National Park Service: Recreational Use of Land in the United States (Summmary)

4. Areas, primarily of recreational value, should be designated and conserved unimpaired as such, and should not be jeopardized by other commercial use.

5. Because recreational use of national resources frequently must be concomitant with other uses, the provision for recreation must be included in a national conservation plan.

Details of a national recreation plan must be developed upon a continuous recreational survey. Existing agencies of government, however, can inaugurate a national plan for the conservation of recreational resources. The principles upon which it is proposed to coordinate existing agencies of government toward the inauguration of such a plan are developed in this report as follows:

To provide facilities for the day-by-day recreational needs of the people is primarily a local responsibility, whether met by municipalities of sufficient population and wealth to supply all the various types of recreation required, or by county or metropolitan park boards which, dealing with the needs of a group of urban and rural communities, make it possible for each of those communities to enjoy such facilities. Use by outside residents of facilities so supplied and maintained is incidental.

Every State has areas either of such high scenic value or of such high value for active recreation, or both, or possessing such interest from the scientific, archeological, or historical standpoint, that their use tends to be State-wide in character. Acquisition of such areas and their development and operation appear to be primarily a function of the State, though this should not preclude joint participation in acquisition, and possibly in development and operation, by the State and by such community or communities as might receives, a high proportion of the benefits flowing from their establishment.

Taking the Nation as a whole, there are, again, areas of such superlative quality, because of their primeval character or scenic excellence, or historical, archeological, or scientific importance, or because of some combination of these factors, that they are objects of national significance. It is the responsibility of the Federal Government to acquire and administer these.

The Federal responsibility is emphasized particularly in the case of the primeval wildernesses. There are several reasons for this. Remaining areas of primeval condition are few. Those who live in the regions immediately adjacent to the wilderness are usually pioneers whose lives and thoughts are devoted to wilderness conquest. Hence the Federal eye rather than the local eye must be depended upon to recognize and protect the wildernesses that remain. A wilderness reserve ordinarily must be of great size, if it is to remain primeval, and the present value may seem insignificant, whereas the deferred value is very great. With all these conditions and circumstances, it is apparent that the monumental tasks of saving the primeval must be very largely a Federal responsibility.

In addition there is another group, the ocean and Great Lakes beaches, which are so heavily freighted with national interest, and are so extensively sought by persons living at great distances from them, and which are so unlikely to be acquired by the States to a sufficient extent, that it would appear reasonable to expect the Federal Government to acquire and administer a representative group of them.

It becomes evident, therefore, that a national recreation plan must have local, State, and Federal components.

Park Requirements of Municipalities.—The focal point and foundation of a national recreation plan are within the municipalities and their immediate environs. The essential problem is to provide places for rest and active recreation within easy access of the inhabitants of these municipalities.

Essential recreational requirements of any municipality include adequate and properly distributed play areas for children and adults, "intown" small landscape parks, and a few parks of the types generally referred to as large parks.

While the provision of one acre of recreation area to each hundred persons—of which 30 to 50 percent would be comprised of play areas of various types—is accepted as a desirable and satisfactory minimum for municipalities of 10,000 inhabitants or over, it appears that to provide communities of smaller population with the essential components of a city park and playground system, the ratio of recreational area to population should be larger, approximately as follows:

Community population	Number of inhabitants served by 1 acre of park and playground
5,000-10,000	75
2,500-5,000	60
1,000-2,500	50
Under 1,000	40

Cities of 10,000 inhabitants or over have a total population of 58,340,077. The minimum desirable recreational area for these cities is estimated at a total of 583,401 acres; the total for towns and cities with less than 10,000 inhabitants each is estimated to be 362,737 acres. On this basis, the total minimum desirable area devoted to municipal recreation would be about 10 percent of the total area of all lands devoted to municipal uses in the United States.

