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Vehicle Counter | Infrared Trail Counter | Mountain Bike Counter |OHV Counter | TRAFx DataNet

Location: Louisiana, USA
Organization: Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries
Setting: Access points to boat launches and wildlife drives
TRAFx counters used: Vehicle Counter

Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge consists of 72,000 acres of coastal wetland marshes, at the terminus of the Mississippi Fly, in Southwest Louisiana. With its vast expanses of brackish, intermediate, and salt marshes, the refuge provides wintering habitat for thousands of wintering waterfowl. Due to the combined destructive forces of global sea level rise, salt water intrusion, and hurricane impacts, coastal Louisiana suffers severely from coastal land loss and erosion. Active marsh management practices implemented at Rockefeller Refuge have helped to lessen the effects of these destructive events.

The coastal marshes are home to many commercially and recreationally important estuarine organisms, which make them popular with recreational users seeking opportunities to harvest fish, blue crabs, and white and brown shrimp. Rockefeller Refuge biologists have been using TRAFx Vehicle counters since 2003 to document patterns in recreational use at public boat launches and wildlife drives.

“TRAFx Vehicle Counters have helped us tremendously in monitoring and documenting annual activity patterns of recreational users on Rockefeller Refuge. We’ve had these units in place since 2003 and they have worked flawlessly. Customer service has been phenomenal. They actually updated their software to accommodate my specific needs. I would definitely purchase these units again.”
George M., Wildlife Biologist, Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries
 

Location: Utah, USA
Organization: US Forest Service, Dixie National Forest
Setting: Forest to desert; trails and roads
TRAFx counters used: Vehicle Counter, OHV Counter, Infrared Trail Counter

The US Forest Service manages its system of National Forests for various public “benefits”, including certain recreational uses (e.g., hiking and hunting) and industrial uses (e.g., logging). The two million acre Dixie National Forest is located in southern Utah. It is the largest National Forest in Utah. The Forest is divided into four geographic areas, and includes desert-like landscape at 854 metres (2,800 ft.) and snow-capped peaks at 3452 metres (11,323 ft). Dixie National Forest’s diverse geography hosts a wide range of recreational activities including camping, hunting, snowmobiling, hiking, canoeing, water skiing, etc.
Dixie National Forest began using TRAFx Counters in the summer of 2004 to gather quantitative data regarding visitor use levels in specific areas of interest.

"We use our TRAFx counters in both summer and winter. They have performed well all year round, and have allowed us to gather important dispersed recreation data for our National Forest."
Nicholas G., Recreation Specialist, Dixie National Forest

Location: Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
Organization: Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service
Setting: Inland and coastal parks and protected areas
TRAFx counters used: Infrared Trail Counter, Vehicle Counter

The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) administers national parks, conservation parks and forest reserves in the state of Queensland, Australia. These parks protect diverse environments such as sub tropical rainforest, open woodland, swamp, heath, mountainous terrain, beaches, and rivers. QPWS has used TRAFx Infrared Trail Counters to quantify visitation on walking trails in the high usage National Parks. QPWS is currently expanding their programme. TRAFx Vehicle Counters will be also used to gather road data, and when not being used on roads, the TRAFx Vehicle Counters will be converted to the TRAFx Infrared Trail Counter with the TRAFx Infrared Conversion Kit, and used on walking tracks, horse trails and mountain bike tracks. The ability to switch between counter types is cost effective and versatile. It also gives QPWS scope to collect usage data on a variety of diverse user groups. This data will be used to aid in management decisions and also to project future useage of areas.

“Over the past three years, we have run a number of TRAFx counters along a 58 kilometre walking track in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland National Parks. During this time we have found them to be a critical tool in the management of the track. They have allowed us to identify trends in use, (some of which weren’t foreseen!) and have been a real bonus when applying for funding, processing activity permits and developing plans.

