Based on research commissioned and released in 2009 by the James Irvine Foundation, as conducted by La Piana Consulting, several trends serve as both challenges and opportunities for the nonprofit sector.
These trends include demographic shifts, technological advances, networks enabling work to be organized in new ways, rising interest in civic engagement and volunteerism, and blurring of sector boundaries. In addition, issues of trust and accountability remain an ongoing trend that requires the attention of nonprofit leaders and managers.
Each of these trends has direct implications for nonprofit recreation and leisure services providers. For example, as communities change and grow, many will find that the majority of their citizens are from ethnic minorities. Sweeping demographic changes also mean that nonprofit providers must make adjustments to stay relevant if they want to make a broad-based impact. This trend also speaks to the need for managing staff across generations in the workplace if organizations are to be successful. Honoring their historic traditions as they change structures, processes, and programs to welcome new and diverse populations to their organizations presents both challenges and opportunities. This tension between exclusion and inclusion cuts across many demographics including race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, and physical abilities. Using history as a predictor of the future, the nonprofit sector in North America will be composed of organizations that change, some that remain static, and some that are created anew.
The use of social media, online giving approaches, and other technological advances presents nonprofits with new ways to reach stakeholders, tell their stories, and engage citizens in their efforts. The opportunity for collaboration in response to marketplace challenges addresses the need for networks that enable work to be organized in new ways. Only the rare nonprofit can afford to operate its programs without regard for other providers of similar services, be they government, nonprofit, or business providers. Issues of pricing, marketing, and consumer choice suggest that the successful nonprofit of the future must use businesslike principles without abandoning the core public service mission that earns its tax-exempt privilege. A call for greater civic engagement and volunteerism among citizens to engage actively in the process of citizenship is prevalent across many communities. It is through nonprofits that people will frequently find their place to engage by focusing their time, money, and know-how on causes that they care about.
Blurring of the lines that demarcate the sectors is a trend that directly affects the recreation field. For example, during the economic downturn of the latter years of the century’s first decade (2005-2010), nonprofits were called on like never before to assume responsibilities previously provided by government. For example, in Phoenix, Arizona, the Parks and Recreation Department issued proposal requests to area nonprofits interested in operating and maintaining more than a dozen city facilities that had been closed because of budget reductions. Increasingly, networks of organizations across sectors (government, business, and nonprofit) are called on to work together to provide a common good.
At least one final trend worth amplifying concerns the issue of trust and accountability. If nonprofits depend on the charitable giving of time and money to assure the success of their missions, then such organizations must be led and managed effectively. Although other sectors also face accountability issues, the special trust held by nonprofits as stewards of philanthropy makes this issue especially important.
Detailed national data concerning the levels of different types of recreation is scarce. The General Household Survey, Living in Britain (1998), produced by the Office of National Statistics, does provide some useful data on recreational activities, including the following:
informal activities, such as walking or cycling, are the most popular pursuits
walking is the most popular activity with an estimated 68.2% of the population undertaking at least one leisure walk of 2 miles or more per year
cycling is the second most popular activity with an estimated 21.4% of the population undertaking this activity
watersport activities are also popular. It is estimated that almost 1 million people take part in sailing and motorboating activities each year
For water-based recreation, the only detailed national survey was undertaken by Leisure Consultants in 1989. As this survey was carried out at the height of the leisure boom in the late eighties and is nearly ten years old, it has been used only sparingly in this report. More up-to-date activity-specific information is used wherever throughout this report.
The table below summarises the information which is available concerning recreational participation.
Seasonal trends
The seasonal variations of different activities can have implications for nature conservation. For example, management schemes may only be required for part of the year or not at all if the activity does not coincide with a site’s most sensitive periods.
The main seasons for activities are:
for the majority of outdoor activities the peak season is July to September
shooting activities are linked to legal constraints and generally occur in October to December
walking remains popular throughout the year but also peaks in July to September.
Trends in Participation
According to the House of Commons Environment Committee Report on Leisure Impacts (1995), there is no evidence to suggest that participation in any of the recreational activities which take place in coastal areas is growing significantly or has grown significantly over the last five years. This tends to be confirmed by other available data on leisure participation.
