OUTDOOR RECREATION IN AMERICAN 1999

SECTION 2: OUTDOOR RECREATION AND THE FAMILY

Frequency of Family Time Outdoors

        While many American families bond over the dinner table or in front of the TV, a sizable number do so through outdoor activity. Nearly half of all Americans (45%) say they "engage in outdoor recreation as a family" at least once a month, and over one in ten (11%) do so more than once a week. Clearly, for many Americans, camping, fishing or hitting a hiking trail is part of the daily household routine. These active families are balancing their participation in recreational activities with work, laundry, house cleaning and homework. Nearly a quarter of all Americans (23%) say they "never" do outdoor recreation as a family. Thirty-nine percent of those who "never" spend family time outdoors are 60 years or older and are apt to be empty-nesters.

11%	19%	15%	15%	13%	23%
Several times per week	Several times per month	Once a month	Once/ twice a year	Less often	Never

Who's Recreating As A Family Most?

        Not surprisingly, married Americans and parents are the groups most apt to say they "engage in outdoor recreation as a family" at least monthly. Compared to the total public (45%), married Americans (57%) are 12 points more apt to be active at least monthly. Interestingly, this percentage increases - if only slightly - for those families in which both spouses work (62%) suggesting many families balance the responsibilities of two jobs and the home and still make time for an outing.

Families With Young Children "Play Together" Most Often

45%	57%	62%	60%	65%	59%
Total public	Married	Married & both work	Total parents	Parents kids 0-7	Parents kids 8-17

        Parents of young children are most inclined to frequently "play together" as a family. Indeed, 65% of parents with kids between the ages of 0 and 7 engage in outdoor recreation as a family once a month or more. This percentage drops six points for parents with children 8 to 17; still, it is noteworthy that 59% of Americans manage to engage their children in outdoor activity - even through their adolescent and teen years.

        Other groups more apt than the total public (45%) to engage in outdoor recreation as a family at least monthly are:

• Americans between the ages of 30 and 44 (56%)
• Women between the ages of 18 and 49 (56%)
• Midwesterners (57%)
• Americans in households with annual incomes of $50,000 or more (58%)
• Influentials^® (62%)
• Americans in households with annual incomes of $75,000 or more (64%)

Which Families Are Most Apt To "Play Together"?

45%	56%	56%	57%	58%	62%	64%
Total Public	30-44	Females 18-49	Mid- west	$50K+ /yr	Influ- etials®	$75K+ /yr

Reasons Outdoor Recreation May Benefit Children

        Perhaps driven by their own fond memories of playing as children, Americans see a host of reasons why today's young people should engage in outdoor activities. When asked from a list of six possible benefits whether each is a major reason, minor reason or not a reason for children to take part in outdoor recreation, more than six in ten Americans said each was a "major reason." The benefit that comes out on top - if only by two points - is "promotes good health" (72%). Good health is followed closely by "creates shared experiences family and friends can bond over" (70%), further evidence that outdoor activities are seen as ways to bring people together literally and figuratively.

        Nearly seven in ten Americans say the fact that outdoor recreation "teaches appreciation of nature" (69%) and "helps children develop important physical skills" (68%) makes them "major reasons" for kids to go out and play. More than six in ten Americans say recreation's ability to "build self-esteem and personal growth" (65%) and "help children develop important interpersonal skills" (62%) are the most important reasons to see children active.

Americans See Many Benefits Of Outdoor Recreation For Children

Promotes good heath	72%
Creates shared experiences family and friends can bond over.	70%
Teaches appreciation of nature	69%
Helps children develop important physical skills	68%
Builds self-esteem and personal growth	65%
Helps children develop important interpersonal skills	62%

SECTION 3: FEDERAL LAND USAGE

Use of Lands Managed By Specific Federal Agencies

        When American recreationists head into the great outdoors, where do they go? Lands managed by the National Park Service remain most visited. Nearly half of all Americans say they have personally patronized National Park Service land during the past twelve months (46%), placing it far ahead of the second and third most popular lands, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands (27%) and U.S. Forest Service lands (23%).

        These data differ from actual numbers of visits as tabulated by these agencies. The likely reason is that the public does not understand the differences between lands managed by different agencies. They may, for example, believe they are in a National Park, while they are actually in a National Forest. In addition, Roper data show the number of visitors, whereas other data may show the number of visits.

