Community
Recreation and
Healthy Livingin
Rural Settings
By Sue Goodwin
M
y
happy
of
while over 70 percent of today’s mothers
rural
and
recalled playing outdoors every day as
fewer municipal funding resources and lack
playing outside for hours upon hours, make
children, only 26 percent said that their own
of access to commercial fitness facilities
me concerned about the lack of exposure
children played outside everyday.
in rural areas, limit the health and fitness
growing
childhood
up
in
memories
Massachusetts
to outdoor recreation and nature for today’s
lack
of
transportation,
opportunities available to rural residents.
children, no matter where they live. While
“Surprisingly, the responses did not vary a
Deborah John of Plymouth State University
some may assume that rural children and
great deal between mothers living in rural
states that,
adults spend more time outside recreating
and urban areas.” Rhonda L. Clements, as
in nature, recent studies have shown that
quoted in “Last Child in the Woods,” by Richard
“While rural living is associated with quality
this just isn’t the case. In his book, “Last
Louv (2005).
of life, access to outdoor recreation, …
Child in the Woods,” Richard Louv draws our
43
population,
inherently more active, the reality is that
attention to the work of Rhonda Clements,
The
rural
people living in rural areas have limited
of Manhattanville College in New York, who
communities have healthier lifestyles has
access to health care, commercial exercise
surveyed 1,800 urban and rural mothers
been challenged by recent research as
facilities,
and compared their answers to those of
well, revealing many of the long-standing
physical
mother’s a generation ago. She found that
challenges rural communities face. The aging
rural municipalities have fewer resources to
Rural Connections Sept. 2010
assumption
that
people
in
and
activity
community
programs.
or
In
corporate
addition,
While almost anyone can appreciate nature’s beauty and most
understand the importance of having active lifestyles to sustain good
health, not everyone views access to the natural world in the same way.
support healthy active living. Consequently,
Electronic Media, Isolation and Nature
a sense of isolation and providing greater
people living in rural areas are more prone
Deficit Disorder in Rural Living
access to information is a good thing,
to
Do
develop
conditions
associated
with
rural
children
lack
question is, where does the time allocated
of outdoor physical activity? It would be
for electronic media time come from? In
neighbors.”
a
children
other words, what activities are displaced
are any less susceptible to the draw of
by the use or over use of electronic
Access, Safety and Proximity Matter
electronic media (video games, the Internet
media? Recent research on this issue at
Rural children, often living great distances
or television) than urban children. Are they
the University of Waterloo, using random
from
more or less isolated given today’s access
sampling and multivariate analyses, found
to the virtual social networks online?
that electronic media use displaced both
their
schools
and
village
centers,
may actually have less opportunity to ride
that
rural
a
finding a balance is critically important. The
Disorder?”
think
experience
Deficit
and obesity, than their urban and suburban
to
they
“Nature
inactivity, such as heart disease, diabetes,
mistake
Do
suffer
their bikes or walk to school than urban
social and physical activities at significant
children and often have to arrange extra
When blogger Mick Ly asked the question,
levels (-.37 and -.23 respectively). The same
transportation if they wish to stay after
“Does Internet make us isolated?” he got
study found that use of electronic media did
school to participate in sports programs
some interesting responses:
not interfere with activities at school, so it
or use the school’s gymnasium or other
“I think sometimes the Internet really
follows that the most likely source of time
community facilities. Even if a rural child
makes us isolated. We don’t often go to
displaced is a family’s 1:1 time before and
lives near their school, parents may have
have the outdoor activities. We just stay
after school, weekends and holidays.
safety
of
at home and get online. We contact our
bicycling on rural roads. Rural roads can
friends and family by emails and chatting
One balanced approach is more effective
be very dangerous. In a study of traffic
software. But we don’t often visit them in
time management allocating limited time for
accidents in 2002, by the Washington State
person. Even we go shopping via the net
sedentary activities without denying access
Department of transportation, it was found
today. This is the disadvantage of Internet
to electronic media altogether combined
that the number of fatal accidents on rural
to take people apart.” Youless
with
concerns
about
the
safety
roadways was more than double that of
frequent,
regularly
planned
family,
community and age group nature-based
urban roadways. Parents may not want their
“… I hear parents complain about their
children walking or riding alone on rural
kids spending more time on the computer
roads and trails.
and have stopped playing outdoor games,
Nature and Rural Values: Finding our
and have very limited time socializing with
Common Ground
Proximity matters in access to recreation,
family members and friends. So in my
Many rural families have lived in their
nature and increased physical activity. Living
opinion, while Internet gives us a wider
community for generations and may have
in rural areas often means great distances
reach to the people around the world,
differing views and beliefs about nature
between important locations. In urban settings,
it also isolates us from the people who
than
providing appropriate access to recreation
matter more to us–our family and personal
to a rural setting from an urban area
takes proximity into account. An urban park
friends.” Dory Vien
specifically to live closer to nature. This
or recreation facility’s “Neighborhood Service
activities and outdoor recreation.
newer
residents
who
have
moved
doesn’t mean that these values are in any
Area” is considered to be a half-mile from
Others felt that Internet access can also
way in conflict with each other, just that a
its perimeter or, as some have determined,
allow
others,
respectful and sensitive acknowledgement of
within walking distance for a healthy person.
broader perspectives, and online networks
these differences in perspective exist and
It’s fairly rare to find this convenience in a
of virtual friends, essentially reducing our
employing the “assumption of good intent”
rural setting.
self-perception of isolation. While reducing
are important for a cohesive, inclusive,
interaction
with
distant
Sept. 2010 Rural Connections 44
positive
and
community-based
approach.
developing
rural
communities
over
vast
Finding common ground and sharing specific
and sometimes isolating distances and in
goals is a good place to start. While almost
many instances doing so with few financial
anyone can appreciate nature’s beauty and
resources. In “The Recreation Road – A Rural
most understand the importance of having
Route to Planning,” the Leisure Information
active lifestyles to sustain good health, not
Network provides a step-by-step workbook
everyone views access to the natural world
for rural communities attempting to provide
in the same way. Barbara McCahan, director
recreation
of the Center for Active Living and Healthy
members. Written for volunteers, one of the
Communities at Plymouth State University,
great things about this workbook is that
highlights these different perspectives, “…
they have built in methods for planning
the woods can be as much of a deterrent
community recreation that any lay person
to being physically active as a freeway,
can understand and use. Conclusions and
depending on how you look at it.”
recommendations are based on research
activities
for
their
community
combined with interviews with community
45
a greater chance for a successful rural
recreation effort.