We have found the counters to be very reliable, easy to use and the after sales backup is great”.
Brendan M, Ranger in Charge, QPWS

Location: Idaho, USA
Organization: Idaho Department of Fish and Game
Setting: Boise River Wildlife Management Area
TRAFx counters used: Vehicle Counter, OHV Counter, Infrared Trail Counter

Idaho is the 14th largest state in the USA. There are three main land regions: the Rocky Mountains, the Columbia Plateau, and the Basin and Range Region. Wildlife in Idaho includes moose, black bear, mountain lion, whitetail and mule deer, elk and antelope, and various fish and bird species.
The mission of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) is to manage and preserve wildlife within the state. Thirty- two wildlife management areas (WMAs) and one conservation easement are open to the public for hunting, fishing, and other wildlife-related activities.
IDFG has been using TRAFx counters since 2005, and uses the TRAFx Vehicle, OHV and Infrared Trail Counter.

“The main goal on the Boise River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is to provide critical winter range for mule deer and elk. In order to manage winter range, it is crucial that we know how people are using the WMA. Through the use of TRAFx OHV and Infrared Trail Counters, we have been able to estimate how many people are using the WMA and determine where and when use occurs. These counters have been very valuable in giving us the information we need to better manage our lands.”
Zach S., Senior Wildlife Technician, Idaho Dept. of Fish and Game
 

Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 
Organization: Metro Vancouver
Setting: Multi-use urban and regional parks, campgrounds, beaches, trails, and bicycle paths
TRAFx counters used: Vehicle Counter, Infrared Trail Counter, Pressure Pad Trail Counter, Mountain Bike Counter

Metro Vancouver is a partnership of 21 municipalities and one electoral area that make up the metropolitan area of Greater Vancouver. Its purpose is to protect and enhance the quality of life in the region through the delivery of region-wide essential services. One of these services is the management of 26 regional parks and of about 300 km of trails, as well as riverfronts and beaches throughout the region. The counting devices provided by TRAFx helps Metro Vancouver better understand visitor use patterns and use this information to improve the management of their park lands. TRAFx Vehicle Counters have been installed at most park entrances. TRAFx Infrared Trail Counters and Pressure Pad Trail Counters have also been utilized to gather trail use data.

"We have been using TRAFx counters for three years now. We are pleased with their performance and the high-level of service TRAFx has provided. Our TRAFx equipment has become an invaluable tool for Regional Parks in the Greater Vancouver Regional District."
David A., Research Officer, Metro Vancouver

Location: Centre Hills, Montserrat, West Indies
Organization: Centre Hills Project; Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Housing, and Environment; Montserrat National Trust; Montserrat Tourist Board
Setting: Walking trails in ecologically sensitive tropical forest
TRAFx counters used: Infrared Trail Counter

Montserrat is a small volcanic island in the Eastern Caribbean. Montserrat’s capital city of Plymouth was destroyed during volcanic eruptions that
began in 1995 and more than half of the island was evacuated. The population, now less than half of its former size, has relocated to the northern part of the island.
The Centre Hills Project aims to increase capacity for biodiversity and protected area management in Montserrat, particularly in the Centre Hills, a tropical forested area that escaped volcanic devastation, and is now one of the last remaining habitats for numerous threatened species, including rare tropical plants and animals.
TRAFx Infrared Trail Counters are being used on walking trails in the Centre Hills area to help determine trail use patterns, including some extrapolation of the type of trail users (e.g., hikers, farmers, etc.) based on basic tallies and analysis of timestamps using TRAFx Reporter software. The data collected by this type of people counter will help to inform the management of the area.
 
“The data collected by the TRAFx Infrared Trail Counters will help us to make management decisions regarding the Centre Hills area. We were able to well adapt the counters to the challenges posed by frequent volcanic activity and a hungry rat population on the island. For the first time, we now have a precise measurement of trail use, which I think will surprise people who didn’t believe that certain trails were getting so much use. These small counters are easy to install and to hide. We also like their long battery life.”
Carole M., Project Manager, Centre Hills Project (http://malhe.gov.ms/centrehills/)

Location: Ontario, Canada
Organization: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
Setting: Forested areas; public lands; roads and trails
TRAFx counters used: Vehicle/OHV counter

Ontario is Canada’s second largest province after Quebec. Ninety percent of the 70 million hectares of forested land in Ontario is publicly owned and it is managed by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
(OMNR). The area managed by OMNR is approximately twice the size of Poland. OMNR are using the TRAFx Vehicle/OHV counters to study patterns of motorized recreational use and to assess the effectiveness of controls such as signs at limiting motorized vehicle use on logging roads and trails in northern Ontario. Approximately 30 TRAFx counters were deployed at various sites in the study area in 2006. This number was expanded to nearly 50 units in 2007 through partnerships with Lakehead
University and Parks Canada. In 2008 the program will be further expanded.