Cities of 10,000 inhabitants or more may be expected to provide year-round administration for their recreation properties. This appears to be impossible for the smaller communities which must look to some larger governmental unit, such as the county, to provide it. In so doing the county can, at the same time, provide recreation service, under leadership, for the population resident in the open country.

In cities where the requirement is 1 acre to ever 100 persons, the total recreational area should be divided approximately as follows: Children's playgrounds, 12 percent, composed of units from 3 to acres in extent; neighborhood playfields, from 15 to 1 percent; miscellaneous recreation areas, an undetermined percentage, depending on the kinds of recreation to be provided; the three types totaling 30 percent to 5 percent of the whole. The balance would be compose of equitably distributed neighborhood or "intown" parks and large areas characterized by landscape or natural features, in acquisition of which it is desirable when possible, to exceed the standard minimum acreage by a comfortable margin.

Park and Playground Requirements of Metropolitan Regions.—Provision of parks and playgrounds for the population of metropolitan regions comes next in importance in the national recreational scheme. Here, planning involves provision of recreation service for the inhabitants of the principal cities of a kind which cannot be supplied effectively within those cities; an in addition, recreation service for residents of small "satellite" cities and of rural farm and rural nonfarm areas.

With the steady movement of population into metropolitan areas, outside of the central municipalities, and the loss of population within the central municipalities, there is also a definite drift of population into zones close to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Gulf, and the Great Lakes. About 50 percent of the population now lives within daily access of cities of 100,000 inhabitants or more. Within metropolitan districts, as defined by the Bureau of the Census, there are 54,753,645 persons, of which 16,939,035 live outside the central cities.

Because the rate of population increase for the metropolitan areas outside the central cities is greater than the increase for the country as a whole, and because the central city population is declining, it appears that emphasis on planning land use for recreation in this group should be centered in the metropolitan areas outside of the central cities. Not only is this necessary to prevent recurrence of the lack of needed open space characteristic of the central cities, but to provide types of areas which neither the central cities nor the outlying cities can provide for themselves.

Metropolitan regional planning can exclude both the central city and the large municipalities in the metropolitan district, which are expected to provide municipal parks and playgrounds for themselves. Planning tends to concern itself with zones: One, the area of fairly heavy population surrounding the central city where the types of recreation area to be provided are analogous to those within the municipality; the other, the more sparsely populated area within approximately 2 hours of automobile travel of the central city. Provision of recreation lands in the inner zone demands special attention, and should be on a liberal scale so that, with the anticipated increase, the requirements as to types, and extent as established for municipalities can be properly met. Provisions within the outer zone should be of more extensive areas of naturalistic character.

Determination of responsibility for provision of lands required for recreation within metropolitan regions is a complex matter. A number of cities have gone well beyond their borders in acquiring parks. Counties, special metropolitan park districts, and States may all act as agencies for provision of metropolitan parks. A very large number of States have shown themselves disposed to accept a liberal share of responsibility for provision of the large outlying areas characterized by better than average natural scenery or by high active-recreation value. They appear to continue to play an important part in the metropolitan park field.

Counties in metropolitan districts have acquired in excess of 100,000 acres of parks and play areas. The fact that a single metropolitan district may lie in two or more counties or even in two or more States makes it difficult to attain uniformity of planning and administration on a county basis. This fact indicates the wisdom, in many cases, of special metropolitan park boards of the type established in Ohio.

The Federal Government, chiefly by chance, has established areas of various types within metropolitan regions. As a result of the emergency program of submarginal land acquisition, it may become an increasingly important factor.

There is as yet no definite policy concerning division of responsibility between the several agencies involved, nor any definite standards relative to amount of area or to administrative method. However, the State may well accept a considerable measure of responsibility for the large, outer-zone parks. The metropolitan park board or the county, depending on the individual situation, may function satisfactorily for the inner, more heavily populated zone. Regardless of the agency or agencies involved, however, planning should be on a unified basis for the entire metropolitan region, usually extending for some 40 to 60 miles from the heart of the central city.