Americans Flocking To Public Lands

National Park Service	46%
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service	27%
U.S. Forest Service	23%
American Indian Tribal Lands	9%
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers	8%
Bureau of Land Management	8%
Tennessee Valley Authority	4%
Bureau of Reclamation	3%

Note: while this question has been asked in the past, data from these prior studies were not used for trending purposes due to a change in the wording of the question. The current wording is an improvement over previous askings.

Lands Used By Americans With The Most Varied Recreational Interests

        Avid recreationists, those who have participated in six or more outdoor activities in the past year, are using every type of public land available to them - especially the less popular lands. The lands used most often by the total public such as those managed by the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service are used least often by this group (46% and 54%, respectively). Americans with the most varied recreational interests prefer lands managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or the rarely-marked lands in the West managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Indeed, 61% and 62% of avid recreationists have used these lands in the past year, respectively. This may reflect a desire to "escape the crowds at Yellowstone," as well as a likely better understanding of which lands they are on by more avid participants.

Some Lands More Apt To Attract Visitors With Varied Tastes In Outdoor Recreation

10%	46%	54%	59%	61%	62%
None	National Park Service	U.S.Fish & Wildlife Service	U.S. Forest Service	U.S.Army Corps of Engineers	Bureau of Land Manage- ment

PART 2: RECREATIONAL ISSUES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

        This section will discuss the relationship between outdoor recreation and the environment. It will address Americans' level of environmental concern, their reasons for wanting environmental protection and their opinions regarding the impact of outdoor activity on the environment.

SECTION 1: ENVIRONMENTAL ATTITUDES IN THE "DECADE OF THE ENVIRONMENT"

Pollution in Top Ten on List of National Problems

        The 1990s have been dubbed the "Decade of the Environment." Kicked off by the well-publicized Exxon Valdez oil spill, an era of strong environmental concern and extensive media coverage ensued which included Earth on the cover of Time Magazine. While environmental concern has peaked and valleyed since its zenith in the early 1990s, we have seen environmental consciousness become internalized and pro-environmental behaviors such as recycling incorporated into Americans' daily lives. Environmentalism is a mainstream value in American culture.

        This year, ten years after the intense reaction to the oil-covered Alaskan coast and the first of Roper's annual environmental studies, the Green Gauge Reports, the environment is still "top of mind" when considering national problems. In fact, 1999 Green Gauge data show concern about the pollution of air and water has slipped two notches and traded places with "foreign relations*," yet remains in the top ten on a list of fourteen national concerns. Fifteen percent of all Americans say this problem is one of the "top two or three" about which they are "most personally concerned." Top on that list is "crime" at 42% and "how young people think and act" at 32%. However, unlike other issues which come and go, environmental concern has come and stayed.

* Note that this survey was fielded during the time of the Kosovo War.

Pollution Ranks Tenth On List Of National Concerns

% naming as a top concern

		Pt. change From 1998
Crime	42%	-1
How young people act	32%	--
Government corruption	31%	+2
Court system	30%	-1
Drug abuse	29%	--
Money to pay bills	24%	+1
Quality of education	22%	--
Foreign relations	17%	+4
Inflation and high prices	16%	--
Pollution of air and water	15%	-2
Alcoholism	9%	-1
Recession and unemployment	6%	-1
Fuel and energy shortage	2%	--

Many Americans See Recreation as One of Main Reasons to Protect the Environment

        When Americans are asked to choose the most important reasons to protect the environment, "to protect human health" is named most often. The most recent Green Gauge study results show 56% of Americans say it is one of their top one or two reasons. Nearly half of all Americans believe protecting the environment should be done for posterity's sake. Indeed, "health" is followed by "to protect resources for future generations" (48%).

For many Americans, recreation is the key driver to environmental protection. Nearly a third (31%) want clean air, soil and water to "ensure the existence of natural places and wildlife" - and likely to ensure the enjoyment of these areas and animals. One in five Americans want to have safe and clean places for recreation; 20% name "to preserve recreation areas/national parks" one of the main reasons to protect the environment.

Many Americans See Recreation As A Main Reason For Environmental Responsibility

		Pt. change From 1998
Protect human health	56%	-1
Protect resources for future generations	48%	--
Ensure existence of natural places and wildlife	31%	+2
Preserve recreation areas/national parks	20%	-1
Protect resources for the economy	18%	--

Many of Most Serious Specific Environmental Concerns Affect Recreation

        To best understand the level of Americans' environmental concerns, it is important to consider their opinions regarding the seriousness of specific environmental problems. When asked about the seriousness of 29 environmental issues, more than half of all Americans considered the top seven concerns "very serious."