Membership Levels
Levels of club membership linked to specific recreational activities can often provide a useful indication of the extent to which an activity is formal or informal. This is an important indicator as to the easy of reaching participants with information passed through the clubs. In addition, many clubs promote voluntary management measures at the local level which, although often for safety or amenity purposes, may make a positive contribution to nature conservation.
2 Drivers and trends in the demand for outdoor recreation and nature tourism in Europe and the likely implications for policy and planning
Recently a number of attempts have been made to try to anticipate the trends in outdoor recreation demand likely to result from changes already underway in society. One example has been carried out in England by the Henley Centre/Headlight Vision who produced a report for the Countryside Agency which attempted to evaluate trends likely to affect outdoor recreation over the next 15 to 20 years. This report identified a large number of drivers that may affect recreation. The initial list can be grouped into a number of major themes that are likely to affect different countries and regions in different ways and to different degrees (Henley Centre, 2005). These are presented below. Some are also supported by other evidence while others emerged from stakeholder workshops and are yet to be realised. Some of these are mainly social and demographic issues while others are environmental.
2.1 Social and demographic drivers and trends
Demographic changes. These changes include the ageing society, where people are living longer, a trend for people to have children later, lower birth rates leading to families with fewer children, a wider range of household types, increases in ethnic diversity as a result of migration, a flow of young people to cities from the countryside, rural depopulation, reducing populations in some countries and increasing populations in others. These changes result in different patterns in the use of leisure and recreation time, for example older retired people may have many years of time for participating in recreation although as they grow older their physical abilities reduce. Another example is the decrease in traditional households, so that family outings to recreation sites are less the norm. As people have children at later ages they are able to spend more time travelling (a big impact on nature tourism demand, see below) or take more holidays.
It is difficult to underestimate the impact of this driver over time. Many statistics demonstrate the major effect of demographic changes (Eurostat, 2006), such as population reduction in rural areas in many parts of Europe. In the U.S.A., however, population growth through immigration is a significant factor (Cordell, 2005).
Figure 3:
A trail in a park in Helsinki which has been specially laid out with older people in mind.
The affluent society. As developed countries become more prosperous and people have higher average incomes they are able to spend more of their income on leisure and recreation activities. This is also linked to the convenience culture, to the rise of the empowered consumer who wants more choice and to changing work patterns enabling people to use leisure time more flexibly. As economies mature and people already possess most of the tangible consumer products that they want they start to desire intangible products such as experiences, often gained through leisure and recreation, and especially through travel to far off places and in the pursuit of extreme adrenaline sports and experiences.
The evidence of this can be seen in some of the statistics related to nature tourism in developing countries. In 2005, there were more than 800 million international tourist arrivals globally, an increase of 5.5% on 2004 (World Tourism Organization, 2006). It is estimated that the market for nature tourism is increasing at six times the rate of tourism overall (World Tourism Organization, 2006). Some of the factors that have contributed to this growth trend in nature tourism are that people are looking for new experiences, adding diversity to their experiences, combining business travel with holidays and looking to “get back to nature” (Maetzold, 2002).
In Europe, pressure on leisure time is leading people to go on more, but shorter, trips (ETC, 2006). In addition, increased incomes and the growth of single-person households among the youth market (16–35 age group) which accounts for over 20% of global tourism, are expected to result in more active holidays, particularly adventure nature tourism (ETC, 2006).
The information society. This, with the all-pervasive influence of the internet, and of the increasingly common use of mobile phones means that people are able to obtain information and to communicate with each other very quickly and at any time of day or night (Selwyn, 2005). As a result people make plans about their leisure and recreation time very quickly, at the last minute and they also change them easily. They also make decisions on the basis of information available from recreation and tourism providers on the internet, buy travel tickets, hotels and equipment over the internet and write feedback about their experience on it.
Health and well-being. Society is increasingly concerned about the physical and mental health of its citizens, with many conditions such as obesity and stress seen as reaching epidemic proportions. Part of the concept of well-being is also associated with social inclusion, where people from disadvantaged communities are able to take part fully in society. Disability, age, poverty and poor living environments are often associated with each other and with poor health and well-being. This has led to a desire to make the outdoors, especially more natural areas accessible and used by as many people as possible. There is also what can be termed a re-tuning to nature, where people feel a desire to become reconnected to the natural world from which they feel disconnected by modern lifestyles. The increasing evidence for this is reviewed in a later section of this paper.
There has been recent work at trying to develop indices of life satisfaction that take into account the role of human, social, built and natural capital at a country level (Vemuri and Costanza, 2006). This suggests that social inclusion, as part of social capital, and natural areas as part of natural capital, are both part of the equation of life satisfaction.
Environmental and community awareness. According to the Henley Centre/Headlight Vision report people have a generally greater awareness of the environment and its problems, such as global warming, pollution and deforestation. Membership of environmental organisations is increasing and governments are taking environmental issues seriously at a national and international level. Single issue politics concerning different environmental aspects are also on the rise. Many people with such interests also want to engage in nature or ecotourism but they also wish to take part in activities that may have a benefit for their local environment or for that of another country. There is also a rise in communal yearning, where people want to feel part of a community and to contribute to it during their leisure time by participating in community activities. This increasing awareness of the environment and community can also help the managers of protected areas implement measures that may restrict recreational access, because people understand the need for this action.
2.2 Environmental drivers and trends
Landscape change. This factor is associated with the environment within which people live, work and spend their leisure and recreation time. As a result of increasing urbanisation, rural depopulation, pressures on the environment, climate change and changes in the economics of food and timber production, brought about by policy changes and global trade, the landscape is changing in different ways in different countries. In western Europe, for example, urban growth is generated by economic development, transport infrastructure and by demographic changes. This may be controlled to greater or lesser degrees by planning policies and instruments. There is also a trend for the gentrification of the countryside as people move away from the towns and cities to rural landscapes where the quality of life and community is seen to be better (Spencer, 1997).
In rural and peripheral regions landscapes are becoming abandoned as farming is uneconomic and people migrate to the towns. This can have positive effects on the environment, as pollution reduces and natural habitats increase, leading to attractive places for recreation. However, this can also reduce the quality of the landscape, the infrastructure for recreation and tourism may be at risk and the people who remain may not be well equipped with the entrepreneurial skills needed to take advantage of the potential for recreation and nature tourism (MacDonald et al., 2000)
Figure 4:
An abandoned field in Latvia, the result of economic and social changes in the countryside.
Climate change. With the increasing concern over climate change and the negative impact that emissions from vehicles have on the environment, visitor transport issues should be viewed as part of an integral network and alternatives created to the car or aeroplane. Climate change is one of the biggest long-term threats facing not only the tourist industry but also the planet and the impacts are beginning to be felt around the world. Potentially, climate change could lead to the loss of many destinations whose appeal depends on the natural environment (ETC, 2006). For example, climate change poses a serious threat to the future health of coral reefs through the increased frequency and intensity of mass bleaching events (Grimsditch and Salm, 2006). The research conducted by (Grimsditch and Salm, 2006) not only identified the main resistance and resilience factors of coral reefs to bleaching but also management tools and strategies that can and need to be implemented to enhance reef resilience. Areas where nature tourism is dependent on high quality reef ecosystems will need to take this advice on board to minimize the impacts of climate change.
If terrestrial species are unable to move or adapt to new climatic conditions, local extinctions may occur. Vulnerable or already stressed ecosystems will be the first to be affected by climate change. Scientists have been monitoring changes in phenology for many years. Phenology is the simplest process in which to track changes in the ecology of species in response to climate change (Walther et al., 2002). Menzel and Fabian (1999) reported that in Europe, over 30 years, spring events, such as leaf unfolding, had advanced by 6 days and autumn events, such as leaf colouring, were delayed by 4.8 days. Responses by individual species to climate change may disrupt interactions with others (Walther et al., 2002). Crick et al. (1997) analysed data from the British Trust for Ornithology’s nest record scheme collated between 1971 and 1996. Of the 65 species studied, 20 had significant trends towards earlier egg laying with an average of 8.8 days (Crick et al., 1997). Bird watching (avitourism) was the fastest growing nature-based tourism in the United States in 2002 (Maetzold, 2002). Any wildlife features that people want to enjoy will be affected by changes in the timings of these events. The threat of climate change has also seen an increase in the number of people visiting Alaska or Antarctica. With melting ice caps, people are obviously determined to visit these areas before they disappear.
