Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Minutes of 2019 Annual Meeting (April 6 - 7, 2019, Hotel Annapolis, Annapolis, MD)

Attendees:

• Kelley Bricker - University of Utah
• Peter Fix - University of Alaska, Fairbanks (chair);
• Lincoln Larsen – North Carolina State University
• Kristi Lekies, The Ohio State University
• Kathy Scholl - University of Northern Iowa
• Taylor Stein - University of Florida
• Keith Tidball - Cornell University

9:00:      Welcome & meeting charge

9:10:      Introductions

9:20:      Reviewed 2018 minutes other NE1962 documents

Reviewed project objectives on NE1962.  

1. Groundwork development needs to move forward on future multistate project

• Looking for projects versus having our focus creating proposal.
• Setting up our own profile for grant PDF database where we can get possible RFPs
• Develop general guidelines for PI
• Develop general task for sub-award member
  • setting up grant alerts for NE1962 specific grant RFPs (e.g., SPIN; National Science Foundation; Grant Resources Center - aascu.org/grc)
  • possible key words for grant searches: recreation (benefits); resilience, social-ecological systems, climate change, perception of risk, recreation substitutions
• Have updated member information on NE1962 website that are needed for grant submission
  • Resume
  • 2-page bio-sketch with areas of expertise
  • Current and pending support including conflicts of interest
• Develop systematic way for grant proposal communication among NE1962
• Have available for members the language to include in NE1962 publications that indicate work is associated with NE1962.

2. Create a means for NE1962 as a clearing house for publications

3. Membership and recruitment
   • Get NE1962 poster updated – Kristi Lekies
   • Collaboration, replication to have bigger impact beyond regional level
   • Reconnect with agency staff and past members
   • Publicizing the project to professional organization thru conference meeting
   • Recruit members – graduate students, faculty, state level people
   • Connect with other related organizations such as the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) that is also looking at related measures such as Connection to Nature, other similar groups

4. Develop a White paper
   • NE1962 three objective have interrelated connections

10:00:    Identify potential large scale collaborative activities

1. Review Grant Databases

• Spent time reviewing NSF grant database.

11:00am Break

11:15am Development of potential collaborative research projects

12:45pm: Working Lunch

2:15pm: Continue discussion for barriers to NE1962

• Get a clear understanding for funding that are tag to NE1962
• Get Fred Servello’s input if our proposed activities are on the right track to make sure that NE1962 is considered successful
• Identify the methods that funding comes to HATCH (25% is Multistate funds)
• Who is receiving
• Funding from various PI differ
• Reviewed listed NE1962 participants and discussed about incentivizing individuals to participate. Reach out to these individuals and explain reason to participate.
  • Send out NE1962 reporting form to participants
  • Include items that participants need to contribute
• Reaching out to policy makers with our specific work with helpful information for these agencies

3:00pm:      Develop a White paper – possible topics

• Campus Green Space
• Visitor Assessment in OFM
• Measurements of Well-being
• Social – ecological systems thinking

3:45pm: Individual presentations – presentations by researchers on work related to NE1962 proposal

• Peter Fix - University of Alaska, Fairbanks
  • BLM – Outcome focused management – gather existing data – REP scales; H8321 handbook includes various benefits. Factor analysis of different study sites. Which item measure similar themes.
  • Other data sets – Benefits questions analyzed from different wording and the effects on outcome (e.g. family bonding) 4^th visitor received old version; other three visitors received new wording version of question. 350 surveys collected.

• Taylor Stein - University of Florida
  • Recreation and conservation – visitor participation/monitoring
  • Surveys – FL natural scenic trails data (REP scales); demographic changes are occurring; physical benefits motivators are increasing. Community benefits are also changing
  • Visitor assessment of aquatic preserve - visitor participation/monitoring, (REP scales); Sense of Place
  • Community Benefits – Hillsborough Co. Focus groups
  • Michigan Trail Study, Traverse City – Benefits of Trails; interviews with health care professionals and Businesses
    
• Kathy Scholl - University of Northern Iowa
  • Campus green spaces and its effect on college students health and well-being
  • Nature setting typologies: indoor, urban, fringe, production landscapes, wilderness/wildlands, and specific species.
  • Attention Restoration Theory (ART) initial research indicated that indoor, urban and fringe nature typologies influence “attentional recovery” or clearing one’s mind from fatigue, and Production and wildland nature typography influence “reflection” on one’s priorities, goals and place in the overall scheme of things.
  • Currently investigating exposure to green space effect on hedonic and eudemonia well-being outcomes (experiences and functioning). Possibly using Connections to Nature Scale as a moderating variable, which has been shown to correlate with psychological resilience.
  • Also looking at exposure to daylight effect on depression. Looking into WHO5, PHQ-9, I-WELL as possible dependent variables