        Many specific environmental concerns can impact American recreationists and recreational activity. For example, 56% of Americans are very worried about "water pollution from industrial waste." As water is a key magnet for recreation, these concerns may be deterring some Americans from enjoying water-related activities in their spare time. Likewise, 50% of the public consider the "destruction of the ozone layer over the earth" a "very serious" concern. Any perceived disappearance of this shield to harmful ultra-violet rays could be keeping potential recreationists indoors.

Top Specific Environmental Concerns

Contamination of drinking water	57%
Water pollution from industrial waste	56%
Industrial accidents releasing pollutants into air water and soil	52%
Destruction of the rain forest	52%
Outdoor air pollution from factories, etc.	52%
Abandoned hazardous waste sites	51%
Destruction of the ozone layer over the earth	50%

Opinions Regarding The Overall Effect of Outdoor Recreation on the Environment

        While Americans are undoubtedly concerned about the environment, they do not think the answer to environmental protection is forbidding the use of public lands. In fact, more than three in four Americans (78%) say outdoor recreation, overall, has a "good effect" or "no effect" on the environment and, 62% believe its effects are "good." Meanwhile, just 11% say it has a "bad effect." Another 11% say they "don't know" how outdoor activity affects land, water and soil suggesting a need to communicate with the public about the benefits and detriments of outdoor recreation to the environment. Americans who "never" participate in outdoor recreation are most apt to say they "don't know" about the environmental effects of these activities (24%).

        Southerners (67%, 5 points higher than the total public), Influentials^® (68%, 6 points higher) and those living in rural areas (67% of "D" Markets, 5 points higher) are all slightly more apt than all Americans to say outdoor recreation is beneficial to the environment.

Most Americans Think Outdoor Recreation Benefits The Environment

        Midwesterners and Westerners are slightly less optimistic than the total public about recreational use of land. Indeed, these groups are 4 and 6 points more likely, respectively, to say outdoor activity has a "bad effect" on the environment. Interestingly, Influentials^®, who are more optimistic than the total public, are also more apt to be pessimistic about the effect of outdoor recreation. Seventeen percent of this group say outdoor recreation has a bad effect on the environment, 6 points higher than all Americans. Still, the number of Influential Americans who say outdoor recreation has a "good effect" outnumber those who say it has a "bad effect" by four to one (68% vs. 17%). Influentials^®, who are typically an informed group, know enough to have an opinion one way or the other.

Opinions Regarding The Effect Of Outdoor Recreation On The Environment

62% 67% 67% 68% Total public South- erners "D" markets Influ- entials®	11% 15% 17% 17% Total public Midwest- erners West- erners Influ- entials®
Good effect	Bad effect

High Marks For The Outdoor Recreation Industry

        Considering the fact that the majority of Americans believe outdoor recreation has a positive effect on the environment, it is not surprising that the outdoor recreation industry earns high marks for environmental responsibility. Indeed, when asked how well thirty-three industries are fulfilling their environmental responsibilities, the outdoor recreation industry ties for number one with the soft drink industry, one that is practically synonymous with recycling. Nearly six in ten Americans say the outdoor recreation industry is fulfilling their environmental responsibilities "very" or "moderately well" (59%). Thirteen percent of the public say this industry is doing "not too well" and, just 5% say "not at all well." Nearly a quarter of all Americans say they "don't know" (23%) how well the outdoor recreation industry is doing with regard to fulfilling their environmental responsibilities.

Outdoor Recreation Industry Earns High Rating For Environmental Responsibility

	Moderately well Very well	1999 Total "Well"
Outdoor recreation	44%44% 15%	59%
Soft drink	46%46% 13%	59%
Agriculture	39%39% 12%	51%
Electric power	40%40% 10%	50%
Electronics	36%36% 8%	44%
Telecommunications	34%34% 10%	44%
Personal care	37%37% 7%	44%
Household cleaning	36%36% 7%	43%
Computer	32%32% 9%	41%
Office equipment	33%33% 6%	39%
Automobile	32%32% 7%	39%
Aerosol products	28%28% 5%	33%
Gasoline	27%27% 5%	32%
Petroleum exploration	25%25% 4%	29%
Oil	22%22% 7%	29%
Tobacco	18%18% 4%	22%

The Role of Rules and Responsibility Regarding Outdoor Recreation and The Environment

