Abstract Unmanaged recreation presents a challenge
to both researchers and managers of outdoor recrea-
tion in the United States because it is shrouded in
uncertainty resulting from disagreement over the def-
inition of the problem, the strategies for resolving the
problem, and the outcomes of management. Incom-
plete knowledge about recreation visitors’ values and
relationships with one another, other stakeholders, and
the land further complicate the problem. Uncertainty
and social complexity make the unmanaged recreation
issue a wicked problem. We describe the wickedness
inherent in unmanaged recreation and some of the
implications of wickedness for addressing the problem
for the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains in
Colorado. Conclusions about the nature of the prob-
lem are based on a problem appraisal that included a
literature review and interviews of key informants.
Addressing wickedness calls for institutional changes
that allow for and reward the use of trust building,
inclusive communication, and genuinely collaborative
processes.
Keywords Collaboration Æ Natural resource conflict Æ
Problem definition Æ United States Forest Service Æ
Unmanaged recreation Æ Wicked problems
‘‘The formulation of a wicked problem is the
problem!’’ (Rittel and Webber 1973:161)
In a 2003 Earth Day speech, the Chief of the United
States Forest Service (Forest Service) identified ‘‘un-
managed recreation’’ as one of the ‘‘four threats’’ that
jeopardize the health of National Forests, the quality
of recreation experiences, and essential ecosystem
functions (Bosworth 2003). The Forest Service identi-
fied three additional threats: wildland fire and fuels,
habitat fragmentation, and exotic invasive species. We
document the nature and the context of one of these
threats: unmanaged recreation. Although we focus on a
single threat, we acknowledge the interconnectedness,
multidimensionality, and complex human dimensions
of all four threats.
The purpose of this article is to illustrate how un-
managed recreation in the Front Range of the Rocky
Mountains in Colorado has attributes of a ‘‘wicked
problem’’ (Allen and Gould 1986; Churchman 1967;
Conklin 2005, 2006; Nie 2003; Rittel and Webber 1973).
We discuss the implications of wickedness for addressing
unmanaged recreation. The contributions of the article
include (1) a description of the unmanaged recreation
phenomenon framed as wicked and socially complex, (2)
an examination of the broad situational context of un-
managed recreation, (3) a limited description of relevant
stakeholder perspectives, and (4) implications and
recommendations for how to address unmanaged
recreation in the Front Range of Colorado.
What is Unmanaged Recreation?
The phrase ‘‘unmanaged recreation’’ has multiple con-
notations and interpretations, providing opportunities
J. J. Brooks (&) Æ P. A. Champ
Rocky Mountain Research Station
United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
Fort Collins, Colorado 80526, USA
E-mail: jbrooks@fs.fed.us
Environ Manage (2006) 38:784–798
DOI 10.1007/s00267-005-0372-2
123
Understanding the Wicked Nature of ‘‘Unmanaged Recreation’’
in Colorado’s Front Range
Jeffrey J. Brooks Æ Patricia A. Champ
Received: 29 November 2005 / Accepted: 17 March 2006
Ó
Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2006