The intensity and frequency of weather events are also increasing. In recent years, the severity of hurricanes hitting the Caribbean, Central and North America has increased These events will result in loss of land and infrastructure, negatively impacting species living in the area but may also deter tourists from visiting. Simpsonet al. (2007) have conducted extensive research in Tobago on the impact of climate change on tourism in the area. The three main observed effects were found to be:
Changes in weather patterns; rainfall patterns causing seasonality blurring and; increase in intensity of extreme events such as storm surges and hurricanes
Coastal erosion of beaches and cliffs
Coral bleaching (Simpson et al., 2007).
To reduce the impact of climate change on nature tourism it is necessary not only to adapt but to mitigate causal effects. Simpson et al. (2007) discuss research, planning, management and action that is required to reduce, and mitigate, the potential impact that climate change will have on nature tourism in Tobago. Many of the suggestions require action before the planning or construction stage where this is still possible. A crucial interdependence exists between the climate, the environment, tourism and communities (Simpson et al., 2007). Sustainable, responsible tourism policies should be implemented and integrated into local, regional and national government strategies. Government policy plays a very important role in the development of tourism industries that are financially and ecologically sustainable (Eagles, 2001). Many natural zones cross administrative and political boundaries and this must be taken into account when developing ecotourism. Without having all nations that border an area involved, conflicts will be unavoidable.
Once the drivers and trends are understood, it is necessary for policy makers, planners and managers to have some knowledge and understanding of the likely changes in behaviour and demand that may affect specific areas. This is the field of visitor monitoring which, while established first in the U.S.A. has become an important tool in Europe. The next section reviews some of the systems used to assess and monitor changes in recreation behaviour and for assessing changes in visitor demand.
2.3 Monitoring changes in recreation behaviour and assessing changes in demand
The need for national level information about recreation demand was already recognised forty years ago in the United States. The first National Recreation Survey (NRS) was conducted in 1960 (Cordell, 2004). The continuity of a core set of participation and demographic questions used in surveys since then has ensured that trend construction and comparisons of recreation at the level of the U.S. population over the years have been possible. Similar efforts have been taking place in other countries such as Canada, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden but the contents and extent of the nationwide recreation surveys varies considerably. Without such surveys it is very difficult to calculate the level of resources needed to supply recreation, or to determine the way that trends resulting from the factors described above manifest themselves in demand. The surveys enable providers of outdoor recreation to change their strategies to meet the challenges of these changing demands.
The latest National Survey of Recreation and Environment (NSRE) 2006, recently completed in the United States, includes information collection about recreation participation and recreation trips, covering 50 different outdoor activities (see NSRE, 2003). In Scandinavia, Denmark has conducted a series of recreation surveys which offer the possibility to compare forest recreation participation over time: Danish surveys cover the overall levels of visitation to forests, and include a remarkable set of data about forest and landscape preferences (Jensen and Koch, 2004). The survey in 1993/94 reached a response rate of over 80%, from samples of almost 3,000 persons (Jensen and Koch, 2004).
In Finland, only one nation-wide recreation survey (LVVI, see Sievänen, 2001) has been conducted but there are plans to repeat the study in 2008–2010. The Finnish survey data included about 10,000 respondents. The main issues measured were participation in outdoor activities, recreation trips close-to-home and trips which also included an overnight stay (Sievänen, 2001). However, while there are many differences in concepts, terms and units of measurements, some international comparisons are possible. In Table 1, participation rates of some of the most typical recreation activities in six countries have been collected to express the diversity, similarity and differences of recreation behaviour among different nations (Scrintzi et al., 1995; Jensen and Koch, 1997; Statistics Netherlands, 1997; Cordell et al., 1999; DuWorset al., 1999; Sievänen, 2001; Vaage, 2004). The idea of harmonizing approaches for recreation information monitoring, so that international comparisons can be made and so that Europe-level analysis is possible, has been discussed in the research community, particularly in the Cost Action E33. It will be seen if more comparable data is available in future.
