Linking People to the Outdoors: Connections for Healthy Lands, People and Communities

Abstract

I greatly appreciate you inviting me to provide the welcome address at this important conference. The following are a few observations I have made regarding the symposium topic and the presentations to be made. There is widespread public recognition of the positive contributions to the quality of life resulting from participation in outdoor recreation. The general public links recreation to overall happiness, family unity, health, improved educational opportunities, deterrence to crime and substance abuse. Outdoor recreation is a pervasive leisure-time “use” across the nation (although there are variations by region, income, and race). In fact, 9 in 10 Americans (87%) participated in an outdoor recreational activity over the past 12 months.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the Fourth Social Aspects and Recreation Research Symposium: February 4-6, 2004, San Francisco, California

Citation

Dahl, Rene. 2004. Linking People to the Outdoors: Connections for Healthy Lands, People and Communities. In: Proceedings of the Fourth Social Aspects and Recreation Research Symposium; 2004 February 4-6; San Francisco, California. San Francisco State University. 1-3