Planning and management policy for a national park: Case study—the carmel

This paper attempts to determine future recreation planning and management policies for the Carmel Mountain Park, one of Israel's major recreation sites. Such policies must be based on present and forecasted demands for recreation and on assessed human and ecological capacities of the Park's landscape units. The degree of compatability between and capacity will indicate either possibilities for further expansion and development for the need for restruction of additional development. The evaluation of the demand for outdoor recreation is based on demographic factors learned from home and site surveys. The human and ecological capacities of the Carmel’s four main landscape regions are determined according to landscape characteristics, their suitability and potential of recreation activities. Planning and management conclusions are drawn from the indicated balance between the expected demand and the human ecological carrying capacities.