According to the U.S. Outdoor Foundation, which recently released its 2010 Outdoor Recreation Participation Topline Report, Americans are not just spending more time outside, they’re also participating more in “core outdoor sports and activities.” The report shows a 3.3 percent increase in what they call “core” outdoor activities (from 97.5 million to 100.7 million Americans ages 6 and above).
The report shows a continued increase in hiking and camping and a huge increase in one particular activity; snowshoeing, which made a 17.4 percent participation rate increase. These results contrast with the fact that Americans are spending significantly less money on outdoor equipment, which indicates that Americans spending more time outdoors is a result of the poor state of the economy.
From the study:
“American’s surveyed indicated they preferred activities that could be “done in a day” based on costs and busy schedules; which illustrates how the economy created some vulnerability in the outdoor sports industry, as a whole.”
Christine Fanning, Executive Director of Outdoor Foundation says, “We see the economy driving people back to nature. This has tremendous implications for health and wellness issues surrounding the sharp increases in childhood obesity,” adding that, “Outdoor recreation is finally being recognized as part of the solution. Our position is that nature should be the first prescription.”
[Via: The Outdoor Foundation/Treehugger]
[Photo Via: respres]
