The demand for outdoor recreation opportunities continues to increase in response to population growth and to the general trend toward outdoor recreation as a preferred recreational pursuit. Providing society with adequate outdoor recreation areas and facilities requires knowledge of: present and future outdoor recreation needs; existing and potentially available recreation resources; and developmental and financial analysis procedures needed to build a viable implementation plan.
GEC’s economics and planning staff has had a continuing involvement in recreation and tourism planning for private, state and Federal interests. Most recently GEC professionals have evaluated: a recreation needs and facilities GIS analysis for the Everglades area of Florida, the design of a whitewater rafting facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and the development of a master plan for an interpretive center for the Atchafalaya River Basin in Louisiana.
CAPABILITIES
- Outdoor Recreation Needs Assessments
- Outdoor Recreation Demand and Visitation Estimates
- Outdoor Recreation Participation Rates Analysis
- Outdoor Recreation Valuation, Costs and Benefits
- Outdoor Recreation Resource Evaluations
- Facilities Inventories
- Site Planning and Design
- Facility Feasibility Analysis
- Recreation Facility Master Plans
STAFF
GEC’s recreation staff includes planners, economists and landscape architects familiar with the correct procedures for assessing recreation demand as well as the design of recreation facilities. The staff has utilized all appropriate methodologies in the valuation of recreation activities including unit-day, travel cost and contingent valuation. The experience of the GEC recreation staff includes needs assessments, participation levels, and the development of recreation site development and master plans.
