Project Title

Forest-Based Recreation and Tourism Amenities Role in Building Community Capacity and Resilience

Project Description

This project sought to provide evidence of the role of forests, parks, recreation and tourism in enhancing place-based connections and community pride, fostering networks and partnerships among tourism providers and resource managers, and advancing decision-making processes that promoted fair and meaningful stakeholder engagement, adaptive learning and flexibility.

Principal Investigators

• Erin L. Seekamp, director
• Michael B. Edwards
• Jason N. Bocarro

Outcomes

• Benefited parks and recreation visitors, community members, development organizations and recreation and tourism providers, especially in rural and natural resource-dependent communities
• Increased public engagement in recreation and tourism planning
• Strengthened social networks and community ties through outdoor recreation participation and planning meetings
• Built public attachment to the natural environment and sense of place
• Encouraged support for policies promoting environmental justice and protection of parks and green spaces
• Integrated strategies to promote community resilience and vibrancy into recreation planning, including forecasting visitor trends
• Enhanced awareness of standardized methods for measuring community vibrancy and resilience related to outdoor recreation, forests and green spaces
• Improved understanding of the ecological, economic and social contributions of recreation to community vibrancy, resilience and health and well-being
• Increased understanding of outdoor recreation’s role in broader socio-ecological systems

Research Methods

• Identified indicators of community capacity, vibrancy and resilience in parks, recreation and tourism
• Determined potential inhibitors, including climate change impacts, restrictive policies and limited access to parks, forests and green spaces
• Assessed how partnerships enhanced community capacity, vibrancy and resilience
• Engaged community members and stakeholders in capacity-building efforts

About McIntire-Stennis

The McIntire-Stennis program, a unique federal-state partnership, cultivates and delivers forestry and natural resource innovations for a better future. By advancing research and education that increases the understanding of emerging challenges and fosters the development of relevant solutions, the program has ensured healthy, resilient forests and communities and an exceptional natural resources workforce since 1962.