Videophilia

Pangloss62 · 06-27-2006, 07:55 AM

As an employee of the National Park Service, I have noticed this trend. Perhaps it includes cellar-dwellers as well.

Americans prefer video to national parks: study
Tue Jun 20, 2006 11:38pm ET
By Jon Hurdle

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Americans are less interested in spending time in natural surroundings like national parks because they are spending more time watching television, playing video games and surfing the Internet, according to a study released on Tuesday.

The study, for The Nature Conservancy, found per-capita visits to national parks have been declining for years.

National park visitation data starting in 1930 peaked in 1987 at 1.2 visits per person per year. But by 2003 it had declined by about 25 percent to 0.9 visits per person per year, said Oliver Pergams, an ecologist at the University of Illinois who analyzed the data for the study.

The data, based on government statistics and other sources, were taken as a proxy for interest in nature in general.

Researchers tested more than two dozen possible explanations for the trend and found that 98 percent of the drop in national park visits was explained by video games, movie rentals, going out to movies, Internet use and rising fuel prices.

Other possible explanations such as family income or the aging population were ruled out.

There was a sufficiently high correlation between declining national park visits and the burgeoning use of electronic media that led Pergams and his associate, Patricia Zaradic, believe the two are linked. "It made us feel fairly certain that there is an association," Pergams told Reuters.

The study, to be published in the Journal of Environmental Management, concludes that the trend has negative implications for environmental stewardship.

"We may be seeing evidence of a fundamental shift away from people's appreciation of nature to 'videophilia' which we here define as the new human tendency to focus on sedentary activities involving electronic media," the researchers said.

"Such a shift would not bode well for the future of biodiversity conservation."

Nature Conservancy President Steve McCormick said the study suggests Americans and their children in particular are losing their connection to the natural world.

"When children choose TVs over trees, they lose touch with the physical world outside and the fundamental connection of those places to our daily lives," McCormick said.

Griff · 06-27-2006, 08:04 AM

It makes sense, but does the Park Service really want more visitors?

Trilby · 06-27-2006, 08:10 AM

Rollo May said: "As human beings we have our roots in nature, not simply because of the fact that the chemistry of our bodies is of essentially the same elements as the air or dirt or grass...but in the rhythm of the change of seasons or of night and day...It takes a strong self-that is, a strong sense of personal identity-to relate fully to nature without being swallowed up."

Maybe it's fear.

Pangloss62 · 06-27-2006, 08:12 AM

That's a good point, Griff. I thought the same thing. Less people, better experience for those that visit, and it's likely that those people actually want to be there. Though anti-park politicos use statistics like those mentioned in that article to slash funding or to argue for privitazation.

glatt · 06-27-2006, 08:45 AM

We limit the amount of TV the kids can watch. They watch much much less than others their age. We take them to local parks and nature centers.

They haven't been to any actual National Parks in their lives, but that's just because we live in the East, and there aren't too many National Parks around here. Plenty of state parks, county parks, national recreation areas and monuments, etc. But getting to the National Parks is a real task.

When I was a kid, my dad was a professor, with summers off. We travelled the US and went to most of the national parks. I loved it, and would love it if my kids could see all of them too, but I don't know when I could ever take a summer off to do that. I'd have to quit my job or something.

Kitsune · 06-27-2006, 09:11 AM

That's very sad -- I've been more inclined to go outdoors more often than sit inside and lose myself in video games/movies/internet.

Even worse than the decline in visitors is that the people that do venture out into the National Parks these days don't prefer to do it on foot, but rather under the power of a noisy two-stroke and wheels that destroy the land.

06-27-2006, 10:14 AM

When Death Valley became a National Park it ruined it.

bbro · 06-27-2006, 10:20 AM

ok, I am going to ask an elementary question here - what is the difference between a national park and regular park?

