A mathematical model of the dynamic behaviour of natural recreational resources in the presence of ‘disturbance’ elements is presented, with a park taken as the natural resource and its users as the element of ‘disturbance’. A thorough analysis of the park/users system makes it possible to establish its response to external stimuli as well as the conditions under which it admits equilibrium states. Several models for the optimal management of the system are considered, both from the standpoint of ecological conservation and from that of the enjoyment of the natural environment. It is thus hoped this paper will contribute to the building of a method for optimal control of recreational resources, in order to prevent the onset of environmental degradation processes.