The State of the Great Outdoors: Charting Recent Trends, Assessing Funding Needs, and Understanding Americans’ Connection to Nature

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In 2008 and 2009, the Outdoor Resources Review Group (ORRG), a private bipartisan panel of recreation professionals, public officials, and conservation advocates, assessed priorities, challenges, and opportunities in managing the nation's land and water resources. The 17-member panel, with U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) as honorary co-chairs, held a series of public meetings and focused workshops that culminated in a report presented to the Secretary of the Interior. In support of the ORRG effort, my colleagues and I at Resources for the Future conducted an independent assessment of trends in demand and supply of open space, parks, and public lands-as well as funding and financing of these resources-during the past quarter-century.