Diversifying the outdoor-recreation participation for your agency
By Jeremy Hoffman and Michael A. Mulvaney
Outdoor recreation is a growing industry. Broadly defined as activities that engage a participant with nature, outdoor recreation involves activities such as camping, hiking, mountaineering, snowboarding, skiing, fishing, hunting, and climbing. While interest in these pursuits has climbed steadily over the past 10 years, the interest has grown exponentially during the pandemic when traditional forms of recreation were temporarily shut down. For example, the 2021 Special Report on Fishing found first-time fishing participation increased by 42 percent in 2020, compared to 2019 with 55 percent of those participants planning to continue this activity in 2021.
Outdoor recreation has also been shown to provide a variety of benefits when it comes to the human condition. Benefits ranging from increased levels of relaxation, enhanced energy levels, better self-esteem, better sense of connection with nature, and self-efficacy are commonly identified by outdoor-recreation participants.
First-time participation in outdoor recreation is often facilitated by local park and recreation agencies. It is through these services that individuals often develop an interest in outdoor recreation and a long-term commitment to these pursuits.
These local agencies have the opportunity to play a significant part in the establishment of a more diverse community of outdoor-recreation participants. Park and recreation agencies can help foster a larger, more diverse, and more inclusive number of participants.