Failure to provide open spaces for recreational use within municipalities has undoubtedly been an important cause of the movement of population outside their boundaries and the occurrence of "blighted" areas in the cities. It would seem a wise plan for the authorities in these cities to purchase and improve many blocks in these "blighted districts."

It is suggested that good city management could well include the expending of large sums of money for the purchase of many blocks in blighted areas and their development as parks, playgrounds, and playfields. This alone will make such areas desirable as living places again, raise and stabilize property values, bring in greater income in taxes and other types of revenues, decrease ill health and lawlessness, and lessen the expense of health supervision and maintenance of law and order.

State Systems

The responsibility of the State appears to be to acquire, develop, and maintain such areas as will meet with reasonable adequacy the needs of its own people for inspiration, nature education, and active recreation, such as are not the responsibility of either the political subdivisions of the State or of the Federal Government.

For the country as a whole, the authors of "What About the Year 2000?" published in 1929, estimated a probable ultimate need of between 5,000,000 and 10,000,000 acres for State parks. On the basis of State-by-State calculations, which attempted to take account of both the extent and variety of opportunity for State parks in each State, and the probable volume of use, it is estimated that this need will approximate 7 million acres.

A study of the occupations of 4,120 park visitors in five widely scattered, fairly typical State parks appears to confirm the opinion expressed by several of those consulted that these properties are rendering less recreational service to men and women in the lower wage and salary scales than to others in better financial circumstances. Of the 4,120 persons questioned, only 3.57 percent were in the unskilled workers' group, and only 8.33 percent were in the group ordinarily referred to as "white-collar workers." Members of these two groups are preponderantly city dwellers. By comparison with most other groups, a much smaller percentage of theme can afford to own and operate automobiles. This comparative lack of opportunity to visit and enjoy the average State park points particularly strongly to the desirability of locating and acquiring areas eligible form State parkhood within metropolitan regions, though outside of congested districts and, wherever possible, close to common carrier passenger service.

For areas to be devoted wholly to leisure-time use, it is recommended by the National Park Service:

1. That State recreation systems be based upon comprehensive surveys by qualified persons.

2. That factors to be considered in selection of areas include the following: Unusual or unique natural features; scenic quality, by comparison with that of other areas in the State; probable adequacy of lands obtainable, for expected kind and quantity of recreation; variety and quantity of active-recreation yield; probable ability to produce legitimate income; location with respect to using population and to competitive areas; relative significance of historic, prehistoric, or scientific values.

3. That delimitation of boundaries be based upon the following: inclusion, complete, of any outstanding natural feature or features; inclusion of sufficient subquality area to accommodate intensive and wearing uses; inclusion of area in natural or naturalistic condition on spacious scale; inclusion of buffer area to discourage parasite developments; inclusion, wherever possible, of satisfactory year-round habitat form resident native wildlife.

4. That incomplete park areas be withheld from public use.

5. That scenic easements be used as a means of protecting surroundings of recreation properties and preventing adverse types of occupancy.

6. That all values involved be carefully weighed in determining the kinds of public use to be encouraged on any State recreation property.

7. That intensive uses of such properties be limited to one or, at most, to a very small number of locations.

8. That administration be kept on a nonpartisan basis, that properly qualified administrative officials and employees be selected, and that administration of parks and related areas be not subordinated to any other branch of conservation work.

9. That State recreation administrative agencies be equipped to render advisory service on recreation problems of political subdivisions of the State.

10. That part of the cost of operation of State recreation holdings be borne by users, through imposition of reasonable fees for exclusive occupancy, for any form of special service, and for rental of recreation equipment.

11. That in every park, a liberal portion of the total area be left completely undisturbed, free from roads, and with only a limited extent of trails.

12. That roads in State parks provide access to points of intensive use and to one or two points of special interest; that access to other parts be provided by trails; that construction of trunk highways through parks be prevented whenever possible; and that control of road location and design rest with the park authority.

