Note that the data published in the 2002 State of the Nation’s Ecosystems Report as well as the 2003 and 2005 Web-Only Updates have been superseded by the 2008 Report and thus should be used with caution. For the most recent data, purchase the 2008 Report from Island Press.

What Is This Indicator, and Why Is It Important? This indicator shows the number of days that people took part in a variety of freshwater activities. A “recreation day” for this measure is any day during which a person was engaged in the activity, whether for only a few minutes or for many hours.

Americans enjoy recreation in and around water, from birdwatching and fishing to sailing and swimming. Information on trends in participation documents the demand for recreation opportunities and can be useful in planning for recreational facilities.

Why Can't This Entire Indicator Be Reported at This Time? Data on national recreation participation have been collected since 1960, but earlier surveys are not compatible with the most recent, and most thorough, survey. Data from 1995 are available for the activities shown in the figure (see the core national recreation indicator). With the exception of  freshwater fishing, these data do not distinguish what portion of the activities took place in fresh water rather than salt water. In 1995, Americans spent a total of 886 million days fishing in fresh water. The second National Survey on Recreation and the Environment is under way, but it is not clear if it will provide all of the data needed for this indicator.