Outdoor Recreation Activities Research Articles

Nature Parks in the Scope of Recreation Landscapes: Case Study of Degirmenbogazi Nature Park (Balikesir-Türkiye)

Since the beginning of the 19th century, there has been an increase in leisure time in parallel with the increase in the number of people. The increase in people's spare time has directed them to recreational activities. The economic, social, cultural and societal changes that have arisen due to the increasing urbanization have also changed the relations of people with nature. People have started to escape from the stressful, boring and noisy world of working life and the city to natural and semi-natural areas in their spare time. At this point, nature parks, which are often very close to the cities and easily accessible, have been one of the most preferred areas in terms of outdoor recreation activities. The aim of this study is to examine the recreational use of nature parks, which is also a protected area in Türkiye, in daily life, in particular Değirmenboğazı Nature Park, and to determine what changes or transformations these usage patterns cause in nature parks. For this purpose, the field research method, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. Field studies were carried out in the area at different times of the week, on different days of the week, in 2021 and 2022. In order to determine the usage patterns and effects of the nature park on site, the local people using the area were found by participant observation method, and they were included in recreational activities. The results of the research show that Degirmenbogazi Nature Park is the scene of intense use in and around Balıkesir, and the area comes first in terms of outdoor recreational activities. Although the nature park is used all year, the most intense use is witnessed in the spring-autumn period and especially on weekends (saturdays and sundays). The usage pressure on the nature park, which is very close to the province of Balıkesir, whose population is approaching 350 thousand, is quite high. This pressure brings pollution, environmental degradation and irreversible environmental losses in the field. Arrangements made in the area, which is planned to host more visitors, damage the natural structure of the area, and the second residences built near the nature park increase the already intense pressure on the area. At this point, the issue of how nature parks, which are recreational landscapes, should be managed gains importance.

Impact of All-Terrain Vehicle Accidents on Pediatric Patient Outcomes at an Appalachian Children's Hospital.

IntroductionThe use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) has become increasingly popular as an outdoor recreational activity among people living in the United States, particularly in areas such as the southeast. There are significant risks involved with riding ATVs, especially in the pediatric population, due to lack of training and experience. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of pediatric patients involved in ATV-associated accidents.MethodsThis study is a retrospective review of 98 pediatric patients ages 15 years and younger involved in ATV accidents who were admitted to a pediatric hospital between January 2015 and December 2020. Outcomes, including types of injuries sustained, length of hospital stay, length of ICU stay, and injury severity score (ISS) were analyzed between age groups (0-5, 6-10, and 11-15).ResultsThe mean hospital stay across all age groups was 1.7 ± 1.9 days, mean ICU stay was 3.8 ± 4.0 days, and mean injury severity score (ISS) was 5.9 ±4.8. The 11-15-year-old age group had a significantly longer hospital stay and higher ISS scores compared to both of the younger age groups (0-5 and 6-10 years old). There was no difference in ICU days between the age groups. Orthopedic injuries were the most common type of injury, occurring in 55% of all patients, followed by head injuries in 29% of patients, and spinal fractures in 2% of patients. The most common orthopedic fracture in the 11-15-year-old group was tibia/fibula, while humerus fractures were the most common type of fracture in the 0-5 and 6-10 year age groups. Orthopedic procedures were required in 35% of all included patients. There was no statistically significant difference in types of injuries and types of fractures sustained between each group. Chest injuries, including pneumothorax, lung contusions, and rib fractures, occurred most often in the older age group 11-15 years (n=65). Those who experienced chest injuries had a higher ISS, although it was not statistically significant (p=0.06) compared to those who did not have chest injuries. There was no difference in hospital or ICU length of stay in patients with chest injuries.ConclusionsThe results of this study demonstrate the outcomes of pediatric patients admitted for ATV accidents at a rural Appalachian pediatric hospital and provide an overview of the most common injuries involved in this trauma mechanism. Pediatric patients aged 11-15 years of age involved in ATV accidents are at risk for longer hospital length of stay and higher ISS compared to younger age groups. Additionally, patients ages 11-15 were more susceptible to chest injuries following ATV accidents. The results of this study will be used to develop a standardized trauma protocol for the management of this specific trauma mechanism in the pediatric population based on common injury patterns among each age group.