13. That no exclusive-use leases be permitted in any State park, monument, or recreation reserve.

14. That the State build all park structures.

15. That the State either operate all park facilities or provide for their operation by concessionaires selected because of ability, financial reliability and character, never through competitive bidding.

16. That the States be encouraged to provide State trails for the pedestrian, both parallel to and independent of vehicular travel routes.

Recognizing the extensive recreational usefulness of State forests and game lands, it is recommended:

1. That their recreation service complement rather than duplicate and compete with that supplied by areas primarily recreational.

2. That areas within such holdings, deserving of State park, monument, or recreation reserve status, be given appropriate status and administration.

3. That exclusive occupancy of any part of such holdings be not permitted or, in the case of States no disposed to accept this policy, that occupancy be limited to areas which are not of greater value for general public use.

4. That practice with regard to fees and concession be made uniform with those of properties primarily recreational.

5. That special scenic, scientific, historic, or prehistoric values which do not justify separate administration be safeguarded.

sketch: Santuary!
FIGURE 7.

The Federal System

It is thought that the preservation of such national resources as productive soil (in situ), water resources, wildlife—including examples of the primeval—and outstanding historical and archeological sites requires national policies and national programs. Preservation of the primeval and of historical and archeological sites is a special problem of conservation which must be treated as a Federal responsibility.

Primeval Areas and Their Protection.—Primeval areas are defined by the United States Forest Service as "tracts of virgin timber in which human activities have never upset the normal processes of nature." Such primeval areas have been set aside in the national forests. But the acreage of such areas is relatively small—generally from 1,000 to 2,000 acres. Speaking purely of biological requirements, it may be said that a primeval area—if it is to remain primeval—should be of at least one-quarter million acres in extent, and that even area of 2,000,000 acres in extent may be too small if its boundaries are not properly located; to wit, Yellowstone, which contains little natural winter range for its elks, deer, antelope, and bighorn.

A definition of perhaps more positive character is presented herewith: Primeval areas are unmodified tracts of land with accompanying plant and animal life where normal processes of nature continue undisturbed by men and where all forms of life are given sanctuary. Consequently, a cut-over area might be considered a "wilderness" but not a primeval area. In still shorter form the definition could be: An area where ecological processes are not modified by artificial treatment. A wilderness area is free from man-made roads and conveniences, but a primeval area contains unspoiled, virgin fauna and flora. The one emphasizes kind of travel possible, the other the type and condition of ground cover. There is a place for each type of area.

Opportunities for preserving the primeval are greatest on large Government reservations like the national forests, but in actual practice, because of emphasis on use, the areas thus far set aside often fail to meet the definition. Too often modification takes place through grazing of domestic stock, killing of predatory animals, or other encroachments which result from commercial pressures.

In the national parks, primeval areas are less subject to disturbing use and conservation of unspoiled areas is a prime duty of the National Park Service.

Suitable primeval areas may still be left on Indian lands or on the public domain. Large private holdings should not be overlooked, since through public purchase or acquisition by gift they might be reserved. But wherever located, administration should be by the Federal Government so as to obtain stability and assurance of perpetual protection.

Amid the increasing pressure of motor travel, control of road building becomes an important factor in the preservation of primeval areas.

The value of primeval areas, in addition to the mere preservation from extinction of certain biotic forms, lies in their preservation of natural ecological relationships and in their potentiality for recreation of the type consistent with their primeval qualities. Protection of large primeval areas can only be accomplished through the Federal Government. Conservation cannot be accomplished if other commercial uses of the areas are permitted.

sketch: Save Our Historic Buildings
FIGURE 8.

Historical and Archeological Resources.—The Government of the United States should interest itself directly in preserving, under its own jurisdiction, historic sites of national significance. The majority of historic sites, like the majority of scenic and other scientific areas, should be preserved through the various States and other local forms of government, as well as through private and semipublic organizations. In this connection, more comprehensive legislation, both State and Federal, looking toward a better working program of conservation, is needed.

