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Published: 2014

Total Pages: 37

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Outdoor recreation plays a significant role in American lives. It provides physical challenges and well-being, helps develop lifelong skills, provokes interest and inquiry, inspires wonder and awe of the natural world, and often provides an alternative to daily routines. Recreation contributes greatly to the physical, mental, and spiritual health of individuals, bonds family and friends, and instills pride in natural and cultural heritage. Federal lands contribute significantly, and in many cases uniquely, to the provision of nature-based outdoor recreation opportunities. This paper, prepared for the Federal Interagency Council on Outdoor Recreation (FICOR), focuses on the potential future role of federal lands in supplying outdoor recreation opportunities and therefore supporting associated jobs and income. FICOR is a seven-agency council that promotes better coordination and collaboration among Federal agencies whose missions or programs include providing outdoor recreation and conserving or managing natural and cultural resources. The FICOR agencies are the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), Forest Service (FS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). We begin with an overview of recent trends in outdoor recreation activity participation in the United States and projected recreation participation to 2030. The primary driving forces for participation are reviewed, and their effects on future recreation use are discussed. The federal land base for outdoor recreation and expectations for future availability are also described. Recreation visitation in 2012 on lands and waters managed by the FICOR agencies and the associated jobs provide the baseline for considering how projected recreation use might influence future economic effects. The S2futureS3 look takes into account 1) the key factors that determine the level of economic activity in and around federal lands, 2) potential changes in recreation activities and associated spending patterns, and 3) other factors that influence spending. Finally, we discuss other contributions to local economies that may be influenced by federal recreation opportunities, including amenity migration, business relocation, and natural backdrops.