ADVOCACY
Advocating in Challenging Times OAK urges states to support Every Kid Outdoors in State Parks Campaign By Jackie Ostfeld and Paul Sanford
W
e are living in strange and difficult times. At the Outdoors Alliance for Kids (OAK), we know this international pandemic is challenging for everyone. Physical distancing and sheltering in place are particularly difficult for people who know the value of spending time outdoors with friends and family. OAK believes strongly in our collective responsibility to do our part to minimize the impacts of COVID-19. That’s why OAK’s advocates, including NRPA, have embraced physical distancing and minimized our face-to-face interactions. As a result of these challenging circumstances, we are finding new ways to do the work of advocating for getting more kids outdoors. To be clear, our work continues. Even as we join efforts to reduce the spread of this disease, we are preparing for the day when we can all emerge from our homes and begin enjoying the outdoors again with people we care about.
22 Parks & Recreation
| M AY 2 02 0 | PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N .O R G
Outdoor Recreation Habits Declining We do this work with renewed conviction because evidence suggests the need has never been greater. Earlier this year, the Outdoor Foundation released its annual outdoor participation report. Overshadowed by recent events, this report tracks the outdoor recreation habits of Americans, and the 2019 results were particularly dire. Little more than half of individuals in the United States went on a single outing over the course of the year. Less than 18 percent got outdoors even once per week. These figures are striking, but the statistics for young people are of the greatest concern. On average,
kids went on 15 percent fewer annual outings in 2018 than they did in 2012. While participation on outings increased among Latino youth, two things stayed constant: youth participation outdoors remained overwhelmingly white, and total youth participation continued going down. The steady decline in youth activity should be particularly concerning, as youth participation is a strong indicator of future activity as an adult. In fact, adults who were active outdoors during childhood are twice as likely to be active in adulthood. In other words, a kid who does not get outdoors early in life is unlikely to do so later. But, why aren’t kids going outdoors? Part of the reason is the availability of other entertainment. Television, video games and other electronic media offer today’s kids a virtual world at their fingertips. Another reason is a lack of access. Fewer than half of all U.S. residents live within walking distance of a park. What’s more, a lack of quality public transportation makes it incredibly difficult for individuals — and especially families — to get to a park. And, parking, entrance and other fees can quickly make a trip to a park costprohibitive for working-class families.
Every Kid Outdoors in State Parks Campaign Since its formation in 2010, OAK has worked to make the outdoors more accessible to kids and families. One of our greatest achievements was supporting the development of the Every Kid in a Park pass. Established