"We are very pleased with our TRAFx counters and the service provided by the people at TRAFx. The devices have provided reliable information for automobiles and off highway vehicles. The counters are an important part of our ongoing study in northern Ontario."
Len H., Ph.D., Research Scientist, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources

“The TRAFx counting system is working well for our agency. The reliability and data collection is much easier than the tube style counters used in the past."
Bryan N., Recreation Unit Forester

Location: Egnatia Highway and E65 highway construction area,
Pindos Mountain Range, north-central Greece
Organization: University of Aegean, Dept. of Environment
Setting: Highway project in ecologically important wildlife habitat
TRAFx counters used: Vehicle Counter

The Pindos mountain range in north-central Greece is the brown bear's (i.e., grizzly bear) southern most range in Europe. Here, a small population of bears (estimated at 115-145 individuals)  exists in an environment characterized by mixed oak, black pine and beech forest, interspersed with small-scale agriculture.  The brown bear is a protected species in Europe.
However, two major highways, currently
under construction, will cut through this ecologically important area.
The research project's main objectives are to monitor how bears use the landscape, how highway construction activities (especially noise and traffic
volume) affect their movements, and whether existing mitigation measures (such as tunnels) are effective or need to be changed.


"I first learned about the TRAFx Vehicle Counter through my field activities associated with the Copeland Highway Wildlife Monitoring Project in Idaho. I thought the vehicle counter would be an excellent tool for my PhD research project in Greece. The vehicle counter will provide important data to help us determine disturbance levels in the study area."
Alexios G., PhD. student, University of Aegean, Dept. of Environment

Location: Northwest Territories (Canadian Arctic) 
Organization: Govt. of the Northwest Territories, Dept. of Transportation, Planning and Policy Division
Setting: Winter roads in Canada’s Arctic
TRAFx counters used: Vehicle Counter

In the Northwest Territories of Canada, seasonal winter roads, built over frozen lakes, rivers and tundra, offer an economical alternative to air supply for areas not on the regular road system. Maintenance of winter roads requires constant adaptation to unpredictable arctic conditions such as extreme cold, winter storms, visibility white-outs, overflow, wash-outs, pressure ridges, worn portages etc.
The Northwest Territories Department of Transportation uses TRAFx counters to count vehicles on their winter roads. The counters are embedded into the road, and left unattended over the winter months. Data is downloaded in the spring.

Location: East Harbour Regional Park, Wellington, New Zealand
Organization: Greater Wellington Regional Council
Setting: Multi-use Regional Park.
TRAFx counters used: Infrared Trail Counter

East Harbour Regional Park (covering 2,000 ha) was formalized in 1995 with a rationalization of land across multiple agencies and the development of a management plan. The park encompasses three separate areas: Northern Forest block, Pencarrow Lakes, and Baring Head.
The Northern Forest block covers the steep hill country between Eastbourne and Wainuiomata. These hills, clothed in beech/rata forest, provide the forested backdrop to the eastern side of Wellington Harbour, while the valley floors contain lush lowland podocarp/broadleaf forest. The area offers opportunities for walking, tramping (hiking), dog walking and picnicking, and can be accessed from various points behind Eastbourne and Wainuiomata. Recreational hunting of deer and pigs is managed through a permit system. A designated ‘remote’ zone in the upper Gollans Valley provides wilderness experiences close to the city.
The Pencarrow Lakes block lies just outside the main harbour entrance and contains the nationally significant freshwater lakes Kohangapiripiri and Kohangatera. These lakes and their associated wetlands are home to a wealth of native plants and wildlife, as well as to important cultural and historic sites.
Baring Head is situated at the southern terminus of the East Harbour hills and consists of a reserve of less than one hectare around the historic Baring Head lighthouse. The rocks below the lighthouse are an important rock climbing destination in the region, where access is restricted.
The Greater Wellington Regional Council uses TRAFx Infrared Trail Counters to monitor and assess visitor usage patterns on trails and access points throughout the park to assist in park management decisions.

