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Whether you're hiking in the White Mountains or exploring one of New Hampshire鈥檚 many state parks, there's a good chance that research from UNH helped shape that experience.听

Outdoor recreation accounts for 3.4% of New Hampshire's GDP and supports more than 31,000 jobs, well above the 2.2% national average, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. 听

Professors in UNH鈥檚 Department of Recreation Management and Policy help the state manage this vital asset by conducting research that helps natural resource managers make informed decisions to shape recreation policy. Their work spans visitor management to public health, all focused on a central challenge: how to sustain New Hampshire's outdoor recreation boom as conditions鈥� environmental, social, and health-related 鈥� continue to evolve. 听

Through the , Associate Professor Michael Ferguson and Clinical Assistant Professor Matthew Frye focus on visitor use management, helping agencies address issues such as crowding, access, and infrastructure planning. Assistant Professor Lauren Ferguson leads the People in Nature Lab, which explores the intersection of recreation, health, and wellness. 听

Managing An Important Asset 听听

From 2015 to 2020, outdoor recreation increased by nearly 50% at the White Mountain National Forest. While increased visitation benefits the state鈥檚 economy, it can also create challenges for land managers and visitors if not managed carefully. 听

Since 2020, UNH research has focused heavily on overcrowding. A 2022 found that 70% of visitors reported their outdoor experience was affected by crowding, and 18% adjusted their behavior by avoiding specific trails, visiting during off-peak hours, or choosing alternative activities. 听

鈥淲ith new visitors experiencing the outdoors come overcrowding and visitors who are unprepared, who aren鈥檛 recreating safely, and who don鈥檛 always understand the basic norms of outdoor use, like how to pass someone on a trail or that trails are often shared by multiple user groups,鈥� Ferguson says. 听

More recently, the ARRC Lab team partnered with the New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation to develop the (SCORP) for 2024鈥�2028. Their research informed assessments of recreation trends and helped identify key challