The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between family downhill skiing patterns and family functioning. The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES II), was used to measure family functioning. Questions created by the researcher were used to measure the average number of family ski experiences per year (frequency) and how many years the family has skied together (duration). Satisfaction with family ski experiences was measured using the Satisfaction with Family Skiing Scale. The sample consisted of 110 family units from throughout the United States. The findings from this study found that frequency and duration of family ski experiences were not significant predictors of family functioning. The data did determine that satisfaction with family ski experiences was a significant predictor of family functioning from the youth, parent, and family perspectives.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the benefits of outdoor pursuits, people with disabilities engage in recreation less frequently and with less variety when compared to able-bodied peers. Waypoint Adventure, a non-profit organization, facilitates outdoor adventure programs for adults and youth with a range of disabilities. The organization is revising its program evaluation process to document outcomes that are meaningful to participants and communicate the benefits of programs to funders and other stakeholders. OBJECTIVE: Utilize principles of Universal Design for Learning and activity analysis to create and implement a program evaluation process that is accessible and feasible for use by an adaptive recreation organization. ACTIVITIES: A needs assessment was conducted to identify outcomes, stakeholders, and current program evaluation processes. Drawing upon evidence regarding cognitive accessibility design features, an accessible survey was created to measure participant outcomes. Data from cognitive interviews was used to revise the survey to address accessibility and increase response rates. Additional products include a Program Evaluation Manual, Program Evaluation Kit, and two surveys to elicit perspectives from parents and teachers. OUTCOMES: The new program evaluation process was pilot tested over a one-month period. During 18 outdoor programs, 79 survey responses were collected, representing 61% of all participants. Staff satisfaction with the program evaluation process improved in all dimensions measured. CONCLUSION: Integrating principles of Universal Design for Learning and activity analysis was an effective approach to improve the accessibility and efficacy of program evaluation for an adaptive recreation organization.

This thesis examines the racial power imbalances that exists within the outdoor recreation industry. Despite participation rates being quantified, limited research explores the lived experiences and perspective of people of color. In this study, I explore the socio-historical development of outdoor recreational spaces, existing environmental habitus and African Americans lived experiences in outdoor recreation. To emphasize the voice of the participants, twelve African American millennials were interviewed. Questions in the interviews revolved around their perception of outdoor recreation and personal experiences while participating in outdoor recreation. Three overarching themes emerged from their stories, i) the typology of outdoor recreation, ii) outdoor recreation as a White activity and, iii) the role of environmental trauma. Upon exploring these themes, the conclusion was made that the participants did connect the socio-historical development of outdoor recreational spaces, existing environmental habitus and their lived experiences in outdoor recreation. Their connection led me to the conclusion that the low participation rates of African Americans in outdoor recreation is a complicated social phenomena that is connected to multiple facets of oppression. I then broke these facets of oppression into three tiers, i), the construction and maintenance of outdoor recreation as a White activity, and the Whiteness that is embedded deeply within the outdoor recreation configuration, ii), the history of financial and economic marginalization that communities of color have endured in the United States and iii), the environmental trauma that African Americans have experienced in outdoor settings throughout American history. These three tiers together make the participation in outdoor recreation a different and complicated experience for African Americans.

No description available.

This dissertation examines four issues, including: (a) whether outdoor recreation experiences not included in the Recreation Experience Preference (REP) scales exist; (b) whether these experiences can be categorized using a framework called the Recreation Experience Matrix (REM); (c) how well the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) variables of activity, setting, and expertise explain the types of experiences outdoor recreationists receive; and (d) how well two new variables--primary mode and mode dependence--explain the types of experiences outdoor recreationists receive. In order to address these issues, an on-site questionnaire was distributed at Mount Rogers National Recreation Area in Virginia during October and November, 1995 A total of 410 people completed this questionnaire. Of these, 336 provided useable addresses for a follow-up mail-out questionnaire, with 169 (50.3%) actually returning it. After performing a variety of statistical analyses, it was found that: (a) some outdoor recreationists did report having non-REP experiences involving identity, cognition, absorption, and self-concept; (b) indirect support does exist for classifying outdoor recreation experiences using the REM framework; and (c) the ROS variables of activity, setting, and expertise, do explain some outdoor recreation experiences, as do the new variables of primary mode and mode dependence. / Ph. D.

