Washington, D.C. – Hundreds of recreation industry leaders gathered in Washington, D.C. to participate in meetings, events and celebrations of the significant contributions of the recreation community during Great Outdoors Week (June 9-14). This year’s theme, A Celebration of Partners Working to Keep the Outdoors in America’s Tomorrow, was designed to: increase the visibility of outdoor recreation on the national policy-making level; heighten the understanding and appreciation of recreation’s importance to the nation’s health, economy and quality of life; provide an opportunity to highlight key recreation policy initiatives and programs; and recognize outstanding leadership on behalf of outdoor recreation.

Children and nature, recreation and the 2008 elections, achievements of the Recreational Trails Program, the first National Get Outdoors Day, and more were addressed in productive gatherings throughout the week. Awards honoring the outstanding efforts and contributions of exemplary federal agency employees and recreation community leaders also contributed to the Week’s excitement.

NPS Deputy Director Lindi Harvey presents the Beacon Award to David Restivo and Bill Hayden of Glacier National Park

Joel Holtrop of the U.S. Forest Service accepts the Beacon Award on behalf of Don Virgovic, National NatureWatch Program Leader.

Washington D.C. (August 28, 2007) WTTG Fox 5 News reported live on the Get Outdoors USA! initiative that encourages kids to embrace the Great Outdoors. Anchor and reporter Holly Morris rock climbed at C&O Canal National Historical Park's Carderock while interviewing ARC President Derrick Crandall on the importance of reconnecting kids to nature. A local Boy Scout troop led Holly and Derrick on a virtual geocaching adventure demonstrating that technology and outdoor fun can go hand in hand! Get Outdoors USA! continues to receive strong media attention as a solution for the growing concern about child obesity and other health related issues.

Farmland owners in Iowa have discovered a new source of income: they are leasing their land to hunters, anglers and other recreationists in increasing numbers because of the rapidly rising price of recreational land and the lack of public hunting areas, reports the DesMoines Register.

Farm management services, including Omaha-based Farmers National Company and Nevada, Iowa-based Hertz Farm Management, are offering the service to landowners. Farmers National says about 23,000 hunters and anglers are using its Internet-based auction service, Hunting Lease Network, to connect with landowners.

To read more, click here.

The city of Lyon, France has been offering bicycles for travel within the city limits for several months, and the program has proved enormously successful. Residents can access the bicycles at one of almost 200 stations throughout the city, and the bicycles are released by the swipe of a bank card. The bikes are free for the first half hour and less than one euro after that. Since most cyclists leave their bikes in a station at their destination and then re-swipe for the return trip, the service is in effect free for about 90 percent of the Lyonnais.

A similar bike system in Vienna, Austria inspired outdoor advertising company JC Decaux and the Lyon government to team up to provide the bikes. The bikes themselves "intelligently" self-check their brakes, tire pressure, and other functions after every ride. Problems are reported to a central location. Several other French cities have expressed an interest in launching similar programs. To access the program’s website, click here. A warning: it’s in French!

Outdoors columnist and would-be athlete Tom Wharton, writing in the The Salt Lake Tribune, challenged the outdoor gear industry, whose semi-annual trade show opens in Salt Lake this week, with the observation that “the message manufacturers too often send through advertisements and gear is that only the young, fit and healthy are worthy.” To read this article, click here .

John Merline, writing this week for TCS Daily, notes that spending on recreation has climbed at about the same rate as health care costs over the last 20 years – 386%. As the nation grows richer, he argues, “it has ramped up spending in several areas, including health care, that improve quality of life.” To read more, click here.