Map and determinants of woodlands visiting in Wallonia

Abstract The Walloon forest taken as a whole can be regarded as typical of a rural area, although its proximity to densely populated areas gives it a peri-urban character. It is visited by the local population as well as by tourists (including from neighboring countries). To provide spatial information on the level of Wallonia woodland visitation, a survey was conducted among managers of Forest Service districts (also called “cantonnements”). The aim was to map the woodlands to show spatial patterns of visitation levels, and analyze them qualitatively to determine the influence factors. This map identifies regional hubs of recreation woodlands and, conversely, areas where the recreational function is much less important. The level of visitation was scaled in four levels ranging from low to very high. The mapping was supplemented with a statistical analysis of data collected from the forest managers and also from different GIS-layers (slope, hydrology, land use, etc.). An equation using the level of visitation as a dependent variable was fitted to a set of characteristics of the woodland with an ordered Logit model. The results show that type of ownership, type of forest, and recreational facilities significantly influence the level of woodland visitation. They also show that woodland visitors prefer any type of forest to mainly coniferous woodland. These results and the analysis of the map are particularly useful for developing forest policy and tourism as well as managing the forest.