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Using participant observation and photographic documentation, a study of the National Cherry Blossom Festival was conducted to evaluate service provision and impacts on National Mall and Memorial Parks (National Mall) resources. Specifically, the researchers examined the adequacies of National Park Service facilities and services to meet festival visitors' needs as well as assessed human impacts on the natural and cultural resources in the National Mall. The study results suggested that the nature of this cultural event led to intense, concentrated consumption and usage of facilities, services, and natural resources, making it difficult for management to keep up with visitor demand and risking long-term degradation of the natural resources. Detailed recommendations set forth a plan of action to protect the natural resources while not overly constraining visitor behaviors. Managers of large and small cultural festivals around the globe subject to these same carrying capacity issues can benefit from the recommendations put forth in this study. Additionally, the participant observation and photographic documentation methods applied in this study can be utilized in evaluating visitors behaviors and impacts in festival and event contexts.