Social Emergency Medicine: Capitalizing on the Pediatric Emergency Department Visit to Screen and Connect Patients and Families to Community Resources.

To describe the social needs of families screened by the Community Health Advocates Team (CHAT) Desk, situated within a pediatric emergency department (PED); and to evaluate the effectiveness of this help desk in connecting families to community resources. Trained undergraduates, onsite in the PED 30 hours/week during daytime and evening hours, weekdays and weekends, screened a convenience sample of families of patients in the PED for social needs, and provided information on available community resources. Families were offered a follow-up phone call several weeks after their PED visit to assess program satisfaction and success, and identify remaining social needs. Between January 2019 and March 2020, CHAT Desk screened and assisted 682 families. CHAT routinely provided resources about free outdoor recreational activities for families, but after that, the most commonly provided informational resources pertained to: health care (n=200), housing (n=143), and food (n=137). Of families who completed the follow-up phone call (n=294), almost half (n=134, 46%) reported being able to contact at least one of the resources; 100 reported that the resource was able to assist them, and 99 families planned to continue using the resource. When asked about satisfaction, 93% (n=274) reported being very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with CHAT; 94% (n=276) said they would recommend it to others. The PED of a busy tertiary care children's hospital is an opportune location to screen families for social needs, and provide them with information on requested community resources.

Impact of plastic pollution on outdoor recreation in the existence of bearing capacity and perspective management

Large-scale increases in plastic waste, greenhouse gas emissions, and fossil fuel depletion all have negative consequences for the environment. Plastic pollution can lead towards negative impacts on outdoor recreational activities. China and the European Union, as world leader in recycling and reuse, are tackling this issue by putting in place measures to counteract this trend for better outdoor recreational activities. As China and EU nations are most attracted by the tourists it is possible that recreational spot can have harmful effects upon wild and human life. So, we analyze the impacts of plastic waste recycling and reuse on outdoor recreation. It is possible to speed up the circular process if industry reduces its resource and energy consumption while also being able to handle plastic waste responsibly, utilize renewable energy sources, generate jobs, and contribute to economic growth, among other things. This research investigates the transition to sustainability in the European Union nations and China between 2000 and 2020 via the prism of resource and energy productivity in the EU nations and China. The Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) Model, as well as the estimator Driscool Kraay, are employed in this study. There is a statistically significant relationship between plastic recycling and valorization because of plastic pollution leads toward negative impacts on outdoor recreation, as well as resource productivity, according to the data. Increased energy tariffs, insufficient investment in research and development, a lack of job opportunities, and other factors all act as roadblocks to the implementation of circular growth strategies.

Evaluation of outdoor recreation potential of destinations in terms of paragliding: the case of Konya

Researches made in the field of recreation in recent years show that participation in paragliding activities is increasing each passing day. By virtue of paragliding, both participants and destinations obtain very important material and spiritual gains. The purpose of this research is to reveal the potential of paragliding, which is an outdoor recreation activity, in Konya in the direction of statements made by the participants (instructor, pilot, and customer) who are actively interested in this activity. The research demonstrates the leisure time activities of the participants, their reasons for participating in paragliding, and the potential of Konya for paragliding activity. The maximum diversity sampling method was used during the determination of the study group in this study, which was carried out according to the case pattern. The working group consists of 19 people, 7 pilots, 6 customers, and 6 instructors. A semi-structured interview form was used as a data collection tool. The explanations obtained from the participants in the research, were analyzed using the open and axial coding approach. Inductive descriptive analysis and content analysis techniques were used in the process of interpreting the data. As a result of the analyses, three themes were determined as leisure time forms, reasons for participating in paragliding and the paragliding potential of Konya. The results show that cultural and outdoor recreation activities are preferred more as leisure time activities, the desire for happiness and socialization is the most efficient preference of individuals, and Konya has extremely suitable areas for these activities, especially due to its geological structure.

