Outdoor Program Administration: Principles and Practices

Abstract

Outdoor Program Administration: Principles and Practices Geoff Harrison Matt Erpelding Editors Human Kinetics, 2012A cursory review of the table of contents in Outdoor Program Administration could lead one to believe that the collective efforts of both the authors and editors has led to the creation of an oxymoron-a comprehensive introductory book on outdoor However, a more thorough review of the text reveals not necessarily a comprehensive coverage of outdoor programming, but undoubtedly an extensive and expansive resource-encompassing the diverse parameters typically found in outdoor programming-from its historic foundations to the safe and competent delivery of such programs. This book is certainly a strong, introductory text because the authors did a masterful job of delimiting the multidimensional nature of developing and managing outdoor recreation programs.The field of outdoor recreation and outdoor programming is inordinately diverse, in fact, Priest (1999) once described outdoor recreation as ... any activity done outdoors (p. 112). Because of the extensiveness of this field, it is extremely challenging, perhaps even impossible, to create a single resource that can teach readers how to do outdoor programming. On the other hand, the authors and editors of Outdoor Program Administration have done a yeoman's job of delineating the essential concerns and topics for outdoor programming-those aspects commonly shared across most outdoor recreation activities, those that must be acknowledged and negotiated in the design and implementation of such programs. Therefore, it seems very plausible that educators, outdoor program administrators, or other outdoor program professionals will discover some valuable information, useful ideology, as well as pertinent assessments about program issues and concerns somewhere between this book's covers. This is good news given the fact that within the first few pages of Outdoor Program Administration, the editors identify the book's intended audience to be outdoor recreation administrators, field instructors, and students enrolled in outdoor recreation courses. What an enormously ambitious goal, to write for the neophyte and at the same time for the experienced professional, quite a daunting task given the wide-ranging gamut of knowledge and experiences across such an audience.The editors did a commendable job in arranging the book's 21 chapters into four distinct sections. The first section, Outdoor Program Foundations (chapters 1 - 4), introduces the reader to outdoor program administration, proposes specific skills and competencies for outdoor program administrators, traces both the historical foundations of outdoor programs in the United States and the evolution of professionalism within outdoor recreation, links outdoor recreation with the three recreation service delivery systems (public, private, and nonprofit), and identifies specific societal trends, such as the changing demographics of outdoor recreationists and professional standardization, that are proposed to likely impact the future of outdoor As a whole, this first section providers the reader with a sense of direction-beginning with where outdoor programming has been and point to where the field may be headed in the future.The second section of the book, Program Design and Implementation (chapters 5 - 12), is the most voluminous section of the text, making up nearly 40% of the entire book, and well it should. The topics of chapters within this section are the core to outdoor programming: risk and risk management, organizational structure, mission statements and strategic planning, legal considerations and negligence, financial management-particularly budgets, marketing basics, public land access and permits, environmental stewardship, and the development of policies and procedures for outdoor Cumulatively, these topics and processes are at the crux of how outdoor programming is developed, created, and implemented. …