Figure 28 — Most of the increase in demand for recreation will be near existing population centers. 



— If the public and private sectors continue to provide and expand opportunities at 

 rates comparable to recent trends, the projected increases in supplies will nneet 

 most of the projected increases in demands. 



— Closure of private land to free public access does not necessarily mean that the 

 land is lost to recreation opportunities. 



— Most of the increase in demand will be near existing population centers, which 

 are generally far away from the bulk of the federal lands in the West . 



— National forests and other public lands in the North, South, and Pacific Coast 

 regions are expected to become relatively more important for all forms of 

 recreation if access remains generally unrestricted and free. 



— Instead of national trends affecting all regions alike, the differential rates of 

 growth in activities indicate that specific areas of the country will be affected 

 differently by the expected growth in recreation. For example, greater demand 

 for downhill skiing has obvious implications for areas of the country with the 

 unique terrain and climate needed for this activity. 



— Over 90 million acres are currently in the National Wilderness Preservation 

 System. About 1 of every 6 acres in the National Forest System is designated 

 as wilderness. 



— Wilderness use accounts for less than 1 percent of all outdoor recreation. Total 

 time spent in wilderness areas has been relatively stable in recent years. 



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