Pandemic increases outdoor recreation among some Americans

When the COVID-19 pandemic upended many people’s work lives and leisure time, participation in outdoor recreation increased. For example, many national parks saw record numbers of visitors in 2020.

B. Derrick Taff, associate professor of recreation, park, and tourism management and lead author on the research, said that participation in outdoor recreation carries both psychological and physiological benefits.

Prior research has established that outdoor recreation helps to release stress and restore people’s senses of well-being. Other research has linked stress to a wide range of health issues, including heart disease, depression, obesity, irritability, headaches, anxiety, and relationship troubles.

“A 20 percent increase in outdoor recreation in the U.S. is good news for anyone who cares about people’s health or the environment,” said Taff. “It is encouraging from the public health perspective that — amidst one of the more challenging periods in recent history — a new group of outdoor recreationists have emerged, and, because of their participation, they likely benefit from improved health.”

“This creates a tremendous opportunity for park managers to encourage this group of new recreationists to engage in life-long, healthy behaviors,” Taff continued. “Additionally, research suggests that people who recreate in nature have a more favorable view of environmental protection, so this development could increase support for future conservation efforts.”

Not all the findings were positive, however, according to the researchers. The new outdoor recreationists were demographically similar to those that have traditionally participated in outdoor recreation: predominantly white and with relatively high socioeconomic status. The more than 13 percent of Americans who ceased to participate in outdoor recreation during the pandemic were significantly more diverse, tended to reside in more urban environments, and earned less annually than existing or new recreationists.

“This raises major concerns regarding demographic discrepancies with access and equity,” said Taff. “Park managers and policy makers need to develop policies and programming that foster participation by everyone, especially in their local parks. Not everyone can afford to travel to Yellowstone, but everyone deserves access to nature — and the associated health benefits of outdoor recreation — somewhere close to home.”

Taff said that park managers and policy makers should continue to highlight the health benefits of outdoor recreation to encourage healthy participation in outdoor recreation. He also stressed the importance of making people feel safe and comfortable and aligning recreational opportunities with people’s desires for settings and activities. Other Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management program faculty at Penn State are studying how to make all people feel welcome in parks.

Outdoor recreation includes a broad range of activities like boating, running outdoors, bicycle riding, walking through neighborhoods, and reading or relaxing in nature. It can be accessible to people of all ages and ability levels.

“Just sitting in a park and reflecting on nature is good for you,” Taff said. “That could be a good place to start.”

In addition to the department, this research was supported by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics.

William Rice of the University of Montana, Ben Lawhon of the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, and Peter Newman, Department Head and Martin Professor of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management at Penn State, co-authored this research.