Making a home in the forest: Nonrecreational camping on national forests and grasslands

Abstract

Homelessness is often associated with urban areas, yet since the Great Depression, national forests have served as a refuge for individuals and families. In recent years, more people are living on the national forests and grasslands, whether by choice or because of economic circumstances. Unfortunately, the presence of nonrecreational campers affects the experience of other users and results in increased levels of trash and resource degradation that can be costly to remediate.In 2015, Lee Cerveny, a research social scientist with the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, and Joshua Baur, a professor at San Jose State University, surveyed law enforcement officers nationwide to determine how frequently they encountered nonrecreational campers and in what settings, the effects of nonrecreational camping on the natural and social environment, and their ideas for how to address these challenges.Transient retirees comprised the largest group of nonrecreational campers, followed by displaced families, and homeless individuals, whom law enforcement officers encountered on their rounds. Economic instability was perceived to be a contributing factor for residing on the national forest, followed by drug and alcohol abuse, and mental health concerns. The Willamette National Forest in Oregon is using this information to better equip frontline employees when interacting with nonrecreational campers. Additionally, emerging research on nonrecreational camping is focusing on the health considerations of living outdoors.

Citation

Watts, Andrea; Cerveny, Lee. 2021. Making a home in the forest: Nonrecreational camping on national forests and grasslands. Science Findings 242. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p.