Carrying Capacity of Heritage Parks
It is vital that the Parks Department understands each Heritage Park’s carrying capacity – the sustainable volume of usage. Formal park assessments will include park carrying capacity analysis to ensure parking lots, amenities, and trailheads are appropriate for specific parks. Don’t let the Heritage parks be loved to death by overcrowding and overuse.
Supporting Information
Carrying capacity determines the quality of the visitor experience and the protection of environmental resources. Example: The Making & Keeping Of A Nature Preserve (North American Land Trust)
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- Too many visitors and pets using a park can damage trails, disturb native animals, degrade natural environments, and visitor experience.
- The 2018 PROS Plan: Heritage Parks offers opportunities for passive recreation and ecological integrity.
- 2025 Draft PROS Plan: Has yet to address carrying capacity to determine the environmental impacts and quality of visitor experience.
- 2025 Draft PROS Plan: Capital improvement projects list expanded parking lots and access projects. Formalized assessments must be performed in Heritage Parks before capital improvements are made. Capital Improvement Projects, Table 6.3 (p. 122)
- Before additional parking and access points are built, carrying capacity and resource protection plans should be in place.
Why this is important to Kitsap County
Appropriate carrying capacity ensures healthy and sustainable Heritage Parks. Overuse creates user conflicts, dangerous trails, negatively impacts habitat and critical areas, and increases maintenance.