Outdoor recreation in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska: trends in activity participation

Abstract

An angler tries her luck on Trillium Lake below Mount Hood, Mount Hood National Forest, Cascade Range, Oregon (photo by Jeff Gnass). Rafters descend a rapids on Deschutes River, Deschutes National Forest, Cascade Range, Oregon (photo by Linda Kruger). Motorhomes and recreation vehicles on a summer day, Seward, Alaska (photo by Linda Kruger). The Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is dedicated to the principle of multiple use management of the Nation's forest resources for sustained yields of wood, water, forage, wildlife, and recreation. Through forestry research, cooperation with the States and private forest owners, and management of the National Forests and National Grasslands, it strives-as directed by Congress-to provide increasingly greater service to a growing Nation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.

Historical forest changes in the western United States

“…Assessment information about recreation activities, trends, and issues in eastern Oregon and Washington can also be found in the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) reports for these states (http://www.oregon.gov/oprd/PLANS/pages/scrop08_12. aspx; http://www.rco.wa.gov/documents/rec_trends/SCORP_2008.pdf), and in Hall et al (2009). National forest recreation in MMC forests is likely to be affected by forest restoration treatments, which could be a source of contention.…”

Outlook for outdoor recreation in the northern United States. A technical document supporting the Northern Forest Futures Project with projections through 2060

“…There is no additional information on exactly where the respondent engaged in the participation for any activity, although research shows that the vast majority of outdoor recreation takes place within a few hours' drive of home (Hall and Page 1999 (Bowker et al 1999, Bowker et al 2006, Cicchetti 1973, Hof and Kaiser 1983b, Leeworthy et al 2005. Along with distance and quality descriptors and other factors, these have been used to explain visits to specific sites (Bowker et al 2007, Englin and Shonkwiler 1995, Ovaskainen et al 2001.…”