Outdoor recreation for America: a report to the president and the congress by the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission

Parks & Recreation, Jan, 2002

* A National Outdoor Recreation Policy.

* Guidelines for the Management of Outdoor Recreation Resources.

* Expansion, Modification, and Intensification of Present Programs to Meet Increasing Needs.

* Establishment of a Bureau of Outdoor Recreation in the Federal Government.

* A Federal Grants-in-Aid Program to States.

The body of this report presents the reasoning and significance of these recommendations. To those who would like a quick over-all picture of the recommendations, the following digest will prove helpful.

A National Outdoor Recreation Policy

It shall be the national policy, through the conservation and wise use of resources, to preserve, develop, and make accessible to all American people such quantity and quality of outdoor recreation as will be necessary and desirable for individual enjoyment and to assure the physical, cultural, and spiritual benefits of outdoor recreation.

Implementation of this policy will require the cooperative participation of all levels of government and private enterprise. In some aspects, the government responsibility is greater; in others, private initiative is better equipped to do the job.

The role of the Federal Government should be--

1. Preservation of scenic areas, natural wonders, primitive areas, and historic sites of national significance.

2. Management of Federal lands for the broadest possible recreation benefit consistent with other essential uses.

3. Cooperation with the States through technical and financial assistance.

4. Promotion of interstate arrangements, including Federal participation where necessary.

5. Assumption of vigorous, cooperative leadership in a nationwide recreation effort.

The States should play a pivotal role in making outdoor recreation opportunities available by--

1. Acquisition of land, development of sites, and provision and maintenance of facilities of State or regional significance.

2. Assistance to local governments.

3. Provision of leadership and planning.

Local governments should expand their efforts to provide outdoor recreation opportunities, with particular emphasis upon securing open space and developing recreation areas in and around metropolitan and other urban areas.

Individual initiative and private enterprise should continue to be the most important force in outdoor recreation, providing many and varied opportunities for a vast number of people, as well as the goods and services used by people in their recreation activities. Government should encourage the work of nonprofit groups wherever possible. It should also stimulate desirable commercial development, which can be particularly effective in providing facilities and services where demand is sufficient to return a profit.

Guidelines for Management

All agencies administering outdoor recreation resources--public and private--are urged to adopt a system of classifying recreation lands designed to make the best possible use of available resources in the light of the needs of people. Present jurisdictional boundaries of agencies need not be disturbed, but where necessary, use should be changed in accordance with the classification.