Meeting the Challenge: Recreation on Public Lands

Meeting the Challenge:
Recreation on Public Lands
Planning for Resource Recreation
is about planning for the “Human Habitat”
BLM Recreation
BLM Recreation in the Real World
Examining trends:
How have things changed?
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What are the drivers of change and challenges
facing outdoor recreation management?
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What are the trends effecting outdoor
recreation?
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What are implications for recreation planning
and management on public lands?
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What are some practical planning frameworks or
approaches?
The Challenge:
Planning and Managing Recreation in a World of Change
Population: growth and urbanization near public land
increases recreation demand and diversity of uses
Economics: growing importance of recreation in the economy
Increases business, community and political interest and influence
Technology: continued advances in recreation technology
increases the pace and scope of management challenges
Values: Change in public values concerning public land uses
increases public expectations for non-commodity amenities
Continued demand for outdoor
recreation – especially for
Cultural & Heritage Tourism
Adventure Travel & Extreme Sports
Solitude, Remoteness &
Big Open Spaces
Challenge,
Motorized Activities
& High Tech
Equipment Use
Trends: Population Growth
Challenges for Federal Lands
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Lands in proximity to urban centers
Recreation demand and use grows at a faster rate
than population
Growth in demand for special uses and new activities
Greater competition for allocated use, organized
group events and permits
Population Growth 1990-2000
The darker the
green the faster
the rate of
growth.
Nevada and
Arizona lead.
Intermountain
states about 30%.
Midwest/NE
slow-growing.
Source: Census Bureau. 2000
Hotspots
Hotspots can occur where human
activity and undeveloped land
collide.
Projections of 2020 “hotspots”
were made for all counties in the
lower 48 states.
Social Pressure, on currently
undeveloped land, comes from:
• Population Density
• Economic Activity
• Outdoor Recreation Demand
USDA FS, Southern Research Station, Hotspots.
Change in U.S.
Population in
200 years!
1900
76m
2000 2100
278 m 571m
Growing Diversity of Population
2000
2100
4%
12%
9%
12.6%
13.0%Hispanic 33.3%
76%
Source: Various Census Bureau documents
White, NH
Black, NH
Asian, NH
40.3%
Hispanic
White, NH
Black, NH
Asian, NH
Big & Bigger
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Most popular
Will grow with
population
Minimal equipment
Social component
Family friendly
Easily accessible &
close to home
Wide skill
range
Affordable
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Walking
Family Gatherings
Visiting Nature Centers
Picnicking
Developed Camping
Visiting Beaches
Sightseeing
Visiting Historic Sites
Swimming
Up & Coming
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z Day
Hiking
z Bicycling
z Mountain Biking
z Running
z Wildlife Viewing
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Moderately popular
Fast-growing
(38% - 59%)
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Requires minimal,
long-wearing gear
Often available close
to home
Allows for a
wide range of
ability
Specialized
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Smaller numbers
but high level of
commitment
Fast-growing
(50 - 136% growth
between ‘94 -‘01)
Requires specialized
equipment &
facilities
Large investment &
industry support
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Snowboarding
Personal Watercraft
Kayaking & Canoeing
OHV/ATV
Snowmobiling
Horseback Riding
Salt Water Fishing
Backpacking
Changing populations:
Implications for recreation planners
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Expect increased competition for limited
resources.
Expect more allocation, limits on use and use
permits to protect resources and experiences
Expect more crowding, diversity of activities and
specialization.
Expect increasing public conflict and debate over
“appropriate” forms of recreation on the public
lands.
Trends: Economics
Growing importance and influence
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Recreation is now big business and requires
more accountability
Recreation significantly contributes to
regional economic diversity and stability
Increased demands generated by growing
industries such as adventure/challenge
recreation and tourism
Recreation now “on par” with traditional land
uses requiring more management oversight
More competition for permits
Recreation is Big Business –
One Example:
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Active outdoor recreation contributes over $730
billion annually to the U.S. economy (2006)
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Supports 6.5 million jobs across the U.S.
Generates $88 billion in annual tax revenue
Provides sustainable growth in rural communities
Generates additional $289 billion annually in retail
sales and services across the U.S.
Touches over 8 percent of America’s personal
consumption expenditures—more than 1 in every 12
dollars circulating in the economy
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Source:
The Active Outdoor Recreation Economy
By Outdoor Industry Foundation, 2006
Changing Economics:
Implications for planners
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Expect to demonstrate and document benefits in
economic terms to influence policy or planning.