“TRAFx equipment has helped us to assess usage patterns in our parks and to gather data for performance reporting. It is providing valuable information to assist in and support management decisions. I think the counters are wonderful.”
Erik V., Principal Ranger, Greater Wellington Regional Council.
 

Location: California, USA
Organization: East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD)
Setting: Multi-use urban and regional parks, trails, shorelines, picnic areas, and other recreational facilities
TRAFx counters used: Infrared Trail Counter, TRAFx Vehicle Counter

East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) is a system of public parks and trails in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The system encompasses 1,745 square miles on the eastern side of San Francisco Bay.

It is the mission of the East Bay Regional Park District to preserve their heritage of natural and cultural resources, open space, parks and trails for the future and set aside park areas for enjoyment and healthful recreation.

"We have over one hundred miles of multi-use trails that connect many cities in two counties. Many of those trail sections are along transit corridors. We are using TRAFx trail counters to help us assess the actual number of trail users in some key areas. The information will be one of the most important resources for acquiring some of the missing pieces in our system and helping people to get out of their cars and onto the trails."
Anne R., Unit Manager, Regional Trails and Work Alternative Programs, EBRPD

Location: Woodstock, Georgia, USA
Organization: SORBA Woodstock Chapter
Setting: Mountain bike trails on public lands
TRAFx Counters used: Infrared Trail Counter, TRAFx Vehicle Counter

The Woodstock Chapter of the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA) was formed in March, 2000 by a group of local mountain bikers to build trails on US Army Corps of Engineers property on the banks of Lake Allatoona. They formed a partnership with the Corps and the Cherokee County Parks and Recreation Agency to create the Blankets Creek Mountain Bike Trails. The park has grown to 15 miles of excellent beginner to advanced singletrack trails. With over 100,000 riders annually it is one of the most heavily ridden mountain bike trails in the country. SORBA has partnered with the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) and now represents over 4,000 members who help steward miles and miles of great trails in a seven-state area.

Location: Bavaria, Germany
Organization: Landesbund für Vogelschutz in Bayern (The Bavarian Society for the Protection of Birds)
Setting: Nature trails in forested and mountainous areas
TRAFx Counters used: Infrared Trail Counter

The Landesbund für Vogelschutz in Bayern e. V. (LBV), founded in 1909, is the oldest non-profit organisation for nature conservation in Bavaria, Germany. The organisation has approximately 60,000 members, subdivided into approximately 350 district groups. The principal aim is to ensure the maintenance of the native fauna and flora by protection of their natural habitats. Activities include: purchase and lease of threatened areas, habitat management, projects for preservation of species and habitats, nature research, statements on environmental impacts, political lobby work, public relations, visitor monitoring and visitor management, youth work, and environmental education in schools and out of schools.

Location: Oregon, USA
Organization: Bureau of Land Management, Eugene District
Setting: Recreation areas, vehicle counting
TRAFx Counters used: TRAFx Vehicle Counter

The BLM manages more land - 256 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.

Location: Yuma, Arizona, USA
Organization: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Imperial NWR
Setting: Recreation areas, vehicle counting
TRAFx Counters used: TRAFx Vehicle Counter, Trail Counter

Established in 1941, the 25,768 acre (104 sq. km) Imperial National Wildlife Refuge protects wildlife habitat along 30 miles of the lower Colorado River in Arizona and California, including the last unchannelized section before the river enters Mexico. The Refuge is an important sanctuary and breeding area for migratory birds and other wildlife. The river and its associated backwater lakes and wetlands are a green oasis, contrasting with the surrounding desert mountains.

Location: Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
Organization: Parks Canada
Setting: Mountainous landscape; extensive system of winter and summer trails; roads
TRAFx counters used: Infrared Trail Counter, Vehicle Counter, Pressure Pad Trail Counter, Mountain Bike Counter

Banff National Park, Canada’s first national park (founded in 1885), encompasses 6,641 square km (2,564 square miles) of valleys, mountains, forests, glaciers, meadows and rivers. With easy motor access, Banff NP is one of the most visited in the world: approx. 8 million vehicles enter the park annually.
Applications for the TRAFx counting system in Banff NP include: the quantification of visitor numbers on roads and trails (hiking, biking and ski trails), the monitoring of trails in wildlife-sensitive areas, and the monitoring of people and wildlife in wildlife underpasses.