Cover Page

Contents

Preface
Letter

SECTION I

Orientation
Summary

SECTION II

History
Needs
Geography
Historic Sites
Competitors
Economic Aspects

SECTION III

Federal Lands
State and Interstate
Local

SECTION IV

Division of Responsibility
Local
State
Federal
Circulation

SECTION V

Educational Opportunities

Flora and Fauna

Flora and fauna provide the living interest without which no area is recreationally complete. Assume an area—if such a thing were possible—which is recreationally complete as to topography, water resources, and climatic factors, but which is without plant and animal life, and then judge the value of this area as a recreation ground. The mental picture created gives a plain answer to the question implied.

Though the importance of flora to a park area is abundantly recognized in the effort and money which are expended for the purpose of establishing and maintaining the floral elements of city parks, there is frequently evidenced a paradoxical disregard of the floral constituents of outlying parks whose chief value lies in their unspoiled condition. Yet of the two types, the natural flora is the most sensitive and the most difficult to restore when it has been abused.

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Forests.—Forests and wooded areas provide great opportunity for recreational use. They offer cool, shady retreats for escape from summer heat. Birds and game animals are abundant in these vicinities. Woods enrich scenic values and have a rich botanic interest.

The forest regions of the United States may be divided into the following principal groups:

Eastern forests.

Northern forest.
Central hardwood forest.
Southern forest.
Tropical forest.

Western forests.

Rocky Mountain forest.
Pacific coast forest.

The presence of some forest growth is almost as basic, and as widely recognized, an element in selection of land for recreational use as topographic variety, water, and favorable climate. Fortunately for the task of providing recreation for the densely populated Atlantic coast and Great Lakes sections, these are regions of persistent and luxurious tree growth. Where tree growth is abundant, areas of relatively small size may still have a high recreational use value. A 20-acre tract of eastern hardwoods would make a valuable recreational area, whereas an average 20-acre tract in the treeless plains and desert regions of the West would, in all likelihood, be a useless recreational unit. In the city of Washington, for instance, there are hundreds of vacant lots which have a real recreational value because of the trees which flourish on them.

Plant Life in General.—The value of attractive vegetative covering is too well known to need detailed discussion. In addition to the aesthetic enjoyment arising from colorful wild flower displays and the restful effects of green vegetation of all forms, much entertainment is had by those who sojourn in the woods to gather edible berries and nuts, pick mushrooms, and so on.

Certain vegetative types have exceptional recreational value because of their unique characteristics. Notable among these are the cacti of the southern deserts, and the interesting plant inhabitants of the southern swamps.

Fauna.—In the geography of recreation, the variety, abundance, and distribution of fauna are important factors. For consideration here it is useful to consider the large and small forms of wildlife separately.

Small birds and mammals, originally widely distributed, have in general maintained their populations very well in the face of pressure of civilization. Many of them, in fact, particularly birds, have profited by the environmental changes which man has induced. Los Angeles, Calif., for instance, is abundant in bird life, because of the extensive garden developments, and the presence of these birds adds materially to the recreational values which are to be found today within the limits of the city proper. On the negative side there are a few of the smaller species which are destructive of recreational values. In the city of Alameda, Calif., alarm clocks were resorted to in an effort to disperse an objectionable colony of black crowned night herons. In the city of Washington toy balloons are the current weapon in a campaign against starlings. On the whole, however, it must be recognized that the smaller forms of native wildlife, particularly the birds, add materially to the value of the smallest recreational area, such as a downtown park or residence garden.

The larger wildlife species, including big game, require large areas of their native habitat, if they are to survive. There is no big game or wildlife area in this country which is free from the cumulative encroachments of agriculture, the persistent pressure of hunters and trappers, and the combined voices of special interests. Therefore, wildlife reservations must be established, and wildlife management practiced where wildlife can exist, regardless of local pressure or remoteness from centers of population.

Hunting is of great recreational importance. The lack of quarry to hunt would be a tremendous loss. Big game in the United States today is largely restricted to the Western States, and to the Territory of Alaska.

Fishing is one of the leading, if not the greatest, of American outdoor recreational activities. In the past the best fishing has been found in the most remote places, and this condition is likely to continue for some time to come, in spite of the remarkable improvements in fish cultural methods and the increasing extent to which they are being applied.

Thus, it may be seen that wildlife is another of the recreational factors which exerts a "pull" on population.

Conclusions

While all of these factors have an important bearing on recreation from a national viewpoint, they have an equally important recreation significance considered from a regional, State, county, or metropolitan viewpoint, the principal difference being that the range of choice progressively decreases as the area under consideration is contracted. Other things being equal, that area, whether national park, regional park, State park, or metropolitan park, which has favorable natural factors of the highest order available within the area to be served, will exert the strongest "pull" and will tend to the greatest extent to refute the validity of any scheme which is based on a regular pattern of distribution.

Mentally superimposing upon one another these maps showing relief, forest types, temperatures, precipitation, etc., and viewing the result in the light of the principles of administrative responsibility, we are led to several conclusions:

1. That there is a seasonal shifting in the utilization of recreational areas.

2. That the centers of population and the recreational areas (i. e., those with a congenial interplay of natural factors) seldom coincide.

3. That this lack of coincidence of recreational needs with natural recreational resources, coupled with the seasonal shifting in the utility of these resources, indicates the desirability of a national husbanding of recreational resources. In other words, the "migratory" character of these recreational resources makes them the property of the Nation, and strongly indicates that there should be a national recreational system.

Last Modified: Fri, Sep. 5, 2003 10:32:22 am PDT
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