A team of researchers at Southern Cross University in a study on the long-term benefits of developing rail trails. We are currently conducting a literature review of current and emerging approaches to visitor monitoring.
Research team:
Dr Pascal Scherrer (SCU Lismore)
Dr Matthew Lamont (SCU Gold Coast)
Dr Kay Dimmock (SCU Lismore)
Dr Laura Ripoll (SCU Gold Coast)
We are conducting some research on the new rail trail being developed in our region, the Northern Rivers, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Northern Rivers Rail Trail involves the conversion of a disused railway corridor into a multi-use trail to cater for a variety of leisure activities. We want to ensure that we capture the triple-bottom-line impacts of this development and we can monitor it over time through a series of contextually appropriate indicators. This will allow us to evaluate positive, negative and neutral impacts and seeks to provide a rigorous evidence base for local and regional decision making with regards to planning and policy.
We are seeking any resources that may be of relevance to the development of a rigorous set of triple-bottom-line (social, environmental & economic) indicators to monitor and evaluate the impacts of a railtrail. This may include examples, documents (including strategic planning documents), references, contextual indicator systems/lists.
Many thanks for your time and attention.
Kind regards,
Dr Laura Ripoll González
School of Business and Tourism
Southern Cross University