Human Health and Outdoor Adventure Recreation: Perceived Health Outcomes

Forests and similar types of landscapes offer a myriad of outcomes and benefits often associated with participation in outdoor adventure recreation (OAR) activities. Previous research has shown that OAR participants are able to identify, perceive, and accurately report the effects and benefits of their participation. The health benefits of outdoor experiences, both active and more passive, have received a growing research interest, both as a setting and as a setting/activity complex. Research has identified six primary forms of health and well-being from outdoor and forest-type landscapes, including emotional, environmental, intellectual, social, spiritual, and physical. The preponderance of research in the health and wellness field synthesizes these forms into two primary categories, physical/physiological and mental/psychological. This study considered the health outcomes attributed to highly active OAR participation using three popular OAR activities: mountain biking (MTB), rock climbing (RC) and whitewater paddling (WW; including whitewater kayaking, whitewater canoeing, and whitewater rafting). A survey presented in situ to OAR participants in various areas of the Midwestern and Southeastern United States yielded 288 respondents. Using health perceptions and outcomes instruments as well as semi-structured interviews, the researchers found health to be an important factor for OAR participation. These findings are congruent with previous research that suggest that OAR participants specifically recreate in forested and other natural areas for enhanced physical and psychological health outcomes. The findings in this study also support the efficacy of the participation in OAR activities toward supporting both health improvement and maintenance. With physical and psychological health continuing to be an area of concern in today’s world, this study suggests that participation in OAR on forested and similar landscapes can be a successful health intervention strategy.

Red deer behavioural response to hiking activity: a study using camera traps

AbstractWith increasing levels of outdoor recreation activities, consequences for wildlife through interactions with recreationists are highly variable. Behavioural changes in wildlife are one potential consequence of interactions with outdoor recreationists. In ungulate populations, vigilance and flight responses are well‐known antipredator behaviours, and an increase in their level indicates a more intense stress level which, ultimately, can have consequences for animal fitness. In Scotland, the geographical distribution of red deer (Cervus elaphus) overlaps greatly with areas used for popular outdoor activities such as hill walking. In this piece of research, we studied red deer time allocation, vigilance, and flight behaviours near a popular hiking path using camera traps. We positioned the cameras in transects at different distances (25, 75, and 150 m) from the path and recorded hiking activity using an automated people counter. Red deer behaviour was categorized from photo analysis as (1) no response (e.g. feeding and resting), (2) vigilant (i.e. upright head position), and (3) flight response. We also investigated demographic variables (group size and sex) and the direction of red deer movement relative to the trail. We used generalised linear mixed models to analyse behaviour in relation to the distance from the hiking track, hiking activity, time of the day, demographic, and environmental variables. We did not find an increase in vigilance or flight behaviour in relation to the distance from the hiking path or the hiking activity. These results suggest that red deer, in our study area, are habituated to the presence of hikers and may spatially avoid areas close to the hiking path instead of displaying cost‐intensive behaviour (i.e. flight or vigilance behaviour).

Temporal dynamics of negative air ion concentration and its relationship with environmental factors: Results from long-term on-site monitoring

Negative air ions (NAIs) play an important role in evaluating forest health effects and promoting human physical and mental health. In this paper, long-term on-site monitoring of NAI concentration, air temperature, and relative humidity was conducted in real time over 24 h, from July 2019 to March 2021, to explore the temporal dynamic patterns of NAIs. We found that the daily dynamics of NAI concentration showed a bimodal curve. The peak concentrations usually occurred in the early morning (5:00–7:00) and afternoon (15:00–17:00), and the lowest concentrations usually occurred at noon (11:00–13:00). At the monthly scale, NAI concentrations were relatively high in February and August and low in May and December, and at the seasonal scale, NAI concentration was significantly higher in summer than in other seasons. Autumn had the second highest NAI concentration. There was no significant difference in NAI concentration between winter and spring. A comprehensive analysis shows that the AQI was the most key factor affecting NAI concentrations compared to temperature and relative humidity, especially the two indicators of particulate matter and ozone, and that NAI concentration had a negative correlation with these indicators and was significantly higher under favorable air quality conditions than under polluted air conditions. NAI concentrations and air temperature showed marked piecewise characteristics, with NAIs increasing linearly with rising temperature only if the Ta was separated into three ranges of −5 °C–10 °C, 10 °C–30 °C, and 30 °C–40 °C. With rising relative humidity, NAI concentration increased in accordance with a quadratic function. Our research provides new insights into the NAI temporal dynamics patterns and its driving factors, and will aid in scheduling outdoor recreation and forest health activities for urban people.

