Assignment Purpose:

Both the United States and Costa Rica use systems to identify, allocate and manage public lands. We will be utilizing these areas to assist in the facilitation of our outdoor activities. So that we better understand how each country classifies and manages their land for public use, I am asking that you complete the following"compare and contrast" assignment.

Steps to Completion:

1) Select anatural resource based site from our Costa Rica itinerary and find a comparable site in the United States. For example, we are visiting Manuel Antonio National Park in Costa Rica. Find another National Park in the United States for comparison.

2) Using information you can find from websites, guidebooks and/or texts, focus on the key aspects of user experience for your comparison. In other words, if you were to use these sites for recreation, how are they different and how are they the same. Use the following areas to help guide your search:

a. Review recreational offerings available at each site (be sure to highlight key elements each site is known for like natural features, wildlife, risk based activities, etc.)

b. Describe visitor characteristics (number of visitors, type of visitors, how often do they visit, when do they visit, what part of the site do they typically use, how long do they stay, etc.)

c. Review accessibility to the site for recreation by visitors (can we easily access the recreational resources available or is the site "off the beaten path")

d. Does each site provide for those with disabilities?

e. Review recreational support services (accommodations like hotels or campsites, equipment rentals, grocery supplies, restaurants, outside vendors, etc.)

f. Include key regulations that manage site usage and reduce impact by visitors

g. Compare what types and amounts of fees are charged

h. Compare who manages the site for visitors (federal government, private organization, commercial provider, etc.)

i. What sustainability efforts does each site employ to protect and manage how the facilities are used?

3) Using a combination of written narrative and data discovered in the section above, write a report (one that compares and contrasts how they are alike and how they are different). Your report focus should be on how these differentlocations are used for recreational benefit by participants and managed by the site to ensure sustainability for future users.

Assignment Evaluation:

This assignment will be evaluated based on sites selected for comparison, depth of research with each site, ability to clearly convey comparisons and differences with each site, focus on user experience and site management, format and presentation of the data, quality of writing, grammatical errors and quality of resources used. Please include proper citation for each resource used.

Assignment Completion Support:

Should you have questions about this assignment, please feel free to contact myself or the embedded librarian assigned to this course.