Outdoor Recreation in America

The new date for National Marina Day also will coincide with the third annual National Get Outdoors Day event on June 12. Begun in 2001 and observed until 2010 in August, National Marina Day celebrates and promotes recreational boating and the marina industry by inviting elected officials, civic leaders and the public to marinas across the nation for a day of fun and learning. Marina visitors see firsthand the important role marinas play as family-friendly gateways to boating and water fun and learn about the commitment of marina personnel to being stewards of the environment. These efforts are perfect components for the growing National Get Outdoors Day, which invites all visitors to public lands – and especially first-timers – to take advantage of the fun and healthy activities that public lands have to offer.

Mr. Maughan is one of the recreation community’s most dynamic and influential leaders, and he has long played an active role in building public/private partnerships, fostering environmentally responsible development, connecting children to the outdoors and encouraging healthy outdoor activity. “Rex Maughan is a visionary leader for the recreation and concessions industries. His companies lead the way for others, showing how business should be done to enhance recreation experiences for generations to come,” said Derrick Crandall, American Recreation Coalition (ARC) President, as he announced the award.

Gina McCarthy, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), was the guest speaker at the September 2009 Recreation Exchange hosted by the American Recreation Coalition. In her role at EPA, Ms. McCarthy is a leading national advocate for win-win strategies to confront climate change and strengthen the nation's green economy, and she plays an instrumental role in ensuring that EPA leads the way in addressing the nation's most urgent environmental priorities.

Ms. McCarthy expressed a commitment to infusing her love of the great outdoors into her new post at EPA. She credits her passion for environmental protection to long hours spent playing outdoors, both as a child and as an adult. “I’ve never stopped playing and I never will!” she proudly proclaimed.

Jay Jensen, Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was the guest speaker at the August 2009 Recreation Exchange hosted by the American Recreation Coalition. In this position, Mr. Jensen has policy responsibility for the U.S. Forest Service, which manages 193 million acres of National Forest System lands and provides assistance to more than 10 million family-forest landowners. The Natural Resources and Environment mission area includes the Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which is the federal agency with primary responsibility for working with private landowners in conserving, maintaining and improving their natural resources.

Mr. Jensen spoke about Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack's national vision for America's forests, the Forest Service's use of economic stimulus funds, the importance of concessioners and partnerships to the mission of the Forest Service and more. He told the group that Secretary Vilsack is committed to reconnecting the American public to the land, and is leading the Department of Agriculture with the vision "USDA: Every day, every way." The Secretary plans to reconnect people to the land through the frames of climate and water. People today, particularly children, largely lack an understanding of where their food and water originate, putting little thought into the source of their food other than the grocery store. It is vital to reconnect people to their public lands, Mr. Jensen said. "The key way to reconnect people to their lands is through recreation, and you all are a powerful part of this platform," Mr. Jensen told the group. He touted the importance of urban forests, especially those near city centers, noting that 75% of visitors to national forests travel less than 100 miles to the forests they visit. “These urban forests are the gateways to connecting people to the land,” he said.

The Obama family plans to visit both Yellowstone National Park – the nation’s first park – and Grand Canyon National Park to do some hiking, biking and gazing at natural vistas and wildlife. Their visit will coincide with the third and final weekend of the summer when fees will be waived by the National Park Service, thanks to action earlier this summer by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, who is expected to accompany the First Family. However, it seems likely that the President planned to visit parks this summer regardless of the fee waiver. In remarks this spring at the U.S. Department of the Interior, the President recalled his family travels to parks across the nation at age 11 and told the audience that he wanted his daughters – and every American son and daughter – to have the experience of seeing our parks.

To read Mr. Jarvis' July 28 statement to the U. S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources, click here.

Below is the text from the New York Times article covering the hearing:

Led by Congressmen Michael Michaud (D-ME) and Thomas Petri (R-WI), a diverse group of Members – including several serving on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure – representing districts across the nation, thanked the committee leadership for continuing the RTP in recently introduced transportation legislation and called for some needed changes to the current program, especially increased funding. The requested funding increase would total $690 million over six years – $90 million in 2010, $100 million in 2011, $110 million in 2012, $120 million in 2013, $130 million in 2014, and $140 million in 2015. The group also requested $2.5 million for a study of off-highway vehicle use to ensure that RTP funding accurately reflects federal off-highway recreation tax receipts, and an adjustment of the funding allocated to the Federal Highway Administration for program administration.

Unify public and private-sector interests in efforts to influence American lifestyles, especially among youth, in ways that maximize the physical, mental and other benefits derived from activities in the Great Outdoors through a focused effort to invite Americans to designated sites on a single day, as well as to highlight and assist the efforts of National Get Outdoors Day partners year-round.

GO-Day 2009 was built around offering opportunities for American families to experience traditional and non-traditional types of outdoor activities, regardless of past experience, skills or ownership of equipment. Those Americans currently underserved by visits to public lands and waters and youth – especially urban youth – were priority targets for the events. GO-Day organizers accepted a challenge: making the appeal of the great outdoors equal that of shopping malls and video games. And they met this challenge with exceptional results.

Accomplishments of Beacon Award recipients, achievements of the Recreational Trails Program, the status of the Scenic Byways Program, the second National Get Outdoors Day, the need to connect children to nature and more were addressed in gatherings during the week. The American Recreation Coalition’s Legends Awards honoring the outstanding efforts and contributions of exemplary federal agency employees and recreation community leaders also contributed to the Week’s excitement.

Great Outdoors Week is coordinated by the American Recreation Coalition (ARC) and includes events co-hosted by more than a dozen national organizations and federal agencies. Great Outdoors Week is the central feature of Great Outdoors Month, a month-long celebration of outdoor recreation that also highlights National Trails Day (June 6), National Fishing and Boating Week (June 6-14), National Get Outdoors Day (June 13), the Great American Backyard Campout (June 27) and more.

To read the full report, click here.

The trail projects and programs honored by the CRT and their award categories are:

• Kings Campground and Trailhead Project (California) – Maintenance and Rehabilitation
• Giant’s Stairs Trail Project (Maine) – Education and Communication
• Meduxnekeag River Bridge (Maine) – Multiple-Use Management and Corridor Sharing
• Minnesota – Outstanding State Recreational Trails Advisory Committee
• Highbridge Park Project (New York) – Environment and Wildlife Compatibility
• Oregon – Outstanding State Trail Program
• Sam Houston Multiple-Use Trail (Texas) – Construction and Design
• Southwest Key Trail (Texas) – Accessibility Enhancement
• North Bend Lake Equestrian Trail (West Virginia) – Use of Youth Conservation and Service Corps

More information on the award-winning projects can be found at: www.americantrails.org/awards/CRT09awards/index.html