Conserve and Enhance Recreation and Experience of Natural Places

The Northeast and Midwest contain many densely populated regions, and the growing demand for outdoor recreation creates challenges for both public and private lands. Understanding what recreationists really want and expect from their experiences is important for planners for parks and forests. For example, do they want hiking trails into pristine wilderness or ATV facilities, wildlife viewing stations, scenic overlooks, or facilities for the handicapped? NRS scientists develop the tools and information to help recreation managers understand and meet those expectations.

Research Studies

Private Landowner Attitudes toward Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Access in Minnesota
This research examined the willingness of private forest landowners to provide OHV access on their lands.

Talking with Hmong Americans about Their Culture and Use of Public Lands
This research on Hmong Americans, one of the least-studied and least-understood Asian ethnic groups in the United States, received the 2009 U.S. Forest Service Chief’s Honor Award for Promoting Recreation.

Individual values and decision-making
NRS social scientists are studying key questions that affect customer satisfaction and affect the ability to deliver high-quality recreation experiences. Research in this area will need to identify key social trends and then link these trends with actual on-site customer preferences and behaviors.

Tools to improve site design
In planning for a national forest or for a neighborhood lot, providing for the wide-ranging recreational needs of people is complex. Site users come from different age groups and different racial and ethnic groups and from varied income levels. To help designers, planners, and managers serve diverse patrons most effectively, NRS researchers study people’s perceptions of and preferences for recreational areas, as well as how people value the use of these areas. Among our products are computer programs based on recreational choices that help planners and managers make the most informed decisions concerning site design.