• Kristi Lekies, The Ohio State University

  • Adolescents and young adults:  Currently starting a research study of long-term impacts of an outdoor adventure recreation-based youth development program.  The study will include follow-up interviews with up to 36 individuals from a 2007 study, who are now in their late 20’s and early 30’s.  The program is based in Cleveland and engages urban youth.  Additionally, group interviews will be held with adolescents currently enrolled in the program, allowing an opportunity to identify key program elements and the impacts of programming and staff changes.

  • At-risk youth:  A scoping review is underway to identify studies that have examined the impacts of nature-based interventions on at-risk youth.  Over 600 studies have been identified for review.

  • Youth water education:  Working with Extension faculty and staff on identifying programs across the Midwestern states focused on youth water education, along with gaps and barriers.  A survey was sent to Extension educators and community partners in nine states.

  • Evaluation of USDA-NIFA research activities related to farmer decision making:  1) weed management on organic farms and 2) agricultural practices related to changing climate/weather patterns in the Eastern Corn Belt.

  • A future project may include examining the impacts of nature photography on youth in residential treatment.

  • Published a co-edited book, The Sage Handbook of Outdoor Play and Learning, in 2017.

• Keith Tidball - Cornell University
  • Wounded Warriors (PTSD and other injuries) – hunting and fishing domains; landscape benefits/REARS/Kellert / Qual and Quant work
  • Place attachment and Icons (veterans) – place drives attachment (mountains, loons, pine trees, moose as driver)
  • Citizen Science to locate heritage strain of brook trout -

5:00:      Adjourn meeting

Evening:  Dinner for those interested

Sunday, April 7

9:00am: Next meeting location and dates

• NEER in Annapolis, MD (about the first weekend in April)
• Invite NIFA rep (Eric Norland) to attend or have a zoom connection/webinar. Also let Eric know about the NE1962 book proposal. Tyler will reach out to Eric
• Have a NE1962 presentation and poster set-up

• 2019-2020 chair – Peter Fix
  • Action to reach out to current participants who have not attended meeting recently
    • Contact and resend current NE1962 proposal include update about our next meeting
    • Make sure that Multistate 1962 is in the title of the email to current participants
  • Once we have the product proposal, reach out to past meeting participants
  • Kristi will redo poster
  • NE1962 Reports are due to Jasmine Shaw by April 22, 2019 (jdshaw2@alaska.edu) Final report to be submitted by May 6, 2019.
    

9:20am: Further conversation on developing a White paper

Task for edited volume

• Reorganize proposal into a white paper format. Review minutes
• Overall idea: Transformative Power of Outdoor Recreation

Original Themes: Health and Well-being

• Environmental literacy/Stewardship
• Resilience and Community Vibrancy

Possible 4th theme: Diversity and equity

Possible Framework

• More than activity, now community change and other changes in paradigm thinking.
• State of science and update
• Case study that tells a story to contextualize

Next steps

• Edited volume or a special issue. Need a team of at least two people or  3 co-editors around themes
• Peter – Co-Editor
• Keith – Co-Editor
• Lincoln – Co-Editor
• Others committed to assist – Kathy Scholl, Tyler, Kristi, Kelly

Reach out to publishing company to pitch idea

• Keith will contact Springer, Margaret Diegnan
• Kelly will contact Sagamore – Peter Bannon

Next Meeting specific about Edited Volume:

• Report back in April 29, noon EST. Meeting by Zoom

11:00:   Adjourn

Minutes submitted by Kathy Scholl

Objective 1: Demonstrate and expand the evidence for the role of park and outdoor recreation services in promoting physical activity and associated preventative health benefits, particularly among youth, as well as constraints to this activity

