Monitoring MPA visitor uses handbook

8. Reporting and sharing resultsReporting the results of the visitor use study or monitoring is of major importance for shared MPA managementprocesses. Efforts should be made in terms of communication to adapt the disclosure to the various stakeholderslikely to consult and use the results.8.1 Guidelines for preparing reportingmediaAt the end of any study, it is vital to draft a report presentingthe aims of the study, the methods and protocolsused and the results of the collected data analysis.However, this kind of document is often an ineffectivemeans of communication and should be kept for internaluse. To share the results more broadly, summary documentsshould be drafted in the form of datasheets. A fewguiding principles will guarantee their readability :• Prepare one to four thematic datasheets, roughly summingup the main results of the study. For a monitoringproject, these datasheets can be prepared each year.• Include methodological information (number of questionnaireshanded out, boat count protocol, etc.). Providinginformation about the collection method makesthe results easier to understand.• Avoid complex interpretations that are difficult to understandand report. Stay close to the field data.• Present the datasheets carefully as they are intendedfor a wide audience. Avoid using overly technical termsand include photographs and maps, where possible,for better viewing of spatial information.8.2 Disclosing resultsThe full study report and the datasheets can be postedonline on the management entity's website. The resultscan be integrated into the MPA's newsletter.One excellent way of disclosing results is by organising apublic presentation. Such a meeting is an opportunity totalk with local stakeholders (inhabitants, professionals,local authorities, user associations, etc.) and lay thefoundations for collective reflection. It is also an opportunityto call for partners, and allow certain stakeholders tojoin in a future study or subsequent monitoring.Local stakeholders may feel excluded if communicationabout the study carried out by the MPA manager is insufficient.This can lead to them contesting the results.To foster dialogue, it is a good idea to organise a publicmeeting at the start of the study to present the objectivesand methods. This information meeting contributesto local stakeholder acceptance of and support for thestudy. Others should be held as the project progresses.This is how the MPA will become a territory shared byvarious players.8.3 Examples of result reportingsheetsDétail du comptage :Nombre total de bateaux au mouillage : 45Surface de la zone de mouillage : 2,91 haDensité de bateaux/ha : 15,49Nombre de personnes sur le liseré côtier : 43Nombre de kayaks : 0Nombre de jet-ski : 0Semi-rigide Voilier 15mVedette 15mFigure 15 : Example of a data report on visitor use in the Riou area, LesCalanques National Park (France).8.4 A first step towards implementingvisitor management measuresRegular visitor use monitoring provides a sound and reliablerecord of visitor use. In addition to this obvious advantage,it is also the cornerstone of a variety of managementmeasures. Quantitative data can be organisedso as to determine visitor thresholds and beyond that,to engage reflection on the complex but important issueof carrying capacity. With this objective in sight, certaincarrying capacity indicators have been directly developedby the area manager of Port-Cros National Park.Similarly, qualitative data is extremely valuable whenassessing visitor satisfaction with what they have seenand done during a trip or a holiday. It can also providelong-term guidance for managers' accommodation and TABLE OF CONTENTS 44 COLLECTION VISITOR USE OBSERVATION AND MONITORING IN MEDITERRANEAN MARINE PROTECTED AREAS