Planning for recreational activities in protected areas involves an understanding of multiple and complex factors. Segmentation of the recreational supply and demand in natural areas, together with identification of the main conditioning factors of recreational use, are useful for park management. In this study, the recreational supply (trails) and demand (visitor characteristics), as well as some other features of a recreational system, were typologically studied in the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park (Lleida, Spain). Through the application of a Multiple Correspondence Analysis (when dealing with demand) and Cluster Analysis (when dealing with both supply and demand), 4 groups of visitors and 3 groups of trails were identified. A positive relationship was observed between the difficulty of the trails and the visitors' educational level, sex, and time spent in the park; and a negative relationship between trail difficulty and the age of the visitors, conservationist perceptions, and demand for accommodation (hotels, mountain lodges, etc). Visitors who were inclined to take either the easiest or the most difficult trails (about 65% of all visitors) showed group characteristics with the greatest differences. Suggestions for managers of protected areas are discussed, including direct application of information generated by this approach in the recreational management of the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park and other natural areas.

Protected natural areas (PNAs) can be a source of health and well-being, but little research has been carried out regarding outcomes in terms of satisfaction (the difference between motivations and benefits). Inspired by previous research that examines the motivations and benefits perceived by visitors to various PNAs in Canada, and based on importance–performance analysis (IPA) and service quality gap (GAP) analysis theory, the aim of this study was to identify the outcomes generated by protected areas in terms of satisfaction, especially with regard to the PNAs’ individual protection categories. The study was based on survey data from visitors (n = 360) to three PNAs in Catalonia: one national park, one natural park and one periurban park. The results indicate that anticipated environmental, psychological, physical and social benefits were of major personal value in choosing to visit a PNA. The results indicate that, generally, visitors were satisfied with regard to the benefits anticipated. Differences between parks in this respect could be explained in part by sociodemographic factors and visitors’ behavior. The results are discussed in terms of their applicability and how they relate to the role of PNAs in the promotion of visitors’ health and well-being.

Data obtained through Volunteered Geographical Information (VGI) have gradually been used to monitor and support planning mainly in urban contexts. Regarding recreational activities in peri-urban green and natural areas, VGI has been used to map, measure use intensity, profile users, and evaluate their preferences and motivations. Given their extensive use, it is now worthwhile to assess the value of VGI data to (1) compare recreational uses, profile users and map recreational activities in different contexts (metropolitan vs. rural areas), and (2) evaluate outdoor and adventure tourist products such as Grand Routes (GR). Data from former GPSies (AllTrails nowadays), one of the most popular web-share services, were used to assess recreational uses in Lisbon Metropolitan Area (LMA) and southwest Portugal (SWPT). A set of 22,031 tracks of “on foot” and “on wheels” activities, submitted by 3297 national and foreign users, covering 12 years, was analysed within a GIS modelling environment. Results indicate that, although there are many more submissions in the LMA, the influence of foreigners in the SWPT is higher (11% vs. 19%). The existing GR in SWPT concentrates the foreign use for hiking (71% of foreign vs. 28% of national users), demonstrating its attractiveness. For the favourite activity in both areas—Mountain biking—results show a higher spatial dispersion, yet part of the activity in SWPT still conforms to the GR (16% of foreign and 20% of national use). This study proves other applications for VGI, showing its usefulness for assessing recreational uses in both metropolitan and rural areas. Spatial knowledge about recreational uses is a valuable tool to evaluate and monitor such activities, and to know what users like to do, and where, and is also useful information when designing recreational products considering their tourist potential, thus adding value to these offers.

The increase in the use of trails for outdoor recreation in recent decades has led to pressure on existing trails and the creation of informal new ones, resulting in damage and degradation to some of these infrastructures. This degradation is concerning because many of these trails are located in protected natural areas, which aim to conserve natural resources and associated biodiversity. Concurrently, ecosystems worldwide have also been experiencing increased degradation, prompting the United Nations to declare this the Decade of Ecosystem Restoration. In this context, through a systematic review of the scientific literature, our study identifies significant gaps in knowledge regarding the management of degraded trails in protected natural areas worldwide. We observed that the number of research studies has been growing, particularly in the last decade, and is concentrated in countries with developed economies and by researchers from these countries. Notably, while the literature on trail degradation is abundant, there is a pronounced scarcity of empirical research focusing on strategies for the reversal of such degradation. Moreover, the variability in the use of terms such as restoration, recovery, and rehabilitation across studies indicates a lack of consensus that may hinder effective communication and implementation of strategies to address the reversal of trail degradation. Thus, the strength of this research lies in its ability to bridge existing gaps by providing a comprehensive analysis of current terminologies and methodologies. By clarifying the terms' meanings, this study enhances their application in trail management. This enhancement, in turn, boosts management practices and aids in the global effort to restore degraded ecosystems. Not only does this work map out the existing research landscape, but it also underscores the urgent need for more targeted empirical studies that could inform practical, effective strategies for trail restoration in protected natural areas.

Forests planned for social use are classified as such due to the cultural ecosystem services they offer. To fully benefit from these services, forest stands for social use must be easily accessible and interconnected, not just through forest roads but also through recreational trails, a key outdoor leisure infrastructure. However, forest planning and trail design are seldom integrated. This study addresses this issue by proposing a method to create connector routes between official trails and forest stands managed for social objectives (FSMSO), enhancing the socio-recreational use of forests. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), our approach analyses overlap between official trails and FSMSO, identifies direct routes with origin-destination matrices and assesses FSMSO accessibility. Route viability was then calculated, supporting decision-makers in assessing route homologation potential. In our study area (Catalonia, Spain), findings show that only 14% of the FSMSO overlap with official trails. Among those not overlapping, 75% are connected with official trails via the road network, while 25% are inaccessible. Of the accessible stands from official trails, 54% are more than 20 min away on foot, while 22% are within 20 min. Most created connectors (62%) have moderate viability, with 13% showing high viability for official homologation. Regarding forest types, riparian forests are the most common in FSMSO (15%) and the most connected to official trails (17%). Our methodology supports integrated forest planning and trail design, enhancing socio-recreational opportunities, while emphasising the need for regulations addressing risks and challenges linked to promoting the public use of forests.