A Case Study of Environmental Justice and Federal Tourism Sites in Southern Appalachia: A GIS

This article uses an environmental justice framework to determine whether inequalities exist for certain socioeconomic and racial groups with respect to the distribution of federal tourism sites in Southern Appalachia (SA). Federal tourism sites and campsites were mapped along with the census block groups (CBGs) using geographic information systems. CBGs within a 1,500-meter radius of these federal lands were identified and examined based on five socioeconomic variables (race, education, household income, occupation , and local heritage). These CBGs were then compared with the remaining CBGs in SA that were outside the 1,500-meter radius. Results show that a negative relationship exists between income and occupation and location of a number of federal tourist sites. CBGs with a low-income, blue-collar makeup were significantly more likely to be situated within the 1,500-meter radius than outside. Additional study should determine the desirability of tourism-based land use with respect to factors such as urban sprawl, noise, and pollution.