Some good ideas include:
• Partnership efforts with community
service non-profits like the Kiwanis
Club to organize and support team
sports, fishing derbies, hiking and
walking clubs, nature workshops,
sports challenges and village fairs.
• Tapping into cultural traditions of rural
indigenous communities can expose
the community at large to a more
meaningful experience with nature that
is based in diverse perspectives and
Individual and Community-Based
leaders in rural settings. The conclusions,
Solutions and Resources
or “impressions” as they are referred to
Rural children are likely to be dependent on
in the workbook, suggest culturally-sensitive
their families for their recreation experiences
and useful methods to identify community
and exposure to nature. With rural families
strengths,
working harder than ever to make ends
for local recreation. One of the interesting
meet and most parents working more hours
insights provided by the Leisure Information
and walking paths. In rural areas, trails
per day than ever before, what is a rural
Network of Canada is that many well-
and pathways often pass through
family to do to provide exposure to nature
meaning efforts at developing rural recreation
private land and require permission to
and recreational activities for their family
programs do not actually ask rural residents
cross and this can complicate access.
members? Knowing the problem is good,
what they want. The workbook provides
One shared goal might be establishing
knowing effective solutions is even better.
ways of identifying what local people want
a positive relationship with these land
Canada has a long history of proactively
in recreation programs and this provides
owners. Having established standards
Rural Connections Sept. 2010
challenges,
needs,
and
goals
historical values. Enriched experience
and breadth of exposure enhances a
child’s understanding and respect for
nature.
• Provide easier access to local trails
for hikers that respect the land
In conclusion, it’s clear that many of the
owners needs while gaining permission
myths about rural living are being dispelled
to walk freely on private hiking trails
and many of the challenges of rural living are
can increase access to nature while
coming to light. Far from the “rose colored
building positive relationships within
glasses” view of the idyllic nature of rural
the community. A local trail map could
living held in the past, a more balanced view
be produced with efforts to increase
taking in the significant challenges along with
eco-tourism.
the positive benefits of rural living is helping
• Provide positive nature-based
experiences can help children
develop mentally and physically. Two
excellent books, filled with activities,
are “Sharing Nature with Children
II” by Joseph Cornell and “Nature’s
Playground,” by Fiona Danks and Jo
communities advocate for themselves and
create positive change for their community
members.
relationship
Actively
with
developing
nature
and
a
positive
increasing
outdoor physical activity is equally important
for rural and urban kids.
Schofield. Both books are suitable
About the Author
for use by families or with larger
Sue
community groups (and frankly, adults
director with Seattle Parks and Recreation.
would enjoy them too).
• Invite county recreation organizations
to participate with mobile recreation
programs that bring new experiences
into rural communities periodically
throughout the year.
• Find out what local seniors feel would
reduce isolation and increase activity.
Goodwin
is
the
recreation
division
References and Resources
Leisure Information Network. The Recreation Road:
A Rural Route to Planning. Workbook for Rural
Communities, Ontario Ministry of Tourism and
Recreation, Ontario, Canada. Website: http://lin.ca/
resource-details/4231
Leisure Information Network. (multiple rural recreation
articles and research) - There are a lot of readerfriendly, useful and downloadable articles on the
development of rural recreation and targeted
solutions for rural communities on a searchable
database at the LIN website http://lin.ca/keywordsearch-results?Type=All&Key=Rural+Recreation&Area
=All.
Louv, Richard (2005). Last Child in the Woods: Saving
Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, Workman
Publishing Company, New York, NY. Website: http://
richardlouv.com/
Mannell, Roger C., Zuzanek, Jiri & Aronson, Ryan
(2005). Internet/Computer Use and Adolescent
Leisure Behavior, Flow Experiences and Psychological
Well-Being: The Displacement Hypothesis, Canadian
Association for Leisure Studies, Leisure Information
Network, Canada.
Rural Recreation Articles, Projects and Programs
Indiana State University: Rural Recreation
Development Project http://www.indstate.edu/inrrdp/
programs.htm
USDA
http://www.ers.usda.gov/amberwaves/September05/
Features/RuralAreasBenefit.htm
Cornell, Joseph (1989). Sharing Nature with Children
II, Dawn Publications, Nevada City, CA.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/err7/err7_
reportsummary.pdf
Danks, Fiona & Schofield, Jo (2007). Nature’s
Playground: Activities, Crafts, and Games to
Encourage Children to Get Outdoors, Frances Lincoln
Limited, London.
Ottawa’s “Rural Connections: Proud to be Rural”
http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/rural_connections/
recreation/index_en.html
John, Deborah. Promoting Active Rural Living and
Healthy Communities, Plymouth State University,
Center for Active Living and Healthy Communities,
Plymouth, NH. Website: http://www.plymouth.edu/
UK’s RuralRecreation website
http://www.ruralrecreation.org.uk/
The Daily Yonder: Keep it Rural
http://www.dailyyonder.com
• Form a Community Action Council.
Sept. 2010 Rural Connections 46