Few wildlife-associated recreation models have examined the contributions of wildlife to recreation experiences. In this study, a mail questionnaire was used to examine the wildlife experiences enjoyed by hunters, birders, environmentalists, wildlife professionals, and forestry professionals. In addition, the study also compared the surveyed groups' socioeconomic characteristics, recreation activities, and organizational affiliations, as well as their perceptions concerning approaches to wildlife management, habitat issues, and the social values attributed to wildlife. While responses often differed according to populations, the surveyed groups enjoyed many of the same wildlife watching experiences and, if they hunted, many of the same hunting experiences. The subjects' outdoor recreation activities and organizational affiliations suggested that the populations' interests in wildlife varied according to primary/secondary- and consumptive/nonconsumptive-orientation. Groups sometimes viewed the social values attributed to wildlife differently, but ecological value of wildlife and the value of wildlife to the enjoyment of future generations were important to all groups surveyed. The social values important to subjects personally sometimes differed from the values they believed justified tax expenditures. Generally, both professional groups agreed with use of five wildlife management approaches, but viewed forest habitat issues differently. The user groups were divided about the use of hunting and timber harvesting to help manage some wildlife species and about the adequacy of forest lands in the Southeast U.S. to meet the needs of some species. The professional groups had similar socioeconomic backgrounds. User groups varied according to age, sex, community type, education, and occupation; however, the user groups had similar household incomes. / Master of Science

The purpose of this study was to field test a portion of the recreation quality theory: a conceptual framework which seeks to provide insight into the behavior of outdoor recreationists. Specifically, the inverse relationship of two variables which may affect the quality of outdoor recreation was examined. These were the force of motivation and the psychological distance to the user's destination in a recreation environment. Time spent hiking to the destination was considered a function of force, and physical distance was considered a function of the psychological distance to the destination. It was hypothesized that people who were able to accurately determine the distance remaining to the destination, as they were hiking along the trail, would arrive sooner than those who could not accurately determine the distance remaining to the destination. A map was used to provide users with information about· distances. The hiking times for 109 visitor groups at the Cascades Nature Trail in the Jefferson National Forest, Virginia were unobtrusively recorded between September 26 and November 7, 1976. Differences between the hiking times of groups were analyzed by means of Wilcoxon's Rank Sum Test, the Ansari-Bradley Dispersion Test, and the Moses Dispersion Test. The effects of changing environmental conditions were assessed by means of the Kruskal-Wallis Test for Multiple Comparisons, as well as by Wilcoxon's Rank Sum Test. This study provided evidence that supports the hypothesis proposed in the recreation quality theory, that an inverse relationship exists between the force of motivation and the psychological distance to a goal in a forested recreation environment. / Master of Science

This research examines the park site selection process in Virginia. This task was accomplished through personal interviews with parks and recreation professionals involved in the park site selection process. This information was augmented with an investigation into the site planning literature on capability/feasibility studies. The research focused on how parks and recreation departments determined recreation need, identified potential sites and evaluated those potential sites, hoping to find a common site selection process. The research identified a common site selection process in the literature but not in the field. Although a common site selection process was not identified, several common elements were identified for the site identification and evaluation portions of the processes. From the findings and the literature review, a site selection process has been outlined in the recommendations section of this paper. / Master of Landscape Architecture

Graduates of the Wilderness Education Association (W.E.A.) were surveyed by mail to investigate the effects of their certification on safety, ecological impact, and curriculum standardization of their subsequent leadership activities. Self-reports showed a slight, but not statistically significant, decrease in the number of post- W.E.A. course evacuations and rescues. Graduates reported a moderate W.E.A. influence on their accident records, and knowledge of W.E.A. standard safety practices was low. W.E.A.'s reported influence on the ecological impact of current outdoor leadership activities was stronger than its influence on safety, but graduates revealed only a moderate level of knowledge about ethical use practices. Graduates reported implementing a mean of 4.54 out of 16 W.E.A. curriculum areas into current programs. Thirty-three and one-half percent of the graduates reported not implementing any curriculum areas into current programs. W.E.A. graduates indicated that the course had the greatest influence on the implementation of their outdoor education curriculum areas which had previously not been highly standardized. Implications for certification of outdoor leaders are discussed. / Master of Science

Recognizing that a substantial portion of Blue Ridge Parkway visitation is made by the local population, this study was initiated as an effort to collect specific information on the characteristics of local Parkway use and to develop a demand model of local use based on the findings. The results should provide Parkway managers with information needed to more adequately serve the recreation needs of the local population. Most of the information presented in this study was collected during the fall of 1978 through use of a self-administered mail-back questionnaire which was sent to a random sample of people living in the 29 counties adjacent to the Parkway. Results are based on questionnaires received from 322 local residents. Additional information was also obtained from 44 other local residents interviewed by telephone. Development of the recreation demand model required much of the questionnaire data as well as data obtained from existing Parkway and Census Bureau publications. / Master of Science / Includes folder titled: Blue Ridge Parkway, published by GPO in 1976.