“To use these systems you need high-speed internet, which can be a problem for some campers – particularly in remote places like we have in Montana,” he explained. “You also need flexibility to plan your trip for six months from now. People with lower-income jobs often don’t have the ability to set vacations that far in advance.”

That research, conducted with colleagues around the country and at the W. A. Franke College of Forestry & Conservation, has found a park system strained by the exploding popularity of outdoor recreation and struggling to find ways to balance park protection with equitable access to all.

As Rice puts his work: “We are studying people trying to have fun to make sure they, and everyone else, can keep having fun or start having fun, without destroying the things that allow them to have fun. That sounds simple, but it turns out this is an incredibly complex puzzle – and one that is incredibly important to Montana and our nation’s economy.”

His research has been featured in prominent popular publications, including USA Today, Men’s Journal, The Guardian and National Geographic.