The Challenge of Recreation Planning: Methodology and Factors to Consider
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THE CHALLENGE OF RECREATION PLANNING: METHODOLOGY AND FACTORS TO CONSIDER by RONALD B. ULECK, Research Associate, Department of For- estry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Ill. This paper is adapted from a Ph.D. dissertation, "Guidelines for preparing development plans for public resource-based outdoor recreation areas." submitted to New York State University College of Forestry at Syracuse Uni- versity, Syracuse, N. Y. ABSTRACT. The proposed methodology of planning is a descrip- tion, explanation, and justification of the methods or techniques that a planner should use in preparing outdoor recreation development plans. The sequence of steps required is described. INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE In this paper, public outdoor recreation development planning is defined as a ra- UTDOOR RECREATION planning tional and systematic process, integrated 0 is a broad and complex activity. This with all the important social and physical paper deals with one aspect of that factors, for determining appropriate action activity: development planning - that is, in developing the natural resource to pro- planning of the natural resource base to vide outdoor recreational opportunities.* change its potential capacity for providing recreational opportunities. The primary The guidelines were developed from orientation is toward providing guidelines several sources. General planning theory, for planning an individual outdoor recrea- methodology, methods, and techniques for tion area or complex such as a state, county, various kinds of planning (e.g., urban, en- or regional park. The planning guidelines terprise, and military) were reviewed, inte- are developed for large resource-based grated, and adapted to fanning public recreation complexes located in a ma1 recreation. Literature on a phases of out- enviro,nment and developed primarily door recreation planning (theoretical and around an extensive natural resource base applied studies, and recreation proposals that, in itself, provides opportunities for and plans) proved to be valuable sources outdoor recreational activitv.' of information, since they are directly re- The primary focus is on public recrea- lated to the subject of this paper. Related tion areas, although the guidelines can be subjects such as forestry and land-resource applied (with minor adjustments) to pri- economics, economic growth and develop- vate areas. The principal audience addressed ment, consumer economics, and decision is the group of rsons who prepare devel- theory, were also used to develop the opment plans public outdoor recrea- guidelines. tion areas. The guidelines are broad enough The guidelines are designed primarily as to be applicable to a wide variety of natural a methodological tool for planning, and resource bases. thus are not a detailed presentation of the various methods and techniques that can Figure 1.-Steps in the planning process. be and are used in planning. ( 1. Awareness of Need I- -- .. -. .. PROPOSED METHODOLOGY The proposed methodology of planning 7. Smarite Existing Situation 7 is a description, explanation, and justifica- tion of the methods or techniques that a planner should use to prepare outdoor rec- reation development plans. Methods function to help the planner ---.. and Goals -1 form concepts and hypotheses, make obser- I vations and measurements, build models I 5. Uc:ailed Statenenr and Scope of and theories, provide explanations, and the PFoblern make predictions. Methodology aids the planner in understanding and undertaking the process of scientific inquiry by which he develops a plan3 The planning process is an organized sequence of steps requiring I 7. Uake Forecasts Contingent On I Alternative Proposals I conscious and continuous action. I I The methodology described here is + !. I I oriented toward the planner whose con- 8. E-lUete adRank Alt=r"a"ve t--.~-~ Proposals I cern lies primarily with preparing a master I + I1 overall plan that takes into account all I t 9. C~OESFBest Pro?osal 1 major social and physical factors of out- -It door recreation development planning. i These factors are intimately related to the + 10. P~paremaster Plar. of Best methodology of planning. Examples of P-oposel where and how some of these factors fit into the methodology are given in the planning steps outlined in this paper. The master planner shodd not be bur- dened with the "nitty-gritty" concerns of specialists (e.g., the color to paint picnic tables, the composition of materials for road pavement, or recreation activity pro- gramming for weekend campers), for these tasks are performed only after a master plan has been prepared. He must, however, recognize that extent to which The planner may enter the process at these concerns affect the deveIopment of any of several steps. If the planner's task the master plan. encompasses all the steps in the process, he ma begin with step 1. planningf some- one else in t Ke political decision-making I STEPS IN THE PLANNING PROCESS4 hierarchy (e.g., the director of the agency within which the planner is