CHAPTER 7 – NATURE AND

BACKGROUND OF OUTDOOR
RECREATION
Pages 107 - 115
THIRD QUARTER
SET A
What is Outdoor Recreation?
- Done during vacation or school break
- They want to have fun
- Done outdoors with nature
Outdoor Recreation is organized activities done during one’s
free time for his/her own personal reasons, where an
interaction between man and an element of nature is present.
A day can be divided into three parts according to Clayne R.
Jensen:
1. Existence time – is time spent for biological needs like
having meal, sleeping, and other personal care.
2. Subsistence time – refers to the hours spent for economic
purposes such as going to work, chores and for students,
hours spent in school, and school work.
3. Free time – is all the remaining time after. How one decides
to spend free time varies from person to person.
RECREATION – is derived from Latin word recreare
which means to be refreshed. Choices for recreation
vary from person to person. What makes one happy
may not be so for others.
Different outdoor recreation:
LAND – Mountaineering, Trekking/Hiking, Camping etc.
WATER – Swimming, Snorkelling, Diving, Surfing, etc.
AIR – Parasailing, Skydiving, Paragliding
Process Question:
1. What are the Benefits of Outdoor Recreation?
Fun and pleasure are perhaps the immediate answers
of the majority who have experienced outdoor
activities. Wellness encompasses the general state of a
person (physical, social, psycho-emotional, and
spiritual) and in the end contributes to a better quality
of life.
1. PHYSICAL HEALTH BENEFITS – being outdoors prevent a
person from having a sedentary life. It allows people to
move, whether by walking, running etc.
2. PSYCHO-EMOTIONAL BENEFITS – engaging in outdoor
recreational activities helps people to rest, relax, de-stress or
unwind, and feel revitalized.
3. SOCIAL BENEFITS – outdoor activities are ways for families
to become closer. They can be a family bonding activity.
4. ECONOMIC BENEFITS – people who have a relaxed
body and mind tend to be more productive at work.
This translates into efficiency at the workplace.
5. SPIRITUAL BENEFITS – positive outdoor experiences
can stir up spiritual values. Being one with nature
brings certain calmness within a person.
2. What are the important things that should be
remembered when participating in an outdoor
recreational activity?
It has been established earlier that the outdoor recreation
is an interaction between man and nature. the interaction
should come with care and respect. The “Leave No Trace
Seven Principles” is a set of universal outdoor ethics that
guides one in the activities to do with nature.
The Leave No Trace Seven Principles
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare – before going to a place,
check if your planned activity is permitted. Make
sure to know the rules, guidelines, and safety
procedures they have set. Some places require
certain permits or clearance.
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces – Walk, run,
bike, or camp on durable surfaces like established
tracks, rocks, gravel, and dry grasses.
3. Dispose of Waste Properly – “Pack it in, pack it out”
means everything you brought should be brought back
with you including left-over food or fruit peel. Nothing
should be left.
4. Leave What you Find – Examine archeological
structures, old walls, and other heritage artifacts but
do not touch nor leave marks on them.
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts – Use lightweight stove
for cooking; campfires can cause lasting impacts.
6. Respect Wildlife – Observe wild animals from a
distance and they should be avoided during sensitive
times such as mating, nesting, or raising the young.
7. Be considerate of Other Visitors – Respect people
who live and work in the countryside.