        Whether catchy and comical as in the "Give A Hoot, Don't Pollute" campaign or deeply moving as in the campaign showing a Native American crying one tear, we were reminded several years ago of the importance of using natural resources responsibly. These campaigns stuck with the American public. Indeed, many Americans think the key to environmentally-safe recreation is responsible behavior. Nearly half of all Americans (47%) strongly agree with the statement: "if people would just follow the rules in parks and other outdoor recreation areas, their use of the land would have no significant effects on the environment," and 42% "mostly agree." Similarly, 90% "strongly" or "mostly agree" that "most recreation is compatible with environmental protection when done responsibly." Still, many have doubts about how responsible recreationists can be. Seventy-six percent say they are "very concerned that people who engage in outdoor recreation hurt the environment by leaving trash and damaging the landscape."

        Nearly nine in ten Americans believe outdoor recreation can, in many ways, promote environmental responsibility. Eighty-nine percent "strongly" or "mostly agree" with the statement: "Outdoor recreation benefits the environment because it gives people more of a reason to care about environmental protection." And, 86% agree that "spending time outdoors gives people the incentive to take care of the environment properly." These findings suggest the need for - and potentially great receptivity to - outdoor ethics efforts.

Rules And Responsibility Key To Environmentally Safe Recreation

	Strongly agree Mostly agree
Most recreation is compatible with environmental protection when done responsibility	43%43% 47%	90%
If people would just follow the rules in parks and other outdoor recreation areas, their use of the land would have no significant effects on the environment	47%47% 42%	89%
Outdoor recreation benefits the environment because it gives people more of a reason to care about environmental protection	43%43% 46%	89%
Spending time outdoors gives people the incentive to take care of the environment properly	40%40% 10%	50%
I'm very concerned that people who engage in outdoor recreation hurt the environment by leaving trash and damaging the landscape	37%37% 49%	86%

SECTION 2: ENVIRONMENTAL SEGMENTS AND OUTDOOR RECREATION

A Look at the Environmental Segments

        Since the start of Green Gauge in 1990, Roper has been conducting a segmentation of the American public based on environmental behaviors. By having Americans say whether they "do on a regular basis," "do from time to time," or "don't really bother about," fourteen different environmental behaviors, five groups emerge within the public. These groups range from the most environmentally committed True-Blue Greens to the least environmentally committed Basic Browns. An average of 46% of True-Blue Greens regularly do the fourteen pro-environmental activities, compared to an average of just 6% for Basic Browns.

        Between these extremes on the environmental activism scale are: the Greenback Greens, the Sprouts, and the Grousers. The Greenback Greens are identified as Americans who support the environmental cause by paying premiums for pro-environmental products. The Sprouts are those who are sympathetic to the cause but not significantly personally involved. The Grousers are those who take part in a few pro-environmental activities and see the environment as someone else's problem.

        Despite high levels of concern about some environmental problems, more than half of all Americans are Basic Browns or Grousers. A third of the nation (33%) belongs to the Basic Brown group and 21% are Grousers. These high percentages suggest many Americans feel pro-environmental behaviors are too inconvenient or expensive. Roughly one in ten Americans are the environmentally dedicated True-Blue Greens and 6% are Greenback Greens. About three in ten (29%) are the "fence-sitting" Sprouts.

Size Of The Environmental Segments

Opinions Regarding the Effect of Outdoor Recreation on the Environment

        Across the segments, True-Blue Greens are most optimistic regarding the effect of outdoor activity on the environment. Sixty-eight percent of this group say outdoor recreation has a "good effect" on the environment, 6, 3, and 8 points higher than Sprouts, Grousers and Basic Browns, respectively. Interestingly, Greenback Greens are least optimistic. Fifty-seven percent of this group say outdoor recreation has a "good effect" and one in five (20%) say it has a "bad effect," the highest among the groups by at least 8 points.

The Effect Of Outdoor Recreation On The Environment: A Look Across The Segments

True-Blue Greens Most Frequent Recreationists

        True-Blue Greens, by definition, are regularly taking part in a number of pro-environmental activities. Since this group is more apt to believe outdoor activity actually benefits the environment, it is not surprising that they engage in outdoor recreation more often then the other segments. Simply stated, for True-Blue Greens, outdoor activity is another pro-environmental activity in which they take part on a regular basis. It may also be true that True-Blue Greens enjoy outdoor activity so much that they are driven to do other pro-environmental activities such as recycling to preserve the land and bodies of water on which they recreate. Wherever the cycle begins, True-Blue Greens are avid outdoorsmen and women. Indeed, more than a third of True-Blue Greens (37%) engage in outdoor recreation several times per week, versus 30% of Greenback Greens, 28% of Sprouts, 19% of Grousers and 18% of Basic Browns.

