Perea Ast DU BON BILGE ELEN 1 
OUTDOOR RECREATION PLANNING 
Outdoor recreation planning is a relatively new field. It is an analysis 
of the supply and demand for outdoor recreation, determination of needs, 
identification of opportunities and recommendation of alternative courses 
of action. In the past, many plans were primarily concerned with single 
purpose recommendations, a narrow range of activities, specific regions 
and limited time periods. Planning was neither continuous nor com- 
prehensive. 
Recreation planning now includes a consideration of demand-supply 
relationships, recreation resources, landscape personality, user characteris- 
tics, transportation, aesthetics, administrative responsibilities, and the func- 
tional design of areas to serve their best use. Beyond acting as a research 
arm for administrators, planning has a responsibility for the creative 
innovation of new ideas, perspectives and approaches to resource develop- 
ment, recreation use, and the design of our total environment. 
Planning must also relate its efforts to the overall program for economic 
development, land use, transportation, education, agriculture, and public 
works. Recration planning cannot be done in a vacuum; likewise, other 
planning programs should relate to the recreation plan. The result should 
be a series of coordinated plans which compliment rather than conflict 
with each other, and all plans should relate to the comprehensive plan for 
a given area. 
SUMMARY 
If any generalization can be made about planning, they might emphasize 
the planner as a catalyst in the governmental process, the plan as a flexible 
document or idea, the citizen and his elected or appointed representatives 
as the decision-makers. After all is said and done there is, and will be, many 
aspects to recreation planning which need constant re-evaluation. The 
planning profession defies simple, neat, one-sided answers and always 
demands at least one more. Hopefully, this article provides just one answer 
which will prompt more. 
Department of Conservation, Springfield, Illinois 62706 
Editor’s Note: Mr. Gold’s background includes ten years of experience in outdoor recreation 
planning, urban planning, resource development and park administration. He has been 
employed with federal, state and municipal park and planning agencies and a planning con- 
sultant’s office. 
# a fl fl 
Kirklands’ Quest for the Kirtland 
By Mrs. Wallace Kirkland, Jr. 
We have had an exciting four-day birding trip into Michigan to see the 
Kirtland Warbler. For years we have been asked by birding friends when 
hearing our name: — “Oh, the name of the warbler, — have you seen it?” 
Always our answer was the same: — “No, that’s spelled with a ‘t’? and our 
