Nature Recreation at All-Time Low

First-of-its-kind global study shows “a real and fundamental shift” away from nature

MADISON, Wis. — February 7, 2008 — New Nature Conservancy-funded research shows that across the US and in other developed nations, people are spending far less time outdoors than ever before. The study is being published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Researchers say this study -- the most comprehensive look yet at nature recreation -- is a “grim confirmation” of a long-held theory that people, especially children, are spending less time in the great outdoors.

“As a scientist and a conservationist, I find these results almost terrifying,” said Oliver Pergams, assistant professor of biological sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago and lead author of the study. “We are seeing a fundamental shift away from people’s interest in nature, not just in the US but in other countries, too. The consequences of this could be deep and far-ranging for health, for human well-being, and for the future of the planet.”

The research builds on earlier studies that showed visits to American national parks were declining, and it illustrates that the problem isn’t limited to parks – and isn’t just found in the US.

This new study includes data on camping, backpacking, fishing, hiking, hunting, visits to national and state parks and forests. Pergams and fellow researcher Patricia Zaradic found comparable, reliable statistics from Japan and, to a lesser extent, Spain. They found that beginning between 1981 and 1991 there was a decline in per capita nature recreation, dropping at rates ranging from one to 1.3 percent per year, depending on the activity studied. The typical drop in nature use since then has been between 18 and 25 percent.

Rebecca Smith, associate director of The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin and a Wisconsin Outdoors Alliance Foundation board member, said that some of her favorite childhood memories are of swimming or fishing Wisconsin's northern lakes and rivers.

She said she hopes that parents today understand the need to make sure that their boys and girls spend time outdoors. "Get outside and enjoy nature with your children. We have a beautiful state and it's worth spending some time exploring. You'll find it to be incredibly rewarding and a lot of fun."

Stephanie Meeks, acting president and CEO of The Nature Conservancy, noted, “If we lose our connection to the natural world, we’ll lose our appreciation for the food, water, and clean air it provides. And the next generation will feel little compulsion to protect it. We’re facing the most serious environmental threats of our lifetime, particularly in light of the challenges posed by climate change. We need the next generation to both value the natural world in which we live and fight to protect it.”

In previous studies, Pergams and Zaradic found the decline in natural experiences correlated with a rise in playing video games, surfing the Internet and watching movies. The researchers call this recent focus on sedentary activities involving electronic media “videophilia.”

Peter Kareiva, Chief Scientist for The Nature Conservancy, added, “Today, the majority of humans live in cities, and urbanization is accelerating so rapidly that by 2050 only a small portion of the human population will live outside urban areas. This disconnect could have severe consequences for all of us.”

In Wisconsin, the Nature Conservancy currently owns and manages 45 preserves, encompassing more than 25,000 acres. Most of this land is open to the public for recreation including hiking, photography and birding. For more information on the Conservancy in Wisconsin go to nature.org/wisconsin.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. In Wisconsin, the Conservancy has helped conserve more than 140,000 acres since 1960. The Conservancy has more than 21,000 members in Wisconsin and offices in Madison, Baraboo, East Troy, Minocqua and Sturgeon Bay. On the Web at nature.org/wisconsin.