a) A mail questionnaire regarding forest recreation on a sample of 2,826 of the Danish adult population in 1993–94, conducted by the Danish Forest & Landscape Research Institute. (Jensen and Koch, 1997)
b) A telephone survey, sample of 12,709 among the whole population conducted by Statistics Finland and Finnish Forest Research Institute in 1998–2000 (Sievänen, 2001).
c) A diary survey by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) in 1995–96 (Statistics Netherlands, 1997).
d) A mail questionnaire on sample of 3,000 of the whole Italian population in 1995; recreation activities in forest (Scrintzi et al., 1995).
e) (Vaage, 2004)
f) The Nature Survey, sample of 86,951 Canadians by Statistics Canada in 1997 (DuWors et al., 1999).
g) NSRE telephone survey of sample of 12,000 people in 1994/95 (Cordell et al., 1997).
Empty space refers that a comparable figure was not available.
2.4 On-site inventories: monitoring visitor flows
On-site recreation inventories, i.e. visitation monitoring systems, are an important part of the whole management policy of recreation and protected areas in many countries. The recreation monitoring system most often applied is a science-based system for data collection, data management and reporting, which supplies updated visitor information on a continuous basis for policy makers and managers. Monitoring systems differ between countries, but often standardization of methods and harmonization of information content has taken place within one country or at least within one public land agency.
The most common visitation information measured includes number of visits, duration of visit and distribution of visitors over the recreation area. Information gathered from visitors usually consists of socio-economic factors such as sex, age, income and municipality/region/country of residence, length and means of travel and amount of money spent. Visitor behaviour patterns describe the level and type of participation in recreation activities, the length of stay in the area and the make up of the group who made the visit. Visitor satisfaction, motives and the expectations of visit and experiences are also studied in most cases. As a result of Nordic-Baltic project on visitor monitoring a new manual (Kajala, 2006; Kajala et al., 2007) is going to be published in 2007. The coming manual offer recommenadations to choose variable, measures and sample methods for visitor monitoring.
The United States Forest Service has implemented a sophisticated on-site visitor monitoring system called the National Visitor Use Monitoring System (NVUM). With this system, one fourth of the 160 national forests in the country are sampled each year through a system of site-day sampling. Activities, duration of visit, satisfaction, trip spending profiles and sites visited are collected and GIS referenced to provide location-specific, regional, and national estimates to guide policy, management,
In Denmark, automatic monitoring of the car-based forest visitation at four selected forest areas was established in the mid 70’s and has been going on ever since. In addition, on-site inventories have been carried out in more than 300 forest areas in 1976–77 and again in 1996–97 in more than 500 Danish forest and nature areas (Jensen and Koch, 1997). In the United Kingdom, visitor counting and surveys are also widely applied and used in planning and management processes. Finland has standardized visitor study procedures in order to obtain comparable visitor information from all state owned recreation and protected areas (Erkkonen and Sievänen, 2002; Rauhala et al., 2002). The national recreation management policy uses visitor surveys in order to develop customer-driven management in recreation areas. In many other European countries, even though a majority (85%) has conducted some studies about recreational visits to specific recreational sites, systematic and standardized visitor information collection systems are still in a developmental stage (Skov-Petersen and Jensen, 2005).
An example of trends based on systematic visitor counting in national parks comes from Finland. The Metsähallitus (Forest and Park Service), which manages the majority of state owned forest lands in Finland, has monitored recreational use in national parks and state owned hiking areas for over ten years (Table 2). It shows how the basic trend is for an increased level of visitation. The pattern varies across each park and this enables the identification of places where visitor levels start to place pressure on natural resources, for example, or those locations that are particularly sensitive to recreation activities.
2.5 Trends in recreation participation
The science based information of existing trends in recreation behaviour is best documented in the United States, where monitoring of participation in outdoor activities has continued since early 1960’s. According to Cordell et al. (1999); Cordell (2004, 2005) and the Interagency National Survey Consortium (NSRE, 2003), participation in all outdoor activities has been increasing when measured in terms of the total numbers of participating people (Table 3). This increase in total participation rates is partly due to the increasing population. However, the numbers of visits and visiting people matters when looking at the pressures of recreational use on natural resources, which tend to be finite.
