A method to assess the potential value of railway corridors as recreation trails: A case study of three Nova Scotia rail-trails

The purpose of this thesis is to answer the question: how might a method to assess the potential value of railway corridors as recreation trails be structured?; Three bodies of literature were examined to extract the information and concepts required to answer the research question: (1) recreation economics literature, (2) natural resource economics literature, and (3) general trail and rail-trail specific literature. From the literature review, a preliminary method was developed to assess the potential value of railway corridors as recreation trails. This involved both identifying relevant sources of value, establishing criteria to capture each source of value and devising a method to evaluate those criteria. The preliminary method was then pre-tested on three case study rail-trails in Nova Scotia: the Musquodobit Harbour Rail-Trail, the Centennial Trail and the Sable River Rail Trail. Results from pre-testing were used to develop an interview guide to initiate discussion with key informants. Six “trail experts” were questioned about any key issues or concerns they had with the preliminary method based on results from pre-testing and their own trail evaluation experiences. The final step in the research process involved synthesizing information to develop an improved method to assess the potential value of railway corridors as recreation trails. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...