9 – Recreation and Cultural Resources
9 – Recreation and Cultural Resources 9.1 Introduction This chapter describes how the recreational, archeological, and historical resources within Merced County contribute to both the quality of life and economic well being of its residents. Current conditions regarding active and passive recreation, as well as archeological and historical resources, are addressed. This chapter is divided into the following sections: . Introduction (Section 9.1) . Recreation and Open Space (Section 9.2) . Archeological and Historical Resources (Section 9.3) . Major Findings (Section 9.4) 9.2 Recreation and Open Space Introduction Merced County contains several County, State, and Federal parks and recreation areas. Aside from parks in the county, there are many public open space areas as well. This section highlights these various parks and open space areas and identifies recreational opportunities within them. The information contained in this section was compiled from a variety of sources including the California State Department of Parks and Recreation website, and consultation with the Merced County Department of Public Works and Division of Parks and Recreation. Key Terms Open Space Land. Open space land is any parcel, area, or waterway that is essentially unimproved and devoted to an open space use. Under Section 65560 of the California State Government Code, open space land is broadly defined as land designated for the preservation of natural resources (i.e., lakeshore and watershed lands); managed production of resources (i.e., lands for agriculture, forestry, recharge of groundwater); outdoor recreation (i.e., parks, scenic highway corridors, and areas with outstanding scenic, historic and cultural values); and public health and safety (i.e., flood plains, unstable soil areas).
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