In the United States, most rapidly increasing numbers of participants are in walking, sightseeing, swimming, picnicking and boating. In general, traditional outdoor activities such hiking and camping are still growing at a moderate rate, while consumptive activities such as hunting are declining. New types of activities such as viewing fish and wildlife and motorized outdoor activities such as snowmobiling or jet skiing are activities that are increasing most in popularity (Cordell, 2005). Table 4 shows these trends.
As in the United States, the traditional consumptive activities of hunting and picking wild berries and mushrooms seem to be in decline in popularity in Scandinavia (Lindhagen and Hörnsten, 1998; Sievänen, 2001; Sievänen et al., 2004). Instead, snowmobiling is increasing in popularity. In most European countries there is no long term monitoring or statistics of outdoor recreation, so that it is less easy to spot these trends, but it is very likely that many of the trends that are now seen in the United States, likely to develop in Europe.
This section has shown that the assessment of behaviour and demand is essential for creating a picture of emerging patterns and trends so that policies can be developed and planning take place with the best information possible. However, it is obvious that these systems are mainly available and implemented in developed countries with often mature economies and where legislation and other instruments are available to manage supply and demand. They are less likely to be available in developing countries.
Baby Boomer/Older Adult Trends – Planning for the Demographic Shift
Baby Boomers—those born between 1946 and 1964, as stated in Leisure Programming for Baby Boomers. They are a generation that consists of nearly 76 million Americans. Beginning in 2011, this influential population will begin their transition out of the workforce. As baby boomers enter retirement, they will be looking for opportunities in fitness, sports, outdoors, arts and cultural events, and other activities that suit their lifestyles. With their varied life experiences, values, and expectations, baby boomers are predicted to redefine the meaning of recreation and leisure programming for mature adults.In the leisure profession, this generations’ devotion to exercise and fitness is an example of their influence on society. When boomers entered elementary school, President John Kennedy initiated the President's Council on Physical Fitness; physical education and recreation became a key component of public education. As boomers matured and moved into the workplace, they took their desire for exercise and fitness with them. Now as the oldest boomers' are nearing 60, park and recreation professionals are faced with new approaches to provide both passive and active programming for older adults. Jeffrey Ziegler, a past president of the Arizona Parks and Recreation Association identified “Boomer Basics” in his article,
Boomer Basics:
Boomers are known to work hard, play hard and spend hard.
They have always been fixated with all things youthful. Boomers typically respond that they feel 10 years younger than their chronological age.
Swimming pools have become less of a social setting and much more of an extension of boomers' health and wellness program.
Because boomers have, in general, a high education level, they'll likely continue to pursue education as adults and into retirement.
Boomers will look to park and recreation professionals to give them the skills needed to enjoy many life-long hobbies and sports. When programming for this age group, a customized experience to cater to their need for self-fulfillment, healthy pleasure, nostalgic youthfulness, and individual escapes will be important. Recreation trends will shift from games and activities that boomers associate with senior citizens. Ziegler suggests activities such as bingo, bridge and shuffleboard will likely be avoided because boomers relate these activities to being old. Boomers will reinvent what being a 65-year-old means. Parks and recreation agencies that don't plan for boomers carrying on in retirement with the same pace they've long lived at will be left behind.
Facilities – National Trends
According to Recreation Management Magazine’s “2011 State of the Industry Report,” national trends show an increased user-base of recreation facilities. To meet that growing need, a majority ofthe 2011 State of the Industry Survey respondents (60.3%) reported that they have plans to build new facilities or make additions or renovations to their existing facilities over the next three years.
Nearly a quarter (24.2%) of respondents said they have plans to build new facilities, and just over a quarter (25.9%) said they plan to add to their existing facilities. Another 43.6 percent are planning renovations.
Also according to the Report, parks and recreation respondents said the average amount planned for construction for parks fell by 12.7 percent from an average of $3,907,000 in last year's survey to $3,411,000 this year. There was very little change in the types of features and amenities included in the facilities of the survey respondents from last year to this year. The most commonly found features include locker rooms (57.5% of respondents have locker rooms), classrooms and meeting rooms (57.4%), bleachers and seating (56.8 percent), outdoor sports courts for basketball, tennis, etc. (54.1%) and concession areas (53.9%).
