— Wilderness areas contribute to maintenance of species diversity and protection 

 of fiabitat for threatened and endangered species. Ttiey are important in otfier 

 ways unrelated to onsite recreation. 



Issue Highlight — 

 Effects of Land 

 Closure and Leasing on 

 Total Recreation 

 Opportunity 



The 1989 RPA Assessment found that the percentage of private lands open to the 

 public for recreation declined from 29 to 23 percent from 1979 to 1989. It was not 

 certain if this trend resulted in decreased recreation opportunities. For example, 

 leasing of land might lead to investments that increase recreation opportunities on the 

 affected land. We initiated a study to determine the effects of decreased accessibility 

 of private lands on total recreation opportunities (Cordell, et al., 1993). 



The study involved analysis of a combination of secondary and primary data to 

 examine subdivision, land and landowner characteristics, access policies, and recre- 

 ation opportunity and use of private lands. Statistical analysis of data from the 1987 

 National Resources Inventory of the Soil Conservation Service and the 1987 Census 

 of Agriculture of the Department of Commerce indicated that use and access trends in 

 the States of Georgia, Indiana, and New York are likely indicative of statewide and 

 regionwide trends. A telephone survey was made of a total of 506 landowners in the 3 

 States. The survey was designed to elicit information describing the tract, recreational 

 access policies, the history of tract subdivision, and other information about the 

 household. 



Overall, the study found that other than complete closure to all recreation use, 

 various forms of access restrictions do not appear to reduce either the number 

 of people having recreational access on private lands or the overall amount of 

 use. 



Figure 29 — Land leasing is positively correlated with the number of people having access to activities such 

 as hunting. 



51 