employed) Figure 1 shows an organized sequence of has actually initiated the planning process steps in the Planning process. Heavy arrows to the point of semng goals for recreation (+) show the order in which the steps development (see steps 1 to 4), the planner, are performed. Dashed arrows (- - +) because he must frequently accept the show some of the major feedback linkages directives of his superiors, would begin his between steps, that is, interdependencies analysis with a detailed statement and between each step and preceding steps. scope of the problem (step 5). In situations where each step in the planning process is 2. Inventories of the existing natural and performed by different individuals or man-made features of the planned agencies, the importance of performing all recreation area. the steps in figure 1 in an organized and 3. The supply of existing recreational op integrated sequence cannot be overem- portunities on the planned recreation phasized. area. 4. The supply of recreational and other Step 0. Collect and Evaluate Data opportunities of other recreation areas and Reduce Them to Usable and and the local community. Meaningful Fwms 5. The methods for increasing the supply The use of adequate data is an absolute of recreational opportunities on the necessity for sound planning. But data planned area. frequently are not available, coordinated, 6. The consumption of recreational op- up-to-date, or in usable forms. In addition, portunities - present consumption lev- data related to personal values are difficult els, future consumption levels, and to interpret. models to determine consumption Sources of available data are many and levels. varied. In addition to data generated and 7. Supply-consumption relations. possessed by the planning agency itself 8. Land-use patterns surrounding the (e.g., from household surveys, on-site sur- planned recreation area. veys, and inventories of the supply of rec- reational opportunities), many other in- 9. Site-planning data. formational (data) sources exist. 10. The impacts of recreation develop Federal, regional state, and local gov- ments on local and regional communi- ernmental agencies have a broad base of ties-economic impacts on the private data-for example, that possessed by census sector and on local governments, im- bureaus and agencies concerned with eco- pacts on other recreation areas, and nomic development, transportation, re- social impacts on local communities. search and development, social services, 11. The relations between recreation de- soil conservation, civil engineering, and velopment planning and management parks and recreation. Quasi-governmental planning-management to control rec- agencies such as public utilities almost al- reationists' use of the planned area, ways have information on the spatial dis- management of all the natural and tribution and socio-economic characteris- man-made features of the area, water tics of local populations. Information about resource management, promotional specific aspects of recreation planning can policies, pubIic relations, etc. also be acquired from colleges and uni- 12. Data on financial planning. versities and their cooperative extension Data should be evaluated for their ac- services. Private businesses in recreation and curacy and importance and should be in- related industries can also provide valuable terpreted and reduced to usable and information. Planning documents for other meaningful forms that will faditate recreation areas can provide insights into pm- paring the master plan. Data mtbe in- the planning problem at hand. tegrated into and wed throughout the Many types of data and the relationships planning process. among them prove relevant for planning. Data are needed for all the major social and physical factors to consider, in outdoor Step I. Awareness of NZaed recreation development planning. The fol- The actual planning process begins with lowing list identifies the types of data an awareness of a need for planning. This needed: need uhimately stems from a community's6 1. The institutional and social semng of dissatisfaction with existing and planned the planning process. recreational opportunities. That is, the community has a "felt difficulty" or "need" 3. To provide an objective look at prob- based upon the difference between the lems that had previously been marters existing situation and some ideil situation. of conjecture. At this step in the planning process, the need is frequently not clearly stated. But a 4. To give initial direction to the whole need is expressed to the planning process. community or by 5. To identify the problem as potentially or organizational actionable, that is, to formulate possible of course, may be the first person to rec- and realizable solutions to the problem. ognize such a need. 6. To postulate future courses .of action on the planning problem. Step 2. Summarize Existing ~itudtion A general summary and history of the Step 4. Establish and Evaluate existing situation provides the background Values and Goals8 for a clear awareness of the need for plan- The process of establishing and evaluat- ning and for an explicit statement of the ing values and goals cannot be taken too problem.