Savannah Thomas

First Name: 
Savannah
Last Name: 
Thomas
Mentor: 
Dr. Alexandra G. Ponette-González
Abstract: 
The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped visitation trends in U.S. National Parks. COVID-19 forced park closures, which led to decreases in light, noise, and other pollution caused by visitation. Park re-openings led to increases in visitation, which came with increased COVID risks, pollution and vandalism, and trespassing. By identifying trends in recreational visitation in U.S. National Parks during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, possible driving factors can be determined. Understanding these new trends can help improve preservation efforts in the parks and prepare nearby communities impacted by park tourism. Using visitation data from National Park service archives, four visitation trends were identified.
Poster: 
COVID-19 US National Park Visitation Trends 2020​
Year: 
2021