Indoor Recreation Facilities
The current national trend is toward “one-stop” indoor recreation facilities to serve all ages. Large, multi-purpose regional centers help increase cost recovery, promote retention, and encourage cross-use. Agencies across the U.S. are increasing revenue production and cost recovery. Multi-use facilities verses specialized space is a trend, offering programming opportunities as well as free-play opportunities. “One stop” facilities attract young families, teens, and adults of all ages.
Amenities and specialty parks that are still considered “alternative” but increasing in popularity include the following:
Climbing walls
Cultural art facilities
Green design techniques and certifications such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED). A recent Building Commissioners Association (BCA) survey indicated that 52 percent of the recreation industry survey respondents indicated they were willing to pay more for green design knowing that it would significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on the environment and occupants.
Two of the emerging specialty parks include skate parks and adult fitness parks. The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association estimates there are about 1,000 skateboard parks in the United States.
Health and Obesity Trends
The United Health Foundation has ranked North Carolina 35th in its 2010 State Health Rankings, up
two ranks from 2009.
The State’s biggest strengths include:
• Low prevalence of binge drinking
• Low occupational fatalities rate
• High immunization coverage
Some of the challenges the State faces include:
• Low high school graduation rate
• High percentage of children in poverty
• High infant mortality rate
Economic Effects
Inactivity and obesity in the United States cost the country hundreds of billions of dollars annually.Some local governments are now accepting the role of providing preventative health care through park and recreation services. The following are facts from the International City/County Management Association.
89 percent believe P&R departments should take the lead in developing communities
conducive to active living.
Nearly 84 percent supported recreation programs that encourage active living in their
community.
45 percent believe the highest priority is a cohesive systems of parks and trails and
accessible neighborhood parks.
As obesity in the United States continues to be a topic of interest for legislators and our
government, there continues to be research suggesting that activity levels are stagnant among all age groups. The following are statistics that support this concern.
Only 25 percent of adults and 27 percent of youth (grades 9-12) engage in recommended levels of physical activity.
59 percent of American adults are sedentary.
Children born now have a lower life expectancy than their parents.
4.5 - 8 hours daily (30-56 hours per week) – children are wired.
Prevalence of overweight children:
o ages 2–5 years (12.4%)
o ages 6–11 years (17%)
o aged 12–19 years (17.6%)
Festivals and Events
Economic Impact of Festivals
In the context of urban development, from the early 1980’s there has been a process that can be
characterized as ‘festivalization’, which has been linked to the economic restructuring of towns and
cities, and the drive to develop communities as large-scale platforms for the creation and
consumption of ‘cultural experience’. The Town of Cary, however, finds itself with additional options 11
with its regional athletic complexes for sporting event opportunities as well as events based out of
the amphitheaters in town. All of which can benefit the community through tourism.
Research indicates the success rate for festivals tends to be evaluated on the basis of profit (sales),
prestige (media profile), size (numbers of events), and numbers of visitors. Research from the
European Festival Research Project (EFRP) indicates there is evidence of local and city government
supporting and even instigating and managing particular festivals themselves to achieve local or
regional economic objectives (sales, jobs, tourists). There are also a growing number of smaller
more local community-based festivals and events in communities, most often supported by local
councils, that have become prime economic-drivers.
Reference: http://books.google.com.hk/books?id=9AdhuHFvqjwC&pg=PA177&lpg=PA177&dq=Based+on+research+commissioned+and+released+in+2009+by+the+James+Irvine+Foundation,+as+conducted+by+La+Piana+Consulting,+several+trends+serve+as+both+challenges+and+opportunities+for+the+nonprofit+sector.&source=bl&ots=z27KcneenE&sig=B4FPH-myioumZZC6upANOUQxefA&hl=en&sa=X&ei=uMJpVNzXJ4HKmwWGy4CIBg&ved=0CB0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Based%20on%20research%20commissioned%20and%20released%20in%202009%20by%20the%20James%20Irvine%20Foundation%2C%20as%20conducted%20by%20La%20Piana%20Consulting%2C%20several%20trends%20serve%20as%20both%20challenges%20and%20opportunities%20for%20the%20nonprofit%20sector.&f=false
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