The Significance of Angling in Stress Reduction during the COVID-19 Pandemic-Environmental and Socio-Economic Implications.

Recreational fishing and other outdoor recreational activities have been proven to have positive effects on mental health, including neutralizing pandemic stress. This study aims to identify the perceptions and behavior of recreational anglers during the COVID-19 pandemic along with identifying the factors that determine attitudes. This study is essential for understanding the complex economic, social, and environmental implications associated with a pandemic. Perceptions of pandemic stress reduction were confirmed by 63.8% of anglers, and nearly 98% felt there was no risk of infection from fishing. These feelings were most strongly positively associated and explained by a preference for fishing with friends and family and the frequency of fishing. Over 26% of respondents fished more frequently during the pandemic. Additional free time and the need to escape the pandemic media hype were the main factors for the increase in angler activity. The balance of benefits from changes in angler pandemic behavior was ambiguous. This was determined by considering the potential increase in pressure on the environmental resources that anglers use. Given the positive effects of angling on stress reduction, it is not advisable for policymakers to restrict recreational fishing access. Instead, best management practices should reduce sanitary bottlenecks to increase safety on fishing grounds.

Exploring Outdoor Recreation Activities as a Facilitator for College Student Diversity Experiences

Racial intolerance and violence in the United States, and on college campuses specifically, has created a dire need for universities to bridge gaps between students of diverse backgrounds and beliefs. Campus recreation programs offer promising environments for students from diverse identities to engage with each other and learn about peers, while increasing their openness to diversity. Despite this potential, little is known about how students engage with diversity in recreation contexts. This phenomenological study uncovered the experiences of students attending diversity-focused outdoor adventure trips and examined the facets of this recreation environment that contributed to engagement with diverse peers. Campus recreation administrators can use these findings to consider parallel experiences throughout recreation programs that can bring students from diverse backgrounds together.

Mapping important roost sites for waders to alleviate human-waterbird conflicts in the Danish Wadden Sea

The coastal zone is subject to growing recreational human activity, which may compromise the suitability of coastal habitats for coastal wildlife. Waders rely extensively on the coastal zone, and they are easily disturbed by human activity when they congregate in large flocks at communal high tide roost sites. To ensure sustainable future development of outdoor recreational activities, emphasis has been given on differentiating between areas prioritized for nature conservation and areas open to human recreation, but only rarely have nature conservation interests been mapped explicitly on a fine spatial scale. The Danish Wadden Sea has recently been identified as a high-conflict area between outdoor activities and waterbirds, and in this paper, we apply 40 years of bird counts covering 12 wader species to build a priority map identifying the most important areas for the future conservation of waders in the region. We outline the most important areas for roosting waders across the Danish Wadden Sea, describe the preferred habitats used for roosting at high tide and assess the persistence of importance of individual areas across 4 decades. Our analysis indicates that importance changes only little even on long temporal scales, demonstrating that the presented priority map will be a useful tool for managers and policy makers when planning the sharing of the Wadden Sea between humans and waders. As such, spatially referenced long-term monitoring data may significantly improve the scientific basis underpinning decision- and policymaking, and ensure that nature conservation interests are explicitly accounted for.

The effect of temperature on outdoor recreation activities: evidence from visits to federal recreation sites

This paper uses over 30 million individual-level trips in federal recreation locations to investigate the impact of short-term temperature shocks on outdoor recreation activities. Our results show that in the short term, a C temperature increase during the last six months increases the total trip duration by 1.197 d (or a 4.12% increase) and the total number of trips by 0.472 (or a 5.44% increase) at the zipcode-month level. The positive effect is primarily driven by the increased number of trips and more in-state travel. We find that the impact of temperature on the number of recreation trips generally increases under a higher temperature. When the monthly temperature is below C, the temperature increase will reduce the number of trips as individuals in low-temperature regions are likely to reduce travel when the temperature gets warmer.

