OutdoorNebraska

Basic Actions • Inventory existing and potential areas for recreation when updating community plans. When creating or updating your comprehensive plans, you should not only inventory the existing recreation sites, you should also map out a general location for future parks and trails. Communities should also identify areas of ecological concern to protect them from future development. • Use SCORP data to assess outdoor recreation preferences. Use current data within SCORP to assess outdoor recreation preferences by socio-demographics and modify any planning documents necessary to address the findings. Share data with outdoor recreation providers to use in developing local plans and programs that are in line with your goals. Market your message. Find opportunities to share environmental ethic messages with constituents, such as land stewardship, responsible use, Leave No Trace, Tread Lightly!, Play Clean Go, and Pack It In Pack It Out. Intermediate Actions • Research and pursue partnerships. Pursue partnerships with other communities to alleviate redundancy of facilities in a region and expand opportunities available to your users. • Expand partnerships to protect natural resources and outdoor recreation. Consider working with multiple partners to manage resources and involve them in public participation processes to protect wetlands, streams and rivers, prairies and forest ecosystems, and water trail corridors. Promote conservation of green space as development occurs. Promote the development of residential areas that retain green space or natural areas, include recreation facilities, and provide safe pedestrian access to public parks from schools, businesses and retail centers. Ensure the conservation of native ecosystems and biological communities are considered when planning for recreation. Advanced Actions Promote outdoor recreation to government officials and partners. Promote outdoor recreation as a priority with policymakers, planners, practitioners and partners by providing interpretation, education, and programs that expand knowledge and appreciation of Nebraska's recreational and natural resources. • Correlate planning documents to promote inclusivity of outdoor recreation efforts. Correlate planning documents so they work in concert with one another (e.g., so that a transportation plan does not recommend going through a naturally sensitive area). Incorporate protection of the biodiversity of the resources into outdoor recreation facility management and operation plans. • Share data and case studies with other outdoor recreation providers. Provide outdoor recreation providers with best practice models and case studies for recreation planning, including models for natural resource stewardship and sustainability to encourage collaboration. 79 Potential Partners: Natural Resource Conservation Service, Nebraska Land Trust, Nebraska Environmental Trust, Audubon Society, Rainwater Basin Joint Venture, The Nature Conservancy, World Wide Fund for Nature, Ducks Unlimited, Sierra Club, Wildlife Conservation Society, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resource Defense Council, Chamber, Kiwanis, Elks, and Legion ACTION ITEMS G U I D I N G S U C C E S S

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