Nature just isn't as entertaining as it used to be, according to new research by Patricia Zaradic, an Environmental Leadership Program fellow in Bryn Mawr, and Oliver Pergams of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Their studies of Americans' recreational habits found a nearly 25 percent per capita decline in camping, fishing, hunting and visits to state and national parks since the mid-1980s.
You've coined the term "videophilia." What is it?
It's this increasing love and fascination that the American public has with electronic recreation—the Internet, e-mail, video games, DVDs, PDAs, podcasts.
How is videophilia linked to the decline in outdoor recreation?
What culturally has changed in the United States since the mid-80s? It's the Internet and our use of all these electronic media. Either our increase in sedentary, electronic recreation is directly responsible for our not going out into nature, or whatever is causing us to be so engaged in electronic recreation is also causing the decline.
A person also experiences the world through books—say, "bibliophilia." Perhaps there's A -philia for every generation.
Maybe. But there were 50 years of increasing outdoor recreation prior to 1987. "Bibliophilia," "TVphilia" and the like may have been taking us away from some activities but not from nature.
Is there anything to be said for substituting an electronic outdoors for the real thing?
A Web-cam view of the Grand Canyon isn't equivalent to standing amid all that majesty. If your primary relationship with nature is virtual, you may not realize how much of the experience you are missing and you might mistake the virtual for the real thing.
Some might argue it's not a bad idea to Stay Indoors and give nature a break.
The thing about that argument is that there's no benign neglect of nature. Due to budget cuts, California is considering closing down access to some state parks. So that's the start of what happens when we're not going out into nature: access to public green spaces will be decreased.
How might videophilia affect conservation efforts?
If people don't spend time with nature, they won't develop a relationship with it and be good stewards of it in the future. Going out into nature, particularly as a child, has the strongest impact on developing environmental consciousness as an adult.
Do you walk the talk?
I see huge benefits in my three young kids when we take them out for a couple of weeks on a canoe trip or other outdoor adventure without any electronic entertainment. They come back more well-centered, calm, able to focus on projects and work. My co-author, Oliver Pergams, also has three kids, and they spend July with no electronic anything at home. So we're pretty proactive. Parents might think, How can anything I provide compete with the Discovery Channel or "Meerkat Manor"?
My advice: just get out into nature.
This article is incredibly timely. There has never before been a more critical time in our country's history when we need to pull together our resources to affect change and help parents in introducing the outdoors to their children. Youth are our future and without children developing an understanding and appreciation for the outdoors, our country will be left without stewards. The Wildlife Society's research shows that 47% of all natural resource agency staff nationwide expect to retire by 2015, 77% of agency staff in leadership roles are also expected to retire by 2015. Yet, 2003 college enrollment levels in wildlife management programs are at 1980 levels and only 1 or 2 of 10 students are interested in agency positions (The Wildlife Society publication The Wildlife Professional, Spring 2007). Having worked for a state wildlife agency, I hope our efforts and the efforts of experts such as Patricia help make a difference.
Posted by Susanne Roller on March 28,2008 | 04:16PM
I've seen reports on information like this before and I have always wondered if other "alternative" activities that aren't specifically mentioned are included in this study. For instance is mountain biking, off-highway vehicles, surfing, snowboarding, etc...included in tracking the decline of recreational activity. It seems all of these activities are becoming more and more popular so maybe it's more traditional activities that are in decline while others are increasing. Any response to this would be appreciated and insightful.
Posted by Kalem on April 1,2008 | 08:06PM
Thank you for the great comments. I also see this as a critical time in our country's history with a need for great stewardship in the coming years. I do hope that people take the information from this research as an opportunity to rekindle a stronger relationship with nature. In examining nature recreation. My co-author, Oliver Pergams and I looked for all forms of nature recreation with annual data that extended back to at least 1987 (the initial documented peak/decline point). We found 14 US time series representing about 1.5 billion participation events annually. Although there are many ways to enjoy the outdoors, we feel these 14 time series are likely to capture the most prominent national trends. Remember, for some of the nature recreation variables such as National Park visits, we have data as far back as the 1930's. Based on the longest term variables, nature was a continuously more popular form of recreation up until the late 1980's despite many cultural and economic changes over that time period. It appears that videophilia, the most prominent and highly correlated cultural change since the mid-1980's has truly had an unprecedented effect on our relationship with the great outdoors. I look forward to hearing more of your comments. Thanks! -Patty Patricia Zaradic, PhD Environmental Leadership Fellow redrockinstitute.org
Posted by Patricia Zaradic, PhD on April 9,2008 | 11:41AM
Very interesting your article Dr. Zaradic, but, unfortunately we cannot go against technology. To disconnect periodically our children out of this electronic entertainment`s slavery seems to me a very good idea, but the best thing that we might do is to create a culture of free electronic entertainment elements (i.e., book reading, outdoor exercices, to share with the nature, outdoor ecological strolls, and so on). All of these activities are spiritual and physically beneficial. Quito-Ecuador
Posted by Tony Gómez on April 14,2008 | 08:09AM
I was lucky enough to be able to hike the Sandias Mountians in New Mexico. Nothing beats a day like that. Recently I bought my two younger brothers (11 and 15, I am 19) an XboX 360 Elite, mostly to have for late nights with friends over. We all three play from time to time, but we'd much rather be outside with our parents working in the yard, or playing with the dog. I thank my parents for teaching me how important fresh air can be. My dad tought me as I was growing up, everything he knows about the woods, I wish more parents could do that for their children, I know I will for mine when the day comes.
Posted by Ness on April 16,2008 | 08:52AM
This topic is of high interest to me because I am an environmental educator. I have a strong inclination to start programs, which would bring more young people to our state and national parks. This would educate those students and create some empathy (this has proven effect for children) for those endangered species (plants and animals)which would hopefully improve the future of our parks and life within them.
Posted by Jennifer Todd on April 23,2008 | 11:08PM