Noah Creany

S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources

Environment and Society Department

Noah Creany is a PhD student of Ecology at Utah State University. Advised by Dr. Christopher A. Monz, his research is focused on the sustainable management of recreation use in concert with the conservation goals of Park and Protected Areas (PPAs). Noah’s research has assessed how smartphone fitness apps affect visitors’ spatial behavior, the utility of mobile-device data for estimating visitor demographics and spatial use of PPAs, as well as the behavioral response to visitor use management strategies in high-use areas of Rocky Mountain National Park. His broader research interests include novel approaches for monitoring visitor use and assessing ecological and biophysical disturbance, the efficacy and distributive justice of visitor use rationing strategies like reservation systems. It also includes how an understanding of visitors’ social values can inform communication strategies to encourage pro-environmental behavior and bridge worldviews.