When I was growing up, we went to the local park a lot. Besides the fact that we weren't allowed to be inside all day long. My mother would always tell us to go outside and play. We would come in for lunch (maybe) and when the streetlights were on. I remeber being so excited to go outside that I was disappointed I wasn't allowed to go to my neighbor's house at 9 in the morning. (Incidently, they weren't out of bed and showered until about noon)

Pangloss62 · 06-27-2006, 10:22 AM

Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
Booker T. Washington National Monument
Colonial National Historical Park
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park
George Washington Memorial Parkway
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Manassas National Battlefield Park
Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
Petersburg National Battlefield
Prince William Forest Park
Richmond National Battlefield Park
Shenandoah National Park

Undertoad · 06-27-2006, 10:27 AM

If I want to walk in the park, I have a choice of Valley Forge N.P... or my local trail system, which is really cool and has expanded across the entire county.

Valley Forge was there all along, the local thing is only a few years old.

So if I'm any example, mandates to preserve open space have brought on this downturn in national park visitation.

Pangloss62 · 06-27-2006, 10:29 AM

People always conflate local, county, state, national, Forest Service, parks.

http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/hisnps...y/npshisto.htm

Hey rage; why you think NPS ruined Death Valley?

bbro · 06-27-2006, 10:35 AM

Was that link for me? I got an error when I opened it.

glatt · 06-27-2006, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pangloss62

Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
Booker T. Washington National Monument
Colonial National Historical Park
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park
George Washington Memorial Parkway
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Manassas National Battlefield Park
Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
Petersburg National Battlefield
Prince William Forest Park
Richmond National Battlefield Park
Shenandoah National Park

I've been to many of those places. So have my kids. And I don't mean to be a nitpicker, but only one of them is a National Park, and that one is rather unimpressive compared to the dozens of western national parks I've visited.

I'm not trying to pick a fight with you. I like and support the national parks. But the East doesn't have anything even close to resembling what the West has in terms of size and wilderness and remarkable landscape.

In the East, many of my favorite places to hike are national forests or are owned by lumber companies, etc.

Pangloss62 · 06-27-2006, 10:38 AM

Sorry bro. Try this one.

[url]http://www.cr.nps.gov/history

06-27-2006, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pangloss62

People always conflate local, county, state, national, Forest Service, parks.

http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/hisnps...y/npshisto.htm

Hey rage; why you think NPS ruined Death Valley?

When visiting it before, the trash was picked-up, the rangers were friendly, there was a steady but manageable flow of people through the park, few people broke the rules (going off-trail, etc) and the people were those who were out-door regulars who respected the park, wildlife and surroundings.

After the park went National, every single thing I mentioned above changed 100%.

06-27-2006, 07:55 AM	#1
Pangloss62 Lecturer Join Date: May 2006 Location: Atlanta Posts: 768	Videophilia As an employee of the National Park Service, I have noticed this trend. Perhaps it includes cellar-dwellers as well. Americans prefer video to national parks: study Tue Jun 20, 2006 11:38pm ET By Jon Hurdle PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Americans are less interested in spending time in natural surroundings like national parks because they are spending more time watching television, playing video games and surfing the Internet, according to a study released on Tuesday. The study, for The Nature Conservancy, found per-capita visits to national parks have been declining for years. National park visitation data starting in 1930 peaked in 1987 at 1.2 visits per person per year. But by 2003 it had declined by about 25 percent to 0.9 visits per person per year, said Oliver Pergams, an ecologist at the University of Illinois who analyzed the data for the study. The data, based on government statistics and other sources, were taken as a proxy for interest in nature in general. Researchers tested more than two dozen possible explanations for the trend and found that 98 percent of the drop in national park visits was explained by video games, movie rentals, going out to movies, Internet use and rising fuel prices. Other possible explanations such as family income or the aging population were ruled out. There was a sufficiently high correlation between declining national park visits and the burgeoning use of electronic media that led Pergams and his associate, Patricia Zaradic, believe the two are linked. "It made us feel fairly certain that there is an association," Pergams told Reuters. The study, to be published in the Journal of Environmental Management, concludes that the trend has negative implications for environmental stewardship. "We may be seeing evidence of a fundamental shift away from people's appreciation of nature to 'videophilia' which we here define as the new human tendency to focus on sedentary activities involving electronic media," the researchers said. "Such a shift would not bode well for the future of biodiversity conservation." Nature Conservancy President Steve McCormick said the study suggests Americans and their children in particular are losing their connection to the natural world. "When children choose TVs over trees, they lose touch with the physical world outside and the fundamental connection of those places to our daily lives," McCormick said. __________________ Things are never as good, or bad, as they seem.

