A toolbox to quantify human activity in protected areas for park management

1. Recreation in protected areas (PAs) is growing worldwide, potentially conflicting with wildlife and ecosystem protection. Efficiently estimating human activity in PAs is crucial for balancing a dual mandate of supporting visitor access and biodiversity, but managers lack clear recommendations about how best to monitor spatial and temporal trends in human activity. 2. Through two case studies, we reviewed several key tools for measuring human activity in PAs to assess the impacts on wildlife: camera traps, day passes, trail counters, and social media. We measured human activity across multiple scales and compared spatial and temporal activity estimates within and between PAs. 3. We found strong correlations between tools across PAs and a combination of tools may be better suited to understand finer-scale trends within parks. Individual tools, and their combination, can be tailored to specific research and management goals. 4. Synthesis and applications: Our case studies provide insights into the effectiveness of tools for measuring human activity in PAs and informs practitioners and researchers about how they can be used to address real-world management decisions. Tools varied in their strengths and their weaknesses and looking forward, the widespread adoption of multiple, integrated measures of human activity is needed to develop evidence-based park management strategies, benefitting both humans and nature.