The Vinson Institute and its collaborators on Georgia's Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) for 2008-13 were pleased to learn that the State of Georgia has received the 2009 National Award of SCORP Excellence.
Presented jointly by the National Park Service and the National Association of Recreation Resource Planners, this was the first year the award was given. It recognized the state for going above and beyond the requirements for the SCORP and providing "an exemplary approach in developing a solid vision and strategic plan for establishing and protecting places for public outdoor recreation."
The Vinson Institute survey research program gathered data for the Georgia plan about residents' use of the state's outdoor recreational facilities. The team conducted 1,600 telephone surveys with Georgia residents and asked questions about frequency of use of the facilities among different age, gender, ethnic, and income groups.
The researchers found that 68 percent of Georgians had participated in outdoor recreation activities in the state during the previous year; 41 percent visited facilities at least once a month. The highest participation occurred in Metro Atlanta, the lowest in southeast Georgia. Females were more likely to participate than males, as were individuals from families with children, those under 55 years old, those with more education, and those with higher incomes.
State parks services nationwide are required to create a SCORP every five years describing the outdoor recreational opportunities available in the state as well as projections for their future growth and funding.
Georgia's Parks, Recreation, and Historic Sites Division worked in close collaboration with several UGA departments to develop the award-winning document. UGA's Fanning Institute managed the project. In addition to the Vinson Institute, the Institute of Ecology, the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, and the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach also assisted with the project.
Ultimately, the SCORP lays out an ambitious way forward for Georgia's outdoor recreation infrastructure. The plan developed three outdoor recreation priorities for 2008–2013: promote health and fitness, enhance economic vitality, and conserve and properly use natural resources. Completion of the SCORP also enables Georgia to receive federal dollars from the Land and Water Conservation Fund that supports grants for land acquisition, development, and rehabilitation.