06-27-2006, 08:04 AM	#2
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	It makes sense, but does the Park Service really want more visitors? __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

06-27-2006, 08:10 AM	#3
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	Rollo May said: "As human beings we have our roots in nature, not simply because of the fact that the chemistry of our bodies is of essentially the same elements as the air or dirt or grass...but in the rhythm of the change of seasons or of night and day...It takes a strong self-that is, a strong sense of personal identity-to relate fully to nature without being swallowed up." Maybe it's fear. __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

06-27-2006, 08:12 AM	#4
Pangloss62 Lecturer Join Date: May 2006 Location: Atlanta Posts: 768	That's a good point, Griff. I thought the same thing. Less people, better experience for those that visit, and it's likely that those people actually want to be there. Though anti-park politicos use statistics like those mentioned in that article to slash funding or to argue for privitazation. __________________ Things are never as good, or bad, as they seem.

06-27-2006, 10:22 AM	#9
Pangloss62 Lecturer Join Date: May 2006 Location: Atlanta Posts: 768	Some Virginia National Parks Appomattox Court House National Historical Park Blue Ridge Parkway Blue Ridge Parkway Booker T. Washington National Monument Colonial National Historical Park Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park George Washington Memorial Parkway Harpers Ferry National Historical Park Manassas National Battlefield Park Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site Petersburg National Battlefield Prince William Forest Park Richmond National Battlefield Park Shenandoah National Park __________________ Things are never as good, or bad, as they seem.

06-27-2006, 08:45 AM	#5
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	We limit the amount of TV the kids can watch. They watch much much less than others their age. We take them to local parks and nature centers. They haven't been to any actual National Parks in their lives, but that's just because we live in the East, and there aren't too many National Parks around here. Plenty of state parks, county parks, national recreation areas and monuments, etc. But getting to the National Parks is a real task. When I was a kid, my dad was a professor, with summers off. We travelled the US and went to most of the national parks. I loved it, and would love it if my kids could see all of them too, but I don't know when I could ever take a summer off to do that. I'd have to quit my job or something.

06-27-2006, 09:11 AM	#6
Kitsune still eats dirt Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 3,031	That's very sad -- I've been more inclined to go outdoors more often than sit inside and lose myself in video games/movies/internet. Even worse than the decline in visitors is that the people that do venture out into the National Parks these days don't prefer to do it on foot, but rather under the power of a noisy two-stroke and wheels that destroy the land.

06-27-2006, 10:14 AM	#7
rkzenrage Guest Posts: n/a	When Death Valley became a National Park it ruined it.

06-27-2006, 10:20 AM	#8
bbro Insert witty comment here Join Date: May 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 2,182	ok, I am going to ask an elementary question here - what is the difference between a national park and regular park? When I was growing up, we went to the local park a lot. Besides the fact that we weren't allowed to be inside all day long. My mother would always tell us to go outside and play. We would come in for lunch (maybe) and when the streetlights were on. I remeber being so excited to go outside that I was disappointed I wasn't allowed to go to my neighbor's house at 9 in the morning. (Incidently, they weren't out of bed and showered until about noon)

06-27-2006, 10:27 AM	#10
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	If I want to walk in the park, I have a choice of Valley Forge N.P... or my local trail system, which is really cool and has expanded across the entire county. Valley Forge was there all along, the local thing is only a few years old. So if I'm any example, mandates to preserve open space have brought on this downturn in national park visitation.

06-27-2006, 10:29 AM	#11
Pangloss62 Lecturer Join Date: May 2006 Location: Atlanta Posts: 768	People always conflate local, county, state, national, Forest Service, parks. http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/hisnps...y/npshisto.htm Hey rage; why you think NPS ruined Death Valley? __________________ Things are never as good, or bad, as they seem.

06-27-2006, 10:35 AM	#12
bbro Insert witty comment here Join Date: May 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 2,182	Was that link for me? I got an error when I opened it.

06-27-2006, 10:38 AM	#14
Pangloss62 Lecturer Join Date: May 2006 Location: Atlanta Posts: 768	Sorry bro. Try this one. [url]http://www.cr.nps.gov/history __________________ Things are never as good, or bad, as they seem.

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