Outdoor Recreation in America

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

Recipients of the 2009 Legends Awards are: James Jennings, Bureau of Land Management; Jay Leasure, Bureau of Reclamation; Dan Johnson, Federal Highway Administration; Christopher K. Jarvi, National Park Service; Miles Johnson, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Kelly Blackledge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and Laurie A. Thorpe, U.S. Forest Service.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park and its nonprofit partner, the Great Smoky Mountains Association, for innovation in the use of technology for visitor services and education related to the planning, promotion, and implementation of the 75th anniversary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In addition to a robust new website with a great deal of information on the park's history and features, the partners used the information to develop themed sales items that related to the anniversary and developed an innovative partnership with other organizations in the area, including Dollywood, for displays and sales of the items.

President Obama’s proclamation states, “The United States is blessed with unparalleled natural beauty. From remote forests to urban parks, these spaces have inspired visitors for generations.” It goes on to say, “Exploring the great outdoors can also help improve one's health. These spaces provide countless venues for walking, hiking, running, swimming, and boating, among other activities. Americans can combine the enjoyment of being outside with the exercise we all need to stay healthy.”

The proclamation highlights important initiatives of the Administration, noting that it is “working to connect America's youth with our treasured landscapes, which should be viewed as classrooms for environmental education and gateways to careers in natural resources. These efforts will include outreach to those who typically lack representation in, and exposure to, these fields. The Department of the Interior is launching a summer mentoring initiative as part of this effort. This program invites families and friends to teach children about the joys and wonders of the outdoors. My Administration is also increasing the number of youth involved in national service on public lands.” The President concludes, “I encourage all Americans to spend more time outside and to participate in the nationwide events marking this occasion.”

Again in 2009, a majority of America’s governors have also proclaimed June as Great Outdoors Month in their home states. The state proclamations differ in length and emphasis, but most praise volunteerism, environmental stewardship, and outdoor recreation as a means to happier, healthier lifestyles. Here are some of the highlights of the 2009 proclamations:

Additionally, the majority of governors issue proclamations declaring June as Great Outdoors Month in their states, and many take further actions ranging from Governor’s Outdoor Conferences to hosting campouts for local kids on their state capitol grounds.

State proclamations of Great Outdoors Month 2009 will be posted here as they arrive.

• Presidential Proclamation
• Alabama Proclamation
• Alaska Proclamation
• Arizona Proclamation
• Arkansas Proclamation
• California Proclamation
• Colorado Proclamation
• Connecticut Proclamation
• District of Columbia
• Delaware Proclamation
• Florida Proclamation
• Georgia Proclamation
• Hawaii Proclamation
• Idaho Proclamation
• Illinois Proclamation
• Indiana Proclamation
• Iowa Proclamation
• Kansas Proclamation
• Kentucky Proclamation
• Louisiana Proclamation
• Maine Proclamation
• Maryland Proclamation
• Michigan Proclamation
• Mississippi Proclamation
• Missouri Proclamation
• Montana Proclamation
• Nebraska Proclamation
• Nevada Proclamation
• New Hampshire Proclamation
• New Mexico Proclamation
• New York Proclamation
• North Carolina Proclamation
• North Dakota Proclamation
• Oregon Proclamation
• Pennsylvania Proclamation
• Rhode Island Proclamation
• South Carolina Proclamation
• South Dakota Proclamation
• Texas Proclamation
• Utah Proclamation
• Vermont Proclamation
• Virginia Proclamation
• Washington Proclamation
• West Virginia Proclamation
• Wisconsin Proclamation
• Wyoming Proclamation

“It's a child wandering amidst ancient redwoods, a love for science stirred as she looks skyward. It's a young man running his hand along the walls at Ellis Island, where his grandmother once carried her every possession and the hope of a new life. It's a family hiking along canyons carved by ancient floods, or mountains shaped by shifting continents -- finding peace in the beauty of the natural world. These are experiences that enrich our lives and remind us of the blessings that we share.”

The President fondly recounted memories of his own transformational childhood vacation to see America’s flagship national parks with his family. He described seeing our nation’s natural wonders as “an experience I will never forget. It's an experience I want for my daughters, and for all of our daughters and sons, to see the incredible beauty of this nation.”

To read a transcript or watch a video clip of the President’s moving speech, click here.

U.S. Representative Joe Donnelly (D-IN) was the special guest at the American Recreation Coalition’s February Recreation Exchange. The session allowed recreation community leaders to express appreciation for the Congressman’s vigorous efforts to overcome challenges facing America’s recreation industry. Mr. Donnelly was actively involved in the recent U.S. Treasury announcement of actions to improve consumer loan availability, and specifically provide RV loans, through a $1 trillion program known as TALF (Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility). He also actively participated in Congressional negotiations on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which provided a special federal tax deduction for state sales tax paid on motorhomes and motorcycles in addition to cars, and also expanded tax code provisions allowing many small businesses to apply current losses to the tax returns of past years, when they were profitable – a provision called NOL (Net Operating Loss) carryback.

Mr. Donnelly acknowledged the appreciation and told the group that, as a life-long outdoor recreation enthusiast, he is proud to assist the industry that “makes dreams come true for American families.”

Conference sessions included: Rules of the Road – Coping with the Realities of Transition; Transportation Post-2009 and Recreation; Changing Lives – The Good News About Recreation; Sharpening Old Tools, Crafting New Ones; Perspectives on the Outdoor Resources Review Group; and Perspectives on the New Administration.

For the Partners Outdoors 2009 Conference Report, click here.

Downloadable meeting materials are available at www.funoutdoors.com/events/po

Partners Outdoors 2009 Survey — Please send us your feedback!

U.S. Representative Sam Farr (D-CA) was the special guest at the January 2009 Recreation Exchange hosted by the American Recreation Coalition. Mr. Farr, a longtime champion of the outdoors and tourism, spoke on opportunities for outdoor recreation and travel through the economic stimulus package being readied for congressional action. Those opportunities will assist increased marketing, planning and partnerships. The Congressman called for a new effort to fight the “silo mentality” he finds in federal agencies and even local tourism organizations that ignores the public’s interest in finding great things to do across agency and local government boundaries. Mr. Farr also had high praise for programs like the National Park Service’s Centennial Challenge Fund, which matches government appropriations with private funding, saying, “If we put our heads together, we get more bang for our buck!”

With the House vote on the economic stimulus package less than 24 hours away, Mr. Farr outlined the $2+ billion in benefits for public lands that the package includes. The National Park Service (NPS) stands to receive $1.7 billion for deferred maintenance projects and another $100 million for the NPS Centennial Challenge, which will in turn accrue $100 million more from private sector partners’ matching donations. Other agencies, including the Forest Service, will also receive additional funding for readily doable projects. Mr. Farr pointed out that just the week before, the National Mall hosted one of the largest gatherings America has ever seen – an estimated 1.8 million people attended the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Mr. Farr emphasized the importance of maintaining and improving iconic sites like the National Mall that all Americans cherish. While questions about the specifics of the economic stimulus remain, Mr. Farr told the group it is clear that public lands funds will benefit thousands of American workers by sustaining existing jobs and helping to create new employment opportunities on America’s public lands.