The determining factor in the preservation of a historic site by the National Government, as in the case of any areas of great scenic or scientific qualities, is that it possesses certain matchless or unique qualities which entitle it to a position within the first ranks of historic sites.

The quality of uniqueness exists:

(a) In such sites as are naturally the points or bases from which the broad aspects of prehistoric and historic American life can best be presented and from which the student of the history of the United States can sketch the large patterns of the American story; which areas are significant because of their relationship to other areas, each contributing its part to the complete story of American history.

(b) In such sites as are associated with the life of some great American or internationalist and which may not necessarily have any outstanding qualities other than that association; and

(c) In such sites as are associated with some sudden or dramatic incident in American history, which, though possessing no great intrinsic qualities, are unique and which are symbolic of some great idea or ideal for the American people.

Survey of Historic Sites.—1. The Government of the United States should assume the fundamental responsibility of inventorying historic and archeological sites. This involves two purposes: first, the acquisition of invaluable data regarding irreplaceable historical and archeological remains; and second, the acquisition of data to determine under the tests already suggested the qualities and possible rank of such areas and materials, as well as to provide a basis for proper conservation legislation. The importance of this work is indicated by the recommendation of the International Conference on the Conservation of Artistic and Historic Monuments, that "each country, or the institutions created or recognized competent for this purpose, publish an inventory of ancient monuments, with photographs and explanatory notes."

2. In order to know what resources of this type remain and in order that a better plan be developed, it is believed that the Secretary of the Interior should cause a survey to be made by the regularly constituted historical agencies with the Department of the Interior and that the results of the survey should be compiled and the sites classified as "Potential National" and "Nonpotential National" sites.

3. Following this survey and in line with recommendations, it is suggested that the Secretary of the Interior recommend to the Congress the passing of such legislation concerning historic and archaeological sites as he may thinks appropriate in the national program.

Archaeological Remains in the United States.—The Indians, real breakers of the New World wilderness, originated ways of life, means of travel, and systems of agriculture which, adopted by the first white settlers, have exercised potent influence upon our whole national career. The Indians wrote the first chapters of American history; only by study of their remains can we hope to read and to understand them. Ruins, mounds, and village sites thus constitute precious historical and archeological resources; their preservation from idle destruction and their scientific study are obligations which the United States owes not only to its own intellectual and educational development, but also to the world, in the sense that the past of any human race is the joint heritage of all mankind. Prehistoric Indian sites of outstanding archeological or historic importance should, therefore, if on private land, be acquired by public agencies; those already on Government land should be protected by greatly improved enforcement of existing laws; certain significant and carefully selected sites should be held inviolate for considerable periods of years to await investigation in the light of the more highly perfected research methods of the future; and study should be made (perhaps by the National Research Council) of means employed in other countries for conservation and utilization of antiquities for the common good. Finally, attention should be given to the problem of possible adoption of the principle established by law in Sweden, Italy, Mexico, and elsewhere, that all archeological materials are the property of the Nation.

In accordance with the principles above stated, there is included on page 206 of this report a list of what the archeological committee considers to be the most important of the known archeological sites in the United States, the preservation and, where necessary, the acquisition of which are recommended.

The committee of the National Park Service is profoundly impressed by the importance of preserving all of these sites because of their rapid destruction at the present time through undirected interest or mercenary exploitation. Nevertheless, the committee firmly believes that unless adequate laws and, even more important, adequate enforcement of these laws, be provided the mere setting aside of the above-mentioned archeological sites can have but little value. Experience with the National Antiquities Act of 1906 has shown that its potentialities are too limited. It has not been and apparently cannot be enforced. For this reason, the National Parks Service urges the National Resources Board, its successor, or any other duly authorized agency of Government, to appoint and finance a committee consisting of one member from the Smithsonian Institution, one member from the National Research Council, one member of the Carnegie Institution, and one member each to be designated by the Departments of Justice, Interior, Agriculture, and War. It is suggested that this committee make a careful study of the existing antiquities laws of the various countries of the world in which such laws have proved effective in preserving the common archeological heritage of the people for the countries concerned.

