[polarbear]

Outdoor Recreation in America 2003: Recreation's Benefits to Society Challenged by Society's Trends The objectives of the report: -measure participation in range of activities -measure frequency of participation -determine people's views on outdoor recreation and relation to environment -investigate interest/participation in volunteerism -monitor changes in attidudes regarding fees on federal sites summary -participation in recreation is in a downward trend beginning in 2001 and more strongly in 2003 -the drop in frequency of participation is most noteworthy among young adults, -18 to 29 year olds are now less likely to frequent participants (19%), than those between ages 30 and 44 (24%) and 45 to 59 (22%) -55% of the 2001 people surveyed visited federal lands in the past 12 months -21% were interested in volunteering, 24% of these 21% had volunteered in the past year -of those who visited federal sites, most are willing to pay higher fees, but this willingness has decreased from earlier studies -recreation participation by families with children is generally above the national average

[Odonata]

Hey PB. I think your link is wonky..

[polarbear]

Thanks Odonata, it is fixed now. Here is a list of the members of the Recreation Roundtable.

[touron]

Sociologists claim there is a correlation between the decline in interest in outdoor activity, and the surge in popularity of an internet game called "Whack the Penguin." People no longer have time to hike as everyone is vying for the high score.

[kiliki]

That report includes things like RV'ing as outdoor recreation (the report is for industry times like boat manufacturers), so I think that people could combine their love for recreation and whack the penguin.

[Odonata]

[Allison]

So what's the relevance of this study to human-powered recreators like ourselves? I didn't read the study, as after reading the list of people involved it seemed like a whole nother kettle of fish.

[WTM]

Aren't the people behind this report the same ones who provided most of the backing for the Demonstration Fee program?

[Malachai Constant]

[Brain]

On the selfish side, that means the crowd sizes are shrinking and backcountry solitude won't be as hard to find.

[Backpacker Joe]

[kiliki]

The report doesn't really address backcountry uses, anyway. It looks at golf and picnicking and jet skiing (though "hiking" is a category, it is one of many).

[jimmymac]

Amazing. I never knew I had such a well organized, for-profit lobbying group sharing a bed with land managers "on my behalf!" Where do I send my annual ARC donation? How about automatic payroll deduction? With "public-minded" advocacy groups like these, who needs trailhead car prowlers? Say what you will about WTA's positions on issues like the MFK. At the very worst, they are furthering the interest of one group of users over the interests of another. ARC seems to have reason to further the interests of their corporate members at the expense of all recreationists. If I'm wrong on this, let me have it. But at the present, I trust the ARC like I would a cougar following me home from a campfire. Why? I don't know, maybe it's their mentoring program to teach "backward" land managers how to better separate us from more of our money. Or maybe it's their effort to prepare member corporations to privatize public land management... I just have an urge to test the velcro on my wallet pocket around these kinds of industry groups.

[#19]

[kleet]