Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
1994-5 and 2000-1, renamed the National Survey on Recreation and the Environment
(NSRE) in 1994. The 2001 study conducted interview with 50,000 individuals across all
ethnic groups and locations in the USA examining themes such as outdoor recreation
participation, demographic profiles, household characteristics, lifestyle issues, constraints
to participation and environmental issues in recreation. As Cordell et al. (2002) report,
this was the most detailed survey of its kind to date in the USA.
The USA has a population of over 284 million, which is forecast to grow to 325
million by 2020, 404 million by 2050 and 481 million by 2075. One notable change will
be the greater ethnic diversity of the population, as the proportion of Anglo-Americans
declines to 2050 from 76 per cent to 50 per cent. Conversely, by 2050 the proportion of
African Americans will rise from 12 per cent to 15 per cent; the proportion of Hispanic
origin will rise from 9 per cent to 21 per cent and other ethnic groups from 4 per cent to
11 per cent. This will have major implications for the demand and type of leisure that
these groups consume. Cordell et al. (2002:22) summarised the results of the 2001-2
NSRE as follows:
• Nearly all respondents (97 per cent) had participated in at least one outdoor recreation
activity in the previous 12 months prior to interview (which yields 206 million people
aged over 15 undertaking one or more of 77 outdoor activities examine in the survey.
• Walking remains the most important activity, with 83.8 per cent participating.
• Other activities include attending an outdoor gathering with family/relatives/friends
(73.5 per cent); picnicking (53.5 per cent); visits to outdoor centres/attractions/nature
trails/zoos (57.2 per cent); scenic viewing/photography (54 per cent).
• Least popular activities were migrating bird hunting (2.3 per cent); scuba diving (1.9
per cent); surfing (1.5 per cent) and wind surfing (0.8 per cent).
• The fastest growing activity was birding, in line with the 1995 NSRE which has seen a
236 per cent growth rate 1983-2000. Other growth sectors over the same period were:
hiking (19.6 per cent growth); snow-mobiling (107.5 per cent growth); swimming in
natural waters (64 per cent growth); back-packing (165.9 per cent growth) and
walking (97.2 per cent growth).
• The percentage of the population participating in the top five fastest growing activities
were: bird watching (33.4 per cent); hiking (34.3 per cent); back-packing (10.9 per
cent) and snow-mobiling (31.4 per cent).
As Cordell et al. (2002:39) conclude, if 'real incomes (inflation adjusted) continue to rise
in this country, as it did between 1960 and 2000…we can expect upward pressure for
participation in all outdoor activities', particularly high-cost activities (e.g. off-road
driving) while inexpensive activities such as walking will be less affected. The growing
ethnic diversity will also affect the demand for leisure as different groups have social and
culturally determined views of the outdoors, and for that matter, indoor forms of leisure
(Virden and Walker 1999).
Poland
Poland is an interesting example, given the new roles for recreation in the post-
communist state (Jung 1994,1996), since market reforms and ideological change have led
to new roles for leisure post-1989 (see Kwiatkowska 1999 for a discussion of