• Scholl’s research focuses the bi-directional relationship between human interactions with our environment, specifically exploring the human dimensions of socio-biological resiliency and the psychological, sociological and therapeutic benefits of nature and green space design. She has studied how natural landscapes are an attention-restoration and resiliency asset. Her investigations explore how green influences attentional capacity and other aspects of health and well-being. This research also exposes our sense of environmental identify and how to more acutely inform our strategies for sustainability and resiliency.
• Wilhelm Stanis engaged in four funded research studies related to objective 1. These produced corresponding presentations, publications, and student advising. Several additional publications were developed but not completed during the reporting period. In addition, she taught an undergraduate course (parks, health and wellness) related to this objective.
• Fix and associates continued work on the Public Lands Recreation Research Partnership (PLRRP), a partnership of researchers that focus on assisting the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in identifying beneficial outcomes associated with recreation. The PLRRP completed 7 project reports from pilot projects at BLM-managed lands near Missoula, MT (including hunters, winter recreationists and summer visitors a historic site) and at the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, near Las Cruces, New Mexico. A new project at the Cross Bar Ranch BLM-managed area, outside of Amarillo, TX, was initiated. That project will assist the BLM in developing a recreation management plan for what was formerly the National Helium Reserve. Focus groups with local community members were conducted. Data from previous conducted outcomes-focused management studies are being aggregated to allow for meta-analysis of trends.
• University of Florida researchers continued to conduct recreation and conservation visitor participation/monitoring. This included an assessment of visitor benefits in Hillsborough County, Florida. The Stein group determined that demographics on Florida Natural Scenic Trails are changing, physical benefit motivations are increasing, and community benefits are changing. The Stein research group is also conducting interviews with health care professionals and businesses in the Traverse City, MI area as part of a Michigan trails study.

Objective 2: Demonstrate and expand the evidence for the role of park and outdoor recreation services in promoting environmental literacy among youth, and document the long-term influences of early lifespan connections with nature.

• Lekies Project 1: "Understanding Long-Term Participation in Youth Development Programs" will examine impacts of participation in an outdoor adventure recreation program for urban youth. Planning is underway for the study which will include interviews with adolescents as well as past participants now in their late 20's and early 30's. Topics will cover connection to nature, comfort in outdoor settings, outdoor recreation activities, peer and adult relationships, and impacts of the program on decision-making, education and career choices, and mental and physical health.
• Lekies Project 2: "Determining the Gaps in Youth Water Education in the North Central Region." A survey was conducted with Agricultural and Natural Resource Extension Educators and community partners about youth water education programs, barriers to programming, ages of youth served, and resources needed. Conducted in collaboration with Extension faculty and educators in the North Central region.

Objective 3: Demonstrate and expand the evidence for the role of park and outdoor recreation services in promoting community vibrancy and resilience.

• The Bricker group is engaged in one funded research study related to objective 3. This produced corresponding presentations, publications, and student advising. Several additional publications were developed but not completed during the reporting period. They have been working on a 4-year veteran project to understand the impact of a 4-day river experience on veterans experiencing PTSD. In addition, they are working on elements relative to food justice and leisure, and benefit sharing from nature-based tourism and recreation in and near protected areas.
• Researchers at Cornell University used citizen science to locate a heritage strain of brook trout. The research group also continues to look at outdoor recreation as a therapeutic tool for Wounded Warriors (including PTSD and other injuries). Fishing and hunting have been examined with respect to landscape benefits. This research group has also been taking a unique look at place attachment, using veterans and as study subjects.

Training, professional development, and information dissemination

Objective 1: preventive health benefits

• Groshong, L., Wilhelm Stanis, S.A., & Morgan, M. (2018, April). Perceptions of climate-change related health threats among engaged park users. Oral presentation at the National Environment and Recreation Research Symposium, Annapolis, MD.
• Besenyi, G.M., Denson, S., Wilhelm Stanis, S.A., & Kaczynski, A.T. (2018, February). Active living and chronic disease: Exploring associations between parks and asthma. Poster presentation at the Active Living Research Annual Conference, Banff, Canada.
• Schultz, C., Wilhelm Stanis, S.A., & Sayers, S. (2018, February). The impact of a signalized crosswalk on community behavior: A four-year study. Poster presentation at the Active Living Research Annual Conference, Banff, Canada.
• Wilhelm Stanis, S.A. (2017, November). The role of parks and public spaces in public health. Presentation at the 2017 Greenway Symposium, St. Louis, MO.
• Two graduate students at UAF worked on thesis projects related to this objective.

Objective 2: environmental literacy and connections with nature

• Lekies, K. (2018, August). Hands-on Nature: Rocks, Shells, and Other Fascinating Items that Children Collect. Pedagogical Short Talk at the European Early Childhood Education Research Association conference, Budapest, Hungary.
• Lekies, K. (2018, April). Environment and childhood. Panelist at Time for Change Week Discussion on Health, Wellness, and Sustainability, The Ohio State University.
• Lekies, K. (2018, February). Examining risk and opportunity in the environments of children and youth. Presentation at the Seminar in Environmental Health Sciences, Public Health 7899, The Ohio State University.

Objective 3: Community vibrancy and resilience

• Ojewola, O., Morgan, M., & Wilhelm Stanis, S.A. (2018, August). A Qualitative Approach to Climate Change Resilience: Park Mangers Perceptions in the Midwestern United States. Oral presentation at the 4th World Congress on Climate Change and Global Warming, Osaka, Japan.
• Groshong, L., Wilhelm Stanis, S.A., Morgan, M. (2018, June). Human vs. Natural Causation of Climate Change: Some Perspectives from Missouri State Park Visitors. Oral presentation at the International Symposium on Society and Resource Management, Snowbird, Utah.
• Groshong, L., Wilhelm Stanis, S.A., & Morgan, M. (2018, April). Perceptions of climate-change related health threats among engaged park users. Oral presentation at the National Environment and Recreation Research Symposium, Annapolis, MD.

Objective 1: preventive health benefits

• Besenyi, G.M., Schooley, B.L., Turner-McGrievy, G., Wilcox, S., Wilhelm Stanis, S.A., & Kaczynski, A.T. (2018). The electronic community Park Audit Tool (eCPAT) Project: Exploring the use of mobile technology for youth empowerment and advocacy for healthy community policy, systems, and environmental change. Frontiers in Public Health, 6, 332.
• Casey, T. T., Virden, R. J., Fix, P. J., & Garcia, R. A. (2018). Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument Outcomes-Focused Management (OFM) Recreation Focus Group Study, 2016 - 2017. Project report for the Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument. BLM PLRRP Report #2. Grand Junction, Colorado: Colorado Mesa University, Natural Resource Center, Department of Social and Behavioral Science.
• Casey T. T., Virden, R. J., Fix, P. J., & Garcia, R. A. (2018). Missoula, MT BLM Field Office Outcomes-Focused Management (OFM) Recreation Focus Group Study, 2017 - 2018. Project report for the BLM Missoula Field Office. BLM PLRRP Report #7. Grand Junction, Colorado: Colorado Mesa University, Natural Resource Center, Department of Social and Behavioral Science.
• Fix, P. J., Brooks, J. J., & Harrington, A. M. (2018). Achieving goals and making meanings: Toward a unified model of recreational experience. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 23, 16-25.
• Fix, P. J., Brown, C., Virden, R. J., & Casey, T. T. (2018). Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument Outcomes-Focused Management (OFM) Recreation Study, Spring 2017. Project report for the BLM Las Cruces District Office. BLM PLRRP Report #3. Fairbanks, Alaska: University of Alaska Fairbanks, School of Natural Resources and Extension, Department of Natural Resources Management.
• Fix, P. J., Covelli Metcalf, E., Virden, R. J., & Casey, T. T. (2018). Garnet Winter Recreation Area Winter 2017 OFM Study. Project report for the BLM Missoula Field Office. BLM PLRRP Report #4. Fairbanks, Alaska: University of Alaska Fairbanks, School of Natural Resources and Extension, Department of Natural Resources Management.
• Fix, P. J., Covelli Metcalf, E., Virden, R. J., Casey, T. T., & Garcia, R. A. (2018). Blackfoot and Marcum-Kershaw Mountains Block Management Areas Outcomes-Focused Management (OFM) Recreation Study, Fall 2017. Project report for the BLM Missoula Field Office. BLM PLRRP Report #8. Fairbanks, Alaska: University of Alaska Fairbanks, School of Natural Resources and Extension, Department of Natural Resources Management.
• Fix, P. J., Covelli Metcalf, E., Virden, R. J., Casey, T. T., & Garcia, R. A. (2018). Garnet Ghost Town Outcomes-Focused Management (OFM) Recreation Study, Summer 2017. Project report for the BLM Missoula Field Office. BLM PLRRP Report #6. Fairbanks, Alaska: University of Alaska Fairbanks, School of Natural Resources and Extension, Department of Natural Resources Management.
• Paudyal, R. ; Stein, T.V.; Ober, H.K.; Swisher, M.E.; Jokela, E.J.; and Adams, D.C. (2018). Recreationists’ Perceptions of Scenic Beauty and Satisfaction at a Public Forest Managed for Endangered Wildlife. Forests. 241(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/f9050241
• Scholl, K. & Betrabet-Gulwadi, G. (2018). College Campus Landscapes within a Learning Ecosystem. Planning for Higher Education Journal, 46 (2), 1-15.
• Gallerani, D.G., Besenyi, G.B., Wilhelm Stanis, S.A. & Kaczynski, A.T. (2017). “We actually care and we want to make the parks better": Youth experiences, changes and perceptions as community advocates. Preventive Medicine, 95, S109-S114.
• Groshong, L., Wilhelm Stanis, S.A., Kaczynski, A.T., Hipp, J.A. & Besenyi, G.M. (2017). Exploring attitudes, perceived norms, and personal agency: Insights into theory-based messages to encourage park-based physical activity in low-income urban neighborhoods. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 14(2), 108-116.
• Keith, N., Baskin, M.L., Wilhelm Stanis, S.A., & Sallis, J.F. (2017). The 2016 Active Living Research Conference: Equity in Active Living. Preventive Medicine, 95, S1-S3.
• Schultz, C.L., Wilhelm Stanis, S.A., Sayers, S.P & Thomas, I.M. (2017). A longitudinal examination of improved access on park use and physical activity in an underserved neighborhood park. Preventive Medicine, 95, S95-S100.
• Whiting, J. A., Larson, L. R. Green, G. T., & Kralowec, C. (2017). Outdoor recreation motivation and site preferences across diverse racial/ethnic groups: A case study of Georgia State Parks. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 18, 10-21. doi: 1016/j/jort.2017.02.001

Objective 2: environmental literacy and connections with nature

• Schultz, C.L., Wilhelm Stanis, S.A., Sayers, S.P & Thomas, I.M. (2017). A longitudinal examination of improved access on park use and physical activity in an underserved neighborhood.

Objective 3: Community vibrancy and resilience

• Bricker, K. (2018). “Positioning Sustainable Tourism: Humble Placement of a Complex Enterprise.” Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, Vol. 36, Number 1, 2018, pp. 208-214.
• Groshong, L., Wilhelm Stanis, S.A., & Morgan, M. (2018). Climate Change Impacts in Missouri State Parks: Perceptions from Engaged Park Users. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 14, 11-20.
• Stanis, Wilhelm, S.A., Morgan, M., Li, C., Groshong, L., Ojewola, O., Balasubrmanyam, V., & Khadka, A. (2018). Perceptions of Climate Change in Missouri State Parks: Visitors, Employees & Interpreters. Brief Report. Technical Report. Columbia, MO: School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri.
• Dustin, D., Tysor, D., Bricker, K., & Brownlee, M. (2017). “Warriors on Cataract.” River Management Society Journal, Vol. 30, Number 3, 2017, pp. 1, 4-9.
• Harris, B., Larson, L. R., & Ogletree, S. (2017). Different views from the 606: Impacts of an elevated linear trail on crime in Chicago. Environment & Behavior. doi: 10.1177/0013916517690197
• Joshi, O., Poudyal, N., & Larson, L. (2017). The influence of socio-political, natural, and cultural factors on international tourism growth: a cross-country panel analysis. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 19(3), 825-838. doi: 10.1007/s10668-016-9767-x
• Larson, L. R., Lauber, T. B., & Kay, D. L. (2017). Local government capacity to respond to environmental change: Insights from towns in New York State. Environmental Management, 60(1), 118-135. doi: 10.1007/s00267-017-0860-1
• Larson, L. R., Usher, L. E., & Chapmon, T. (2017). Surfers as environmental stewards: Understanding place-protecting behavior at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Leisure Sciences. doi: 10.1080/01490400.2017.1305306
• Siemer, W. F., Larson, L. R, Decker, D. J., Stedman, R. C., Cooper, C., Doyle-Capitman, C., & Seekamp, E. (2017). Measuring complex connections between conservation and recreation: an overview of key indicators (pp. 47). Human Dimensions Research Unit Publication Series 17-3. Ithaca, NY: Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University. NY. Available at: https://ecommons.cornell.edu/bitstream/handle/1813/48206/HDRU%2017-3%20%20Measuring%20complex%20connections%20between%20conservation%20and%20recreation.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y