Recreation Forum Report
July 3, 2007In March and April of 2007, the American Recreation Coalition and the National Forest Foundation teamed up to convene a series of six Recreation Forums across the nation—five regional sessions followed by a national gathering in Washington, D.C. The sessions and recommendations are summarized in a Report.
With a blend of presentations, facilitated dialogue and open discussion, the Recreation Forums united diverse organizations and agencies seeking to identify challenges and solutions to meeting the nation’s recreation needs through our public lands and waters.
As hikers and anglers, OHV enthusiasts and cyclists, climbers and equestrians, and more, these diverse recreation stakeholders gathered to hear the ideas and concerns of allies in the recreation, health, tourism, education and economic development fields. The meetings helped document the importance of recreation to societal goals, including: improved public physical, mental and spiritual health; better environmental stewardship; deterrence of crime; enhanced educational systems and student performance; and, local, regional and national economic vitality. They also offered an important venue for defining key transportation issues limiting access to nature-based recreation and for brainstorming creative solutions.
More than 100 leading recreation, conservation, youth service and local government officials organized the forums through a structure of regional task forces. Together, they defined the local agendas, recruited presenters, and lent their spirit to developing partnerships via the forums. This planning structure enabled us to build new partnerships, while learning about many successful programs around the country that connect local people to the outdoors. In most cases, the regional task forces have maintained their commitment, through ongoing meetings to review ideas and issues highlighted at the forums.
Thanks to the passionate participation of hundreds of individuals, we have built a rich idea bank for recreation community leaders and national public policy leaders alike to turn to over the next decade—just as listening sessions for the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission did in the 1960s and as the President’s Commission on Americans Outdoors did in the 1980s.
This model for idea sharing is increasingly critical in an era of rapidly changing demographics, growing populations, strained federal and state budgets, and disappearing open space. With the momentum generated through the forums and the publication of these proceedings, the forum sponsors hope to prompt continued discussion and action toward enhancing America’s public lands and recreation resources.
With a blend of presentations, facilitated dialogue and open discussion, the Recreation Forums united diverse organizations and agencies seeking to identify challenges and solutions to meeting the nation’s recreation needs through our public lands and waters.
As hikers and anglers, OHV enthusiasts and cyclists, climbers and equestrians, and more, these diverse recreation stakeholders gathered to hear the ideas and concerns of allies in the recreation, health, tourism, education and economic development fields. The meetings helped document the importance of recreation to societal goals, including: improved public physical, mental and spiritual health; better environmental stewardship; deterrence of crime; enhanced educational systems and student performance; and, local, regional and national economic vitality. They also offered an important venue for defining key transportation issues limiting access to nature-based recreation and for brainstorming creative solutions.
More than 100 leading recreation, conservation, youth service and local government officials organized the forums through a structure of regional task forces. Together, they defined the local agendas, recruited presenters, and lent their spirit to developing partnerships via the forums. This planning structure enabled us to build new partnerships, while learning about many successful programs around the country that connect local people to the outdoors. In most cases, the regional task forces have maintained their commitment, through ongoing meetings to review ideas and issues highlighted at the forums.
Thanks to the passionate participation of hundreds of individuals, we have built a rich idea bank for recreation community leaders and national public policy leaders alike to turn to over the next decade—just as listening sessions for the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission did in the 1960s and as the President’s Commission on Americans Outdoors did in the 1980s.
This model for idea sharing is increasingly critical in an era of rapidly changing demographics, growing populations, strained federal and state budgets, and disappearing open space. With the momentum generated through the forums and the publication of these proceedings, the forum sponsors hope to prompt continued discussion and action toward enhancing America’s public lands and recreation resources.
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