Estimation of distance-decay parameters: GIS-based indicators of recreational accessibility

Distance-decay as a quantitative conception of the phenomena that things being further away are less likely to be used – has been used as one of the base assumptions when modelling human spatial behaviour, including assessment of accessibility of resources and mobility of the users. The article presents and discusses a number of approaches to distance-decay, as basis for calculation of environmental indicators as well as to serve as parameters to numeric models. Based on a concrete case of car-born recreational behaviour in Denmark, it is demonstrated how distance-decay parameters can be estimated and implemented in a GIS-context. Further on, procedures for setting digital topological networks up for calculation of indicators of accessibility and mobility are given. Finally, a number of resulting indicator-maps are shown.