Jeffrey L. Marion

USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Virginia Tech Field Station
Virginia Tech/Forestry (0324)
Blacksburg, VA 24061

Telephone: 540-231-6603

Fax: 540-231-3698

Email: Jeff_Marion@usgs.gov  

Research Biologist

Primary Responsibilities: 
Duties include conducting research, monitoring, and technical assistance and leading a field station of the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center located at Blacksburg, Virginia.  The station’s focus is a broad systematic program of research in the discipline of recreation ecology designed to advance understanding and management of visitor impacts to protected environments, including parks, wilderness areas, and wildlife refuges.  The station is affiliated with the Virginia Tech College of Natural Resources. 

Education/Training: 
M.S., Recreation Resources Management, University of Minnesota, 1982
Ph.D., Recreation Resources Management, University of Minnesota, 1984
Dissertation: “Ecological changes resulting from recreational use: A study of backcountry campsites in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota.”

Associate Editor:  Journal of Environmental Management, International Journal of Wilderness
Board of Directors: American Hiking Society, Leave No Trace (past member), Appalachian Trail Conservancy (Stewardship Council), International Centre for Ecotourism Research, Queensland, Australia (Advisory Board)
Boy Scouts of America:  William T. Hornaday Natural Resource Conservation Gold Badge Award (2006), Gold Medal Award (2007)
National Park Service Special Achievement Awards, Mid-Atlantic Region (1988-93); 
National Park Service Special Act Award, Shenandoah NP (1994),
NPS Wilderness Management Award, Great Smoky Mountains NP (1995)
U.S. Forest Service, Forest Supervisor’s Honor Award, Hoosier National Forest (2006)

Active Projects: 

Assessment of Formal and Informal Trail Conditions: C&O Canal National Historical Park, George Washington Parkway, Acadia National Park, Denali National Park

Evaluating and monitoring the effects of rock climbing on park resources: Shenandoah National Park, C&O Canal National Historical Park, George Washington Parkway

Trail and Campsite Monitoring Protocol Development and Application: Acadia National Park, Haleakala National Park

Research to Support Application of the Visitor Experience and Resource Protection Framework at Zion National Park

Selected Publications/Products: 

Marion, Jeffrey L. and Scott E. Reid. 2007. Minimising visitor impacts to protected areas: The efficacy of low impact education programmes. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 15(1): 5-27. web link

Marion, Jeffrey L. and Jeremy Wimpey. 2007. Environmental impacts of mountain biking: Science review and best practices. Pages 94-111 in Pete Webber, editor. Managing Mountain Biking: IMBA's Guide to Providing Great Riding. International Mountain Biking Association, Boulder, Colorado. 256 pp. web link

Marion, Jeffrey L. 2006. Recreation ecology research in the Americas. Pages 93-97 in D. Siegrist, C. Clivaz, M. Hunziker, and S. Iten, editors. Exploring the Nature of Management. Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Monitoring and Management of Visitor Flows in Recreational and Protected Areas. University of Applied Sciences, Rapperswil, Switzerland. 509 pp. (PDF)

Marion, Jeffrey L., Yu-Fai Leung, and Sanjay Nepal. 2006. Monitoring trail conditions: new methodological considerations. George Wright Forum 23(2):36-49. (PDF)

Daniels, Melissa L. and Jeffrey L. Marion. 2006. Visitor evaluations of management actions at a highly impacted Appalachian Trail camping area. Environmental Management 38(6):1006–1019. web link

Marion, Jeffrey L. and Yu-Fai Leung. 2004. Environmentally sustainable trail management. Pages 229-244 in Ralf Buckley, editor. Environmental Impact of Tourism. Cambridge, MA: CABI Publishing.

Reid, Scott E. and Jeffrey L. Marion. 2004. Effectiveness of a confinement strategy for reducing campsite impacts in Shenandoah National Park. Environmental Conservation 31(4): 274-282. web link

Marion, Jeffrey L. 2003. Camping impact management on the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Report published by the Appalachian Trail Conference, Harper’s Ferry, WV. 109 pp. (PDF)

Farrell, Tracy A. and Jeffrey L. Marion. 2002. The Protected Areas Visitor Impact Management (PAVIM) framework: A simplified process for making management decisions. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 10(1): 31-51. (PDF)

Marion, Jeffrey L. and Tracy Farrell. 2002. Management practices that concentrate visitor activities: Camping impact management at Isle Royale National Park, USA. Journal of Environmental Management 66(2): 201-212. web link

Farrell, Tracy A. and Jeffrey L. Marion. 2002. Trail impacts and trail impact management related to ecotourism visitation at Torres del Paine National Park, Chile. Leisure/Loisir 26(1/2):31-59. web link

Farrell, Tracy A. and Jeffrey L. Marion. 2001. Identifying and assessing ecotourism visitor impacts at selected protected areas in Costa Rica and Belize. Environmental Conservation 28(3): 215-225. web link

Marion, Jeffrey L. and Scott Reid. 2001. Development of the United States Leave No Trace programme: A historical perspective. Pages 81-92 in M.B. Usher, editor. Enjoyment and Understanding of the Natural Heritage. Scottish Natural Heritage, Edinburgh: The Stationery Office Ltd., Scotland.  (PDF)

Marion, Jeffrey L. and Yu-Fai Leung. 2001. Trail resource impacts and an examination of alternative assessment techniques. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration 19(3):17-37. (PDF)

Leung, Yu-Fai and Jeffrey L. Marion. 2000. Recreation impacts and management in wilderness: A state-of-knowledge review. In: Cole, D.N. and others (eds.), Proceedings: Wilderness Science in a Time of Change; Vol 5: Wilderness ecosystems, threats, and management, pp. 23-48; May 23-27, 1999, Missoula, MT. Proceedings RMRS-P-15-Vol-5. Ogden, UT: USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station.  (PDF)