March Silent Alarm

SILENT ALARM
BY MIKE MCFADZEN

Did you know that millennials outnumber and outspend boomers on outdoor recreation? Did you know that fat biking is one of the fastest growing recreational activities? Read on to get an overview of Wisconsin’s current and future recreational scene.

Two significant plans which funnel monies and interest into the outdoor recreation scene are now complete. The Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) is performed every five years to be eligible for funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Wisconsin received approximately $2 million in LWCF funding in 2017.

The Recreational Opportunities Analysis (ROA) measures recreation by analyzing current use as well as existing needs. The ROA is the basis for master planning on all Wisconsin public properties, such as state parks, trails and forests. Both SCORP and ROA overlapped and had considerable public input. The process included an online survey of 16,500 Wisconsin residents regarding their participation, frequency and opinions about future needs.  Many Silent Sports readers participated in the planning process.

The 2019-2023 SCORP provides recommendations to guide public outdoor recreation policy and planning decisions. Based on SCORP, the new priorities are 1) meeting the needs of urban areas; 2) providing recreation opportunities that serve diverse populations; 3) developing facilities in areas with limited outdoor recreation opportunities and; 4) meeting outdoor recreation needs identified by local communities.

Demographics

Wisconsin’s population follows national trends – increasingly urban, more ethnically and culturally diverse and older. Although Wisconsin’s population is less diverse than other states, people of color continue to grow. The Hispanic population nearly doubled from 2000 to 2015 and now comprises 6.7 percent of the state’s residents. Wisconsin’s black/African American population has increased by 9.7 percent since 2000.  With over 44 percent identifying as people of color, residents ages 18-34 are more diverse than any preceding generation. Women and men participate equally in outdoor activities.

The number of Wisconsin residents living with disabilities also continues to climb. Many communities are building and upgrading facilities to meet the needs of people with different types of disabilities

Millennials (typically defined as those born from 1982 to 2000)) are having a large impact on outdoor recreation. Millennials have displaced boomers as the largest generational group. Millennials also spend more time and money on outdoor recreation.

Girls just want to have fun

Women are engaged in non-motorized activities as much as men. In fact, women outnumber men in paddle boarding, trail running and dog and horse-type activities.  Men significantly outnumber women in ATVs, 4-wheel drive, trapping and all hunting activities.

Participation rates of grouped recreation activities 

68 percent hiking/walking/running on trails.

66 percent nature observation (includes wildlife watching, photography, gathering berries, mushrooms, etc.).

61 percent boating-related (includes motor boating and paddle sports).

50 percent bicycling with large increases in fat/snow biking.

49 percent fishing.

41 percent camping with big growth of the RV segment.

38 percent dog-related activities.

27 percent hunting.

25 percent motorized trail-based activities. It’s interesting that SCORP includes ATV and 4-wheel driving as “nature-based activities.”

According to SCORP, “There is a big difference in the type of outdoor experience that people favor. Some prefer quiet, secluded settings where they can experience the sights and sounds of the natural world. This includes wildlife watching, fishing, canoeing, camping and hiking. Some prefer more active, strenuous experiences such as cross-country skiing, trail running and mountain biking.”     Women have significant participation in all these activities.

There are nearly 7.5 million acres, which represents 21 percent of Wisconsin’s land, which is open for public recreation. Approximately half of this acreage is managed by state and federal agencies.

Trends and economics

“One national trend is chronic health issues related to sedate lifestyles,” according to SCORP. “Despite the growing awareness of the problem, the obesity rate for adults in Wisconsin has doubled since 1990, with 25 percent of adolescents overweight or obese.”

More than 350,000 Wisconsinites have been diagnosed with diabetes, which translates to billions in additional health-care costs. The least healthy Wisconsin counties are Menominee, Milwaukee and Sawyer, while the healthiest were Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington, Dane, Door and Outagamie.

According to the plan, “Consumer spending on outdoor recreation in Wisconsin totaled $17.9 billion which resulted in 168,000 directly-related jobs, $5.1 billion in wages and salaries and $1.1 billion in state and local tax revenue. The Wisconsin State Park System drew an estimated 14 million visitor-days and generated more than $1 billion in annual expenditures to local communities.”

“Ongoing maintenance is key to protecting public investments in outdoor recreation and ensuring that existing facilities continue to provide high-quality experiences for the public,” according to SCORP. “Although many recreation facilities are modest, they require ongoing maintenance to remain safe, useable and enjoyable.”

Much of Wisconsin’s recreational facilities were built many decades ago.

SCORP identified key needs as 1) recreation near population centers; 2) more trails; 3) better water access; 4) more camping; 5) increased dog-related facilities and; 6) more shooting ranges for guns and archery.

Non-motorized activities continue to be the primary demand of outdoor participants. Hiking, bicycling, camping, paddle sports, dog-related activities and groomed cross-country skiing are all growing. The biggest decreases are in snowmobiling, trapping, hunting and skiing on non-groomed trails.

Most state residents are worried about clean air and water. That concern is shared across geographic regions and recreational interests. Not surprisingly, climate change is and will continue to affect recreational participation. There has been less snow, increasing mean temperatures and more severe weather. Reduced snow cover may lead some cross country skiers to shift to fat biking, which doesn’t require as much snow for a fun experience. Snowmobiling use has decreased with some participants shifting to ATVs.