RPTM 320Recreation Resource Planning and Management

3 credits · Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management · Penn State

Relationship between leisure behavior and natural environment. Exploration of natural resources which enhance leisure. RPTM 320 Recreation Resource Planning and Management (3)This course is an introduction to managing the recreational use of U.S. lands, waters, and wildlife. Course objectives include providing students with an awareness of the scope of outdoor recreation resources and major outdoor activities; knowledge about outdoor recreation resource agencies, their mandates, and their resources; an understanding of key outdoor recreation issues and impacts and their relationships to activity type and visitor behavior; knowledge about appropriate management tools for addressing impacts; and an understanding of the contribution of planning to effective recreation resource management. Main topics typically include: Introduction to the scope of outdoor recreation in the U.S., key characteristics of major user groups, visitor motivations and benefits, and phases of the recreation experience; The recreation resource base; Federal, state, local, and private recreation resource providers; Ecological impacts of outdoor recreation; Conflict, crowding, and equal access in outdoor recreation; Recreation carrying capacity, direct and indirect management techniques, and concentrating versus dispersing; visitor use; Facilities and design of recreation sites; Visitor use limits, permits, and fees; Information, education, and programs for visitors; Visitor use monitoring; Planning frameworks for outdoor recreation This is a required course for RPTM majors in the Outdoor Recreation Option. The course is open to students in all majors.