The purpose of this study was to examine the social benefits whitewater paddlers derive from a city whitewater park. Many communities are investing great sums of time and money in the development of whitewater parks, with the expectation that these parks will generate social benefits for park users and their surrounding communities (Moorman et…

A new form of recreation-focused collective action has grown over recent decades. Practitioners of shared outdoor recreation interests are coordinating to meet stewardship and advocacy goals. Such "civic recreation organizations" blur the lines between voluntary sport clubs, interest groups, and resource management, promising…

Urbanization contributes to a collective disconnection from nature and an increase in mental health-related illnesses. Women were the focus for this research, as they disproportionately experience anxiety, depression, phobias, and comorbidity of conditions. This qualitative study investigated the mental health benefits of practicing mindfulness in…

Visitation to some of the most popular national parks in the United States has surged in recent years, but in many national park units, attendance has declined even as the U.S. population increases. Changing demographics, patterns of visitation, maintenance needs, and inconsistent federal support raise questions about national parks' relevance to…

Parents play a vital role in influencing their children's outdoor recreation participation. Families can enjoy nature and stay active in state parks, which provide abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation and education. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between parents' experiences with, and attitudes toward, outdoor…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the relationship between natural landscapes and inspiration through the lens of topophilia--the affinity people have for certain places or landscape features. Participants were students on a traveling college field course called American Ecosystems. The 2015 course (n=15, 26 days) visited 19…

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is a National Scenic Trail that extends approximately 2,653 miles from the border of California and Mexico to the border of Washington State and Canada. This study examined land management and hiker issues that day, overnight, and thru-hikers experience in California while navigating the PCT in order to inform land…

Environmental interpretation can improve sustainability by mitigating the negative impacts of nature-based recreation. However, we do not fully understand the psychological factors that influence interpretation's efficacy in changing human behaviours. Specifically, the role of emotions has been understudied within environmental psychology and…

The Pacific Crest Trail is a National Scenic Trail that runs from Mexico to Canada. Use of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) has increased in the past 20 years. It is important to understand how an increase in use can impact the environment and sustainable practices, land management practices, and the hiker experience. Participants included 15 land…

This study examined frontcountry state park visitors' attitudes toward and support for common Leave No Trace practices. Understanding state park visitors' attitudes toward Leave No Trace practices and support of the program can inform the development of effective educational communication strategies and specific messaging, for park and protected…

Resource degradation is a chief concern related to increased recreational of U.S. public lands. The Seven Leave No Trace (LNT) Principles are used to educate visitors how to reduce recreational impacts. This study sought to understand Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) hikers' behavioral intent toward LNT practices. A quantitative…

Mountain biking is currently one of the fastest growing recreational activities in the world (Outdoor Foundation, 2013), but documenting the benefits has been challenging. The Benefits of Hiking Scale (BHS), a 38-item instrument assessing the values and benefits of using trails, has been used in national and state park trail research (Freidt,…

This project provided baseline risk communication practices to the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) for its consideration in developing new policies and management direction for outdoor recreation. This essay provides a summary of the project with a discussion of the practice recommendations. The CWS manages 54 National Wildlife Areas and 92…

Outdoor adventure-based experiences allow students to engage in physical activities and process learning tasks within a novel, open environment that is unlike any classroom. Past outdoor adventure-based research has indicated two primary participant outcomes: intrapersonal and interpersonal relationship skills or IIRS (Moore & Russell, 2002).…

This study examined how instructors and learners in residential outdoor education programs utilized mobile technologies and Web 2.0 applications. Twenty semistructured interviews were conducted with instructors, support staff, and administrators at a nonprofit institution that provides outdoor education programs. Sixty-five participants in those…