Trends of recreational water quality in Albania’s coastal during 2016–2020

Water quality impairment is a substantial environmental hazard which impacts a wide variety of stakeholders and interests, particularly those who participate in outdoor water-based recreational activities. Recreational bathing water qualities are highly vulnerable to microbial pollution from municipal sewage, industrial effluents, agriculture run-off and river discharges. Fecal contamination impairs water quality and potentiates human health risks. The aim of this study was to see the 5-year trend of microbiological quality of recreational bathing waters in Albania. Every year we collected 1,071 samples taken 30 centimeters below the water’s surface at least one meter deep. Assessment of bacterial load of the coastal waters was done nine times for every point, for the Escherichia coli and Intestinal enterococci, according to the methods ISO 7899-1 and ISO 9308-3. Bathing water assessment is to be classified according the categories indicated in the Directive 2006/7/EC and recommendations of WHO/UNEP-2010. Microbial Water Quality Assessment Category (cfu/100 ml water) done in 119 monitoring points were: During 2016, Excellent 53%, Sufficient 23%, Good 9% and Poor 15%. In 2017, Excellent 68%, Sufficient 15%, Good 6% and Poor 10%. During 2018, Excellent 82.4%, Sufficient 13%, Good 0.9% and Poor 3.7%. During 2019, Excellent 89%, Sufficient 2.5%, Good 6% and Poor 2.5%. During 2020 Excellent 89.9%, Sufficient 5%, Good 0.9%, and Poor 4.2%. Based on the above assessment, it is noticed a significant increase of microbial quality of recreational bathing waters in Albania due to investments in the sewerage system and better waste water treatment.

Is Outdoor Recreation Associated with Greater Climate Change Concern in the United States?

There has been extensive research on the association between environmental attitudes and outdoor recreation (or nature-based leisure activities) since the 1970s. There is now considerable evidence to support the claim that spending time in nature leads to greater connectedness to nature and thereby greater pro-environmental attitudes and behavior. However, there is an absence of research focused specifically on the association between outdoor recreation and concern for climate change, which is arguably the most pressing environmental problem facing the world today. We build on previous research by using the 2021 General Social Survey and structural equation modeling to analyze the association between frequency of engaging in outdoor recreation and concern for climate change among adults in the United States, with special attention to the role of enjoying being in nature. Controlling for other factors, we find that frequency of outdoor recreation has a positive, significant effect on climate change concern, but only indirectly via enjoyment of nature. Individuals who more frequently engage in outdoor recreation activities tend to report a greater sense of enjoyment of being outside in nature, and this enjoyment of nature is associated with a higher level of concern for climate change.

Safety Measures and Risk Analysis for Outdoor Recreation Technicians and Practitioners: A Systematic Review

There is no expectation to suppress all accidents in the outdoor recreation sector; nevertheless, it is expected that all possible safety measures are taken in order to minimize the risk of accidents. The objective of this study was to systematize the knowledge regarding recommended and used safety measures and risk assessments for technicians and outdoor recreation practitioners. We conducted a systematic review on PubMed, BVS, SciELO, Science Direct, ABI/INFORM, Spinger, Web of Knowledge, and Esmerald full text databases, up to February 2021. The eligible criteria followed the PICOS strategy; the included risk assessment studies on outdoor recreation (according to its definition) had methodological quality, were indexed, and peer reviewed. Ten studies, from ten countries, fulfilled these specifications, which focused on different approaches. Five studies focused on risk perception, four studies focused on safety practices, injuries, and risk assessment; three studies addressed safe behaviors; two studies addressed equipment- and risk matrix-related themes. We concluded that there was a concern for this topic, and the 28 mentioned measures could provide important information regarding health and prevention. These measures could be used to develop safety strategies and risk reduction, aimed at reducing accidents in outdoor recreation activities. In order to evaluate the pertinence and importance of the mentioned measures, namely risk perception, safe practices, sport injuries, risk analysis, safe behaviors, as well as equipment and risk assessment matrices, further investigation is needed using experimental or observational designs. These strategies and procedures can contribute to enhanced interventions by technicians with higher security and quality, and therefore, improved well-being and satisfaction of practitioners.