Expect to reach out to those who benefit economically in
forging alliances for outdoor recreation.
Expect increasing government and interest group
oversight, legal interest, accountability, auditing of fees
associated with allocation of limited resources.
Expect private resort, outfitting and guiding
organizations to protect their business interests.
Expect increasing public demand for those who use
facilities and services to pay for them.
Trends: Technology
Challenges
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Some public lands are disproportionately affected
by recreation technology (motorized - BLM, FS)
Increasing demand for more opportunities to use
sport equipment and technology needs support of
services and facilities, real time information, and
increased demand for access
Growing popularity of new generation and
extreme sports and activities
Technological advances in outdoor recreation
1902
2002
Growing popularity of
OHVs
Annual OHV Unit Sales
1000000
500000
0
1995
160,000
140,000
120,000
100,000
80,000
60,000
40,000
20,000
0
160,000
22000
1989
2006
2003
Annual sales of OHVs has tripled
in 8 years 368,000 to over a million
but sales in the West are twice the
national average!
Number of registered OHVs in
Utah has grown more than
seven-fold in 18 years
New Generation Sports and
Activities
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Extreme sports – everything from sledging to
zorbing, from base jumping to cave diving
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Technology driven activities such as geocasheing, night vision goggles, paintball, rock
crawling, artificial intelligence vehicles (DARPA)
rocket launching, rough terrain vehicles (RTVs)
What recreation technology challenges will
we face in the future?
Aerotreking
Hovercraft
River Sledging
Rocket
Launching
Zorbing
Also a challenge are electric bikes,
segways, or ohvs
Changing Technology:
Implications for recreation planners
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Expect expanding demand from non-traditional,
motorized and high-tech activities – and expect
more conflicts with other recreational uses.
Expect more demand for “zoning” (both time and
place) or planning that separates uses.
Expect demand to grow for shorter, more high
tech and varied experiences.
Expect people to want state of the art or
specialized facilities, services and equipment.
Expect increasing public demand for instant
communication and information.
Trends: Values
Challenges
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Recreation issues are more polarized
Recreation is considered a core value and viewed
as a right, not a privilege
Increasing social sensitivity to landscape changes
and environmental concern over recreation uses
Expanding agency missions and heightened public
expectation for services and safety
Recreation now “above the radar” with increasing
conflicts and legal challenges
Changing Values:
Implications for recreation planners
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Expect public to demand “risk-free” experiences,
have heightened liability concerns and greater
government (or industry) oversight.
Expect greater conflict and controversy over group,
commercial, and organizational use of public
resources and lands.
Expect greater permit allocation or mitigation
requirements or restrictions to protect cultural and
natural resources – or quality of experiences.
Expect more rigorous environmental concerns or
conflicts over recreation impacts (including legal
challenges)
So what does all
this mean for
recreation
planners?
Goal:
Sustaining Public Lands
Recreation Resources and Services to
Enrich Individual and Community Life
Challenge:
Doing so in context of other land uses
and while protecting natural and cultural
resources
BLM Planning
Framework
Three components of BLM planning
primarily address “Human Habitat”
through prescribed landscape settings:
1)Recreation Planning - addresses
components needed to manage settings – to
provide for recreation opportunities that
generate benefits.
2)Visual Resources Management (VRM)
addresses landscape character – to identify
and maintain the aesthetic quality of the
landscape
3)Comprehensive Travel & Transportation
Management (CTTM ) addresses public
access – to determine where and how
people move across the landscape
Over the past decade there has been an evolution
in the approach to both natural resources and
recreation planning and management
z Concept of Environmental Services or Ecosystem
management
z Concept of benefits or outcomes-based management for
recreation (OFM)
Both models emphasize a shift from a single resource or activitybased approach to one which focuses on the cumulative
environmental, social and economic values, services, benefits that
flow from the public lands.
Paradigm shift from –
“managing for individual activities” to
“managing settings to sustain multiple outcomes”
Key Current Opportunities for
Resource Recreation
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Youth and children in nature movement –
engaging the next generation of citizen stewards.
Volunteerism – proving opportunities for active
involvement in public service
Stimulus and economic recovery– boosting the
economy through investment in parks and
recreation infrastructure and protected areas
Greening and climate change solutions –
recreation as a model for renewable energy and
proactive solutions
Questions?
Share your ideas and recommendations:
Bob Ratcliffe, Chief
National Recreation and Visitor Services Division
Bureau of Land Management
z [email protected] or 202-452-5040
z Learn more: www.blm.gov and click on
recreation program