onX Report Reviews the State of Outdoor Stewardship
Outdoor enthusiasts could be doing better to protect the places we love to play
Image: Seventyfour, Adobe Stock
onX, a company that develops apps for outdoor adventurers, recently worked with research firm Southwick Associates to publish a report on the state of outdoor stewardship in 2023. Their high-level takeaway? “The outdoors needs more stewards.”
Outdoor recreation is on the rise, but the impacts of these phenomena aren’t always positive; from environmental impacts to increased crowds and noise pollution, the experience of spending time outside has transformed from its once serene proposition. The report offers some hope in that most of the outdoor enthusiasts surveyed expressed a desire to protect public lands, but unfortunately, most fell short when it came to taking action to do so.
Of 2,000 outdoor enthusiasts surveyed, 92% said they recreated on public lands and 96% said that they believe it’s important to preserve and maintain public lands, but only 19% volunteer, donate, or advocate (how they define stewardship) on behalf of these lands on an annual basis.
Hopefully, with a bit of education and awareness, it is possible to turn the good intentions of the bulk of outdoor enthusiasts into impactful actions. The report offers solutions such as shifting perspective from being users to being stewards, outdoor mentorship, and self-education to encourage outdoor enthusiasts to protect the lands where we love to play.