        Americans on the less active end of the environmental scale should not be described as non-recreationists. While not as often as True-Blue Greens and Greenback Greens, sizable numbers of Grousers and Basic Browns are heading outdoors for some recreation. Indeed, 45% of Grousers engage in outdoor activity at least monthly while 40% of Basic Browns do so at least monthly.

True-Blue Greens Recreate Most Often

        When True-Blue Greens set out to enjoy the outdoors they could be doing any number of activities; this group has the most varied taste in outdoor activities of all the segments. More than half of True-Blue Greens (52%) have participated in six or more outdoor activities during the past year. Greenback Greens are not far behind in terms of activity variety. Forty-five percent of this group participated in six or more in the past year, compared to 33% of Sprouts, 24% of Grousers and 21% of Basic Browns.

		Mean number of activities
Total public	30%	4.5
True-Blue Greens	52%	6.6
Greenback Greens	31%	6.0
Sprouts	33%	4.9
Grousers	24%	4.1
Basic Browns	23%	3.5

The Environmental Segments and Participation in Specific Outdoor Recreation Activities

        Now that we have discussed the frequency of outdoor recreation among the segments, as well as variation in recreation interests, we should focus on the specific activities in which the segments engage. When asked from a list of activities which they have done in the past year, activity preferences for all the segments mimic those of the total public. Indeed, most favored among all the segments is "walking for fitness/recreation." Walking is followed by "swimming" and "picnicking," in some order, for all the segments. Unlike the other three segments, True-Blue Greens and Greenback Greens include bicycling in their top five activities. Meanwhile, Sprouts, Grousers and Basic Browns express a greater affinity for fishing than for the other activities. Among Sprouts and Grousers, fishing ranks fifth. For Basic Browns, the old saying "I'd rather be fishing" rings particularly true. Fishing ranks fourth for this group, behind walking, swimming, and picnicking.

        True-Blue Greens stand out from the other segments with regard to a number of specific activities. They are significantly more apt than Greenback Greens, Sprouts, Grousers and Basic Browns to have gone walking (63%, at least 13 points higher than the other segments), hiking (30%, at least 4 points higher), wildlife viewing (28%, at least 5 points higher), bird watching (27%, at least 13 points higher), and motor boating (17%, at least 8 points higher) in the past year. As well, True-Blue Greens are more likely to have engaged in outdoor photography in the past twelve months (28%, at least 7 points higher).

        Greenback Greens are statistically on par or above True-Blue Greens with regard to their participation in many specific activities - especially some of the most popular ones. For example, roughly the same percentage of Greenback Greens as True-Blue Greens have driven for pleasure (46% of Greenback Greens vs. 45% of True-Blue Greens), gone swimming (49% vs. 52%) and gone fishing (32% vs. 31%). And, a slightly higher percentage of Greenback Greens have gone bicycling during the past year (38% vs. 33%).

Outdoor Recreation Participation Across Environmental Segments

Opportunity to Experience Nature Valued Across the Segments

        The recreational behaviors of the environmental segments show, overall, a "stair step effect." Essentially, the most environmentally active consumers are the most recreationally active consumers, the least environmentally active consumers are the least recreationally active consumers and the environmental fence-sitters are moderately active. As True-Blue Greens and Greenback Greens are already more avid recreationists, companies in the recreation industry face the challenge of engaging more Sprouts, Grousers and Basic Browns in outdoor activity. Due to their placement on the environmental scale, these groups are not likely to be won over by campaigns designed to educate or address broad, seemingly-distance problems such as global warming or the rain forest destruction.

        However, those on the less environmentally active end do have a general appreciation for nature and see the opportunity to experience nature as a key driver to outdoor recreation. When asked the importance of specific reasons to participate in outdoor recreation, sizable numbers of Sprouts, Grousers and Basic Browns say "experiencing nature" is "very important." While not as high as True-Blue Greens and Greenback Greens (51% each), rough four in ten of Sprouts (42%), Grousers (38%) and Basic Browns (44%) consider bonding with nature a "very important" reason to get outdoors.

Opportunity To Experience Nature Valued Across The Segments

43%	51%	51%	42%	38%	44%
Total Public	True- Blue Greens	Green- back Greens	Sprouts	Grousers	Basic Browns

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