In the light of this information and the experiences with the present antiquities law of 1906, the above-named committee should be authorized to draw up an antiquities act more comprehensive in its scope and actually capable of enforcement.

sketch: The Car Outdistances the Horse
FIGURE 9.

Parkways.—The recreational use of the highway system of the United States plays a very large share in our national recreation scheme. Traffic over this system is now more than one-half recreational traffic. While some routes are primarily for commercial use, these form a small percentage of our entire highway scheme. There are others which are primarily recreational in use and on which the commercial traffic is incidental. Between these extremes we have the larger share of the highway system which carries both recreational and commercial traffic. It is estimated that recreational use forms at least 60 percent of the total use of automobiles.

The motor vehicle as a means of mass transportation is a relatively new thing and is making very rapid strides in development. It is logical to assume that the use of the motor vehicle will be a changing thing for some time to come. The mechanical development of the automobile, developments in highway design, and developments in the attitude of the people toward its use are all in the process of change.

Beginnings have been made in the design of highways primarily for recreational use as a specialized type.

(a) The parkway in metropolitan areas has proven itself and will no doubt come into more general use. It should always be justified by traffic before it is constructed, and in most cases will be built as a relief to an existing congested traffic artery.

(b) The State highway systems are units within a national highway system, and may follow the same procedure. Traffic will be guaranteed by an existing congested route between two points before a parkway for passenger vehicles is constructed as a means of relieving this congestion.

(c) The Federal Government in the emergency program, through the National Park Service and the Bureau of Public Roads, has authorized the construction of one parkway and a survey of two others—first, as a means to relieve unemployment, and second, as experimental parkways to provide a recreational route through an area containing natural scenic qualities. Such parkways are being constructed with the expectancy that they will be a tourist attraction, and by their own qualities develop the traffic to justify them. These are in contrast with the metropolitan parkway which is justified from a traffic viewpoint before it is constructed.

(d) Units in a State highway system which carry a larger percentage of passenger vehicle traffic offer an opportunity for the development of a type of trafficway somewhere between the parkway and the highway. The use of frontage and access restrictions might be introduced to a limited extent rather than to the complete degree to which they are applied to the parkway. The scenic easement and other restrictions of roadside development, such as zoning and architectural and landscape control of development in abutting property might very profitably be used. The idea suggested in this section would apply to highways in thinly populated areas where the natural scenery is of such quality that it would attract visitors, and where the traffic over the highways is a mixture of commercial and recreational travel (the larger percentage being recreational), yet where the total is not sufficient to warrant the construction of two traffic arteries, one for commercial and the other for recreational traffic.

sketch: Make the Way There and Back Pleasant
FIGURE 10.

Since the automobile plays such an important part in the recreational scheme of the Nation, it is recommended by the National Park Service:

1. That the Federal Government make a survey of the national highway system, to include particularly the development and design of highways and parkways which are expressly laid out for recreational use.

2. That this survey (the survey referred to here is a survey of conditions and is not to be confused with the word survey as used in highway construction) be made regularly in order that there may be a permanent record of trends in the development of the recreational use of highways.

3. That the National Park Service be authorized to advise and assist other governmental agencies in their studies of the recreational use and design of parkways and highways.

4. That the existing provision for parkway surveys in the Appalachian Mountains be enlarged to include a survey of a parkway from Canada to the Gulf through the Appalachian Range. The question of the responsibility for construction of such a route, that is, whether it should be State, Federal, or a combination of State and Federal, need not be determined at present.

5. That the Federal Government go no farther than said survey of the Appalachian route as a definite project until a reasonable amount of such parkway has been constructed and has proven its usefulness.

6. That the Bureau of Public Roads and the States, with the advice of the National Park Service, be authorized to consider parkways in other sections of the country as additions to the Federal aid systems or parts of the State highway systems.

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