for examining visitor use management across scales and modalities in an Iconic National ForestJournal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism.  40:100570-100570. 2022
    2022 The Outdoor Renaissance: Assessing the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic upon Outdoor Recreation Visitation, Behaviors, and Decision-Making in New England's National ForestsSociety and Natural Resources.  35:1063-1082. 2022
    2022 Love thy neighbor (or not): Regionalism and support for the use of offshore wind energy by othersEnergy Research and Social Science.  90:102599-102599. 2022
    2022 Whether They Return: Modeling Outdoor Recreation Behaviors, Decision Making, and Intention-to-Return in Congressionally Designated WildernessForests.  13:1018-1018. 2022
    2022 Seeing the forest for the trees: A social-ecological systems approach to managing outdoor recreation visitation in parks and protected areasJournal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism.  38:100473-100473. 2022
    2021 Uncharted waters: Exploring coastal recreation impacts, coping behaviors, and attitudes towards offshore wind energy development in the United StatesEnergy Research and Social Science.  75:102029-102029. 2021
    2020 What do outdoor recreationists think of fracking? Politics, ideology, and perceptions of shale gas energy development in Pennsylvania State ForestsEnergy Research and Social Science.  62:101384-101384. 2020
    2020 Developing visitor thresholds of sound from shale natural gas compressors for motorized and non-motorized recreation users in Pennsylvania State ForestsApplied Acoustics.  157:107012-107012. 2020
    2019 The Impacts of Shale Natural Gas Energy Development on Outdoor Recreation: A Statewide Assessment of PennsylvaniansJournal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism.  27:1-10. 2019
    2019 The Association of Constraints, Negotiations, and Social Influences with Recreation Specialization among Recreational Baseball ParticipantsJournal of Park and Recreation Administration.  37:40-58. 2019
    2019 Winds of change - Predicting water-based recreationists' support and opposition for offshore wind energy development in the Great LakesJournal of Great Lakes Research.  45:187-195. 2019
    2018 Innovations in Outdoor Recreation Visitor Use Management: Applying Market Segmentation at the Timberline Lodge Recreation ComplexInternational Leisure Review.  7:108-131. 2018
    2018 Coping with Climate Change: A Study of Great Lakes Water-Based RecreationistsJournal of Park and Recreation Administration.  36:52-74. 2018

    Teaching Activities

  • Hist Outdoor Pursuits North Am Taught course 2023
  • Independent Study Taught course 2023
  • Rec Admin & Organization Behav Taught course 2023
  • Teaching Practicum Taught course 2023
  • Independent Study Taught course 2022
  • Recreation Resource Management Taught course 2022
  • Venue Mgmt Design & Operations Taught course 2022
  • Venue Mgmt Design & Operations Taught course 2022
  • Hist Outdoor Pursuits North Am Taught course 2022
  • Independent Study Taught course 2022
  • Mktg Recreation Taught course 2022
  • Independent Study Taught course 2021
  • Recreation Resource Management Taught course 2021
  • Venue Mgmt Design & Operations Taught course 2021
  • Venue Mgmt Design & Operations Taught course 2021
  • Hist Outdoor Pursuits North Am Taught course 2021
  • Independent Study Taught course 2021
  • Rec Admin & Organization Behav Taught course 2021
  • Independent Study Taught course 2020
  • Program and Event Marketing Taught course 2020
  • Venue Mgmt Design & Operations Taught course 2020
  • Venue Mgmt Design & Operations Taught course 2020
  • Venue Mgmt Design & Operations Taught course 2020
  • Venue Mgmt Design & Operations Taught course 2020
  • Hist Outdoor Pursuits North Am Taught course 2020
  • Independent Study Taught course 2020
  • Program and Event Marketing Taught course 2020
  • Independent Study Taught course 2019
  • Mgt & Design Recreation & Park Taught course 2019
  • Recreation Resource Management Taught course 2019
  • Hist Outdoor Pursuits North Am Taught course 2019
  • Rec Admin & Organization Behav Taught course 2019
  • Mgt & Design Recreation & Park Taught course 2018
  • Mgt & Design Recreation & Park Taught course 2018
  • Program and Event Marketing Taught course 2018
  • Teaching Practicum Taught course 2018
  • Hist Outdoor Pursuits North Am Taught course 2018
  • Mgt & Design Recreation & Park Taught course 2018
  • Mgt & Design Recreation & Park Taught course 2018
  • Program and Event Marketing Taught course 2017
  • Recreation Resource Management Taught course 2017
  • Full Name

  • Michael Ferguson