Experts Argue for Ending Seasonal Time Change

Experts Argue for Ending Seasonal Time Change

Characteristics and Use Patterns of Outdoor Recreationists on Public Lands in Alabama—Case Study of Bankhead National Forest and Sipsey Wilderness Area

Like many other states in south-east USA, Alabama is blessed with a high percentage of natural areas. These areas support vital nature tourism and the outdoor recreation sector. This study was undertaken at the Bankhead National Forest (BNF) and Sipsey Wilderness Area (SWA), significant hubs for outdoor recreation in northwestern Alabama. The goal of this study was to collect baseline information that could be used to develop tools and strategies for increasing the diversity of users participating in outdoor recreation at BNF/SWA. A pretested questionnaire was administered to visitors at eight outdoor recreation sites in the BNF/SWA. Adults encountered at study locations were invited, after their visit, to participate in the study. The study found that (a) the majority of visitors to the BNF/SWA were Caucasians and the least encountered race was African American; (b) the most common reason for visiting BNF/SWA was for family outings, whereas activities with friends or coworkers were the second most important reason for visiting; (c) hiking (39.6%), camping (29.1%), picnicking (23.3%), and horseback riding (22.5%) were the most popular outdoor recreation activities pursued by visitors. It was concluded that a study aimed at identifying the constraints which negatively impact the use of the BNF/SWA by minorities should be a critical step in the process of trying to diversify the BNF/SWA’s user base. Increased efforts must be made to identify the reasons for the low usage of the BNF/SWA by minorities.

Recreation in the Outdoors—Exploring the Friluftsliv Experience of Adolescents at Residential Care

Providing recreational activities is an important aspect of the intervention at residential care. We explore adolescents’ experience of outdoor recreational activities organized by the care workers in the context of friluftsliv (literally: free-air-life). Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological method is used to analyze eight interviews with adolescents from residential care homes. Our analysis reveals that their experience of friluftsliv is made up of three constituents, described as Departure from everyday life, Shared experience, and Facing a different existence. Our discussion investigates the qualities and challenges related to friluftsliv as recreational activities at residential care and relates to the literature on nature-based interventions in child and youth care.

Managing sustainable development in recreational and protected areas. The Dovre case, Norway

With an emphasis on integrating national parks into wider regional and local tourism development processes during the latter two decades, protected areas have gradually become more closely connected to their economic and social environments. This presupposes a dynamic approach that involves participatory planning. However, the preservation of nature and wildlife in protected areas remains a source of conflict among different stakeholders. The aim of this study is to explore how key stakeholders, with their different interests at stake, identify dilemmas, challenges, and opportunities in a national park, and to suggest how the various opinions can be integrated in an adaptive management framework for sustainable development. The main results from qualitative interviews with key stakeholders reveal three components of the adaptive management framework: 1) “Combining a bottom-up/top-down strategy in protected areas”, 2) “Channeling different user segments in protected areas”, and 3) “The dynamics between protected and surrounding areas”. The first component provides opportunities to look at sustainability issues from different perspectives, build alliances on shared values, and improve dialogue and collaboration. The second component may help national park management to maintain conservation values, for example, by using trails and guided tours. The third component may generate more attractive user experiences, guiding tourism suppliers to design and offer more attractive outdoor recreation activities and create attractive environments for economic development.

EFFECTS OF OUTDOOR ACTIVITY, ELECTRO PHOTONIC IMAGING TECHNIQUE ON STRESS LEVEL AND MENTAL TOUGHNESS ON LATVIAN TAEKWONDO ATHLETES

Research investigating sources of stress in athletes has identified physical, social, environmental, general life and secondary (emotional/cognitive/goal oriented) events which cumulatively and interactively contribute to allostatic load. The purpose of this study is 1) to compare measurements made with an Electro Photonic Imaging (EPI) technique before and after an outdoor recreation activity on Taekwondo athletes’ stress level, and 2) to find out the effects of outdoor activity on mental toughness in Taekwondo athletes. Forty Taekwondo athletes who will volunteer to participate in the research (15-19 years old, at least for 2 years have participated in national or international competitions) for 5 weeks walking (3 sessions per week /40 minutes) in the nature, in pre-competition phase will be selected. The current athletes’ stress level and mental toughness will be assessed by Bio-Well pro 2.0 camera and the mental toughness questionnaire (SMTQ). In the procession and analysis of the results MS. Excel software and methods of descriptive statistics will be used. Methods are based on scientific literature review of outdoor activities, questionnaire, and then using statistical analysis. The results and conclusion of the study will be according to the analysis.