Youth Participation in the Outdoors
Get Outside! Start at NOC Gatlinburg.
| As Gatlinburg's outdoor activity center, NOC Gatlinburg offers a diverse range of affordable, family-oriented outdoor activities in the Smokies. As part of NOC's statement of purpose, it is our goal to increase youth participation in outdoor activities. NOC Gatlinburg offers access to adventures and opportunities for young people to have a fun, memorable experience in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. |
The Outdoor Industry Association released a study in 2009 on participation in recreational activity in the U.S. The study shows the importance of inspiring young people:
- The number of outdoor outings declined by 30% from 2000 to 2005.
- Visits to national parks grew steadily until 1987, peaking at an average of 1.2 visits a person per year. By ‘03, the number of people visiting those parks dropped by 25%.
- Among boys ages 6 to 12, participation in outdoor recreation dropped from 79% to 72% in 2007.
- Among girls of the same age, participation dropped from 77% to 61%. This drop, concerning in and of itself, opened a significant gap between the participation rates of boys and girls ages 6 to 12 - 72% to 61%.
- In 2006, participation in outdoor activities among these two groups were nearly equal - 79% for boys and 77% for girls.
*Data from 2008 Outdoor Industry Association Report
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