Table Of ContentDesign for
Outdoor Recreation
Design for
Outdoor Recreation
Second edition
Simon Bell
First edition published 1997
This edition published 2008
by Taylor & Francis
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, OX14 4RN
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Taylor & Francis Inc
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This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2008.
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© 1997, 2008 Simon Bell
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced
or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other
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permission in writing from the publishers.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the advice and information
in this book is true and accurate at the time of going to press. However,
neither the publisher nor the authors can accept any legal responsibility
or liability for any errors or omissions that may be made. In the case
of drug administration, any medical procedure or the use of technical
equipment mentioned within this book, you are strongly advised to
consult the manufacturer’s guidelines.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bell, Simon, 1957 May 24-
Design for outdoor recreation / Simon Bell. — 2nd ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Recreation areas—Design and construction. 2. Recreation
areas—Management. 3. Outdoor recreation. 4. Recreation areas—
Environmental aspects. I. Title.
GV182.3.B45 2008
711’.558—dc22 2008000258
ISBN 0-203-92811-3 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN10: 0-415-44172-2 (pbk)
ISBN13: 978-0-415-44172-8 (pbk)
Contents
Acknowledgements vii
Introduction 1
1 Recreation planning 9
2 Design concepts for outdoor recreation 25
3 The journey to the destination 33
4 Providing visitor information 45
5 Parking the car 53
6 Toilet facilities 69
7 Picnicking 79
8 Children’s play 93
9 Trails 105
10 Water-based recreation 157
11 Wildlife viewing 167
12 Design for overnight visitors 173
13 Interpretation 197
14 Comprehensive site design 209
Bibliography 219
Index 225
v
Acknowledgements
This book is the fruit of a number of years spent steam but I should thank Bruce Chetwynd in Tasmania
working in and visiting places designed and managed and Simon Swaffield and Jenny Moore in New Zealand
for recreation, so my first debt of thanks is to all those who put us up and pointed us in the right direction
who went before, creating and managing places where of some good examples – including some of Jenny’s
many people have enjoyed themselves in the outdoors. work. The COST office in Brussels, who manage the
I hope they will look in a positive light on any criticism European Union COST programme (Cooperation in
levelled at their work. As it is a second edition and there Science and Technology) have enabled me to chair the
have been many more examples from more parts of COST Action on Forest Recreation and Nature Tourism
the world added, the number of people whom I must and to attend meetings in many parts of Europe which
thank has increased. provided examples. My colleagues in the COST Action
In particular, I must thank Duncan Campbell for his also deserve thanks, especially those who arranged
excellent and patient editing work on the early drafts of meetings and supplied me with photographs. My
the first edition, which has continued into the second work at the OPENspace Research Centre at Edinburgh
edition since much of the original material remains. College of Art has enabled me to update many sections
Dean Apostol also gave comments and help on the of the book with the findings of our and other people’s
first edition which is still in the second. Warren Bacon research and I thank my colleagues there for putting up
supplied me with numerous references and material on with me.
the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum and barrier-free The effort to bring out a second edition is not quite
access. As there is a lot of new material I need to thank as great as the first so there was less work for my wife,
lots of new people and organizations. I owe a debt Jacquie, and less disruption when preparing it, but she
to Yoji Aoki of the National Institute of Environmental still deserves thanks for helping me keep it going.
Studies in Japan and to the Japan Society for the Thank you all.
Promotion of Science for a fellowship which enabled
me to travel the length and breadth of Japan looking Simon Bell
at sites. The trip to Australia and New Zealand that Dunbar
yielded so much material was done under our own 2008
vii
Introduction
What is recreation, and why is it important? locals who come regularly while others may be tourists
Outdoor recreation and its cousin, nature tourism, are from another region or country. As well as undertaking
the big growth areas in leisure and holiday activities an activity, many people are interested in learning more
today. As the populations of most countries develop about the area they are visiting; the organization which
and become more urbanized, and as most people’s manages the place may also have an interest in teaching
work becomes less and less connected with the land, visitors about it, partly to increase their enjoyment but
many more people are seeking to regain some kind of also to help in its protection or management.
connection with nature and with wild landscapes, even The term ‘the outdoors’, as used in this book, is an
if it is only for short periods at infrequent intervals. There all-embracing one that covers all those places where
are many reasons for visiting and exploring the great people feel they can achieve that special feeling of
outdoors: physical exercise, release from the stresses being ‘away from it all’. To some, born and bred in the
of city life, fresh air, getting closer to nature, enjoyment city, it may be an area of urban green space, a local
of the scenery, hunting and fishing, walking the dog, an nature reserve or countryside near home. Urban forests,
occasion to meet family and friends … the list goes on. increasingly common in Europe and North America,
For most people it is probably a combination of reasons. can provide opportunities for solitude and quietness
The trends in how people spend their time change from well within the city limits.
year to year, but contain broadly the same ingredients: People may need to go further afield from time to
a chance to escape from the city, to be alone or to be time, such as to the emptier, less human-dominated
with other people, to be close to nature, and to relax landscapes of otherwise urbanized and populous
and enjoy oneself. The activities that people pursue countries such as the New Forest and the South
range from strenuous hiking into wild mountainous Downs, a short distance from London; the Blue Ridge
areas, days from the nearest settlement, to a gentle Mountains of Virginia, not too far away from Washington,
stroll in a park or woodland within or a short distance DC; the Black Forest of Germany, within reach of many
out of town, enjoying a family barbecue or just sitting urban areas; the Blue Mountains of New South Wales,
and looking at the view. Increasing numbers also seek Australia a short distance inland from Sydney; Mount
an adrenaline rush from participating in more extreme Fuji, reasonably accessible to the residents of Tokyo;
activities. Losiniy Ostrov (Elk Island) on the outskirts of Moscow.
Recreation is the term used mainly to refer to Many of the most densely populated countries still
activities that are carried out not far from home and have emptier and remoter regions that are accessible
within the normal daily routines while the term nature on a longer trip of perhaps more than a day’s duration:
tourism implies activities that are part of a holiday or the Scottish Highlands in Britain, Mount Daisatsuzan in
vacation and which involve staying away from home. Hokkaido in Japan, upper New York State in the USA or
Clearly, some people using a particular area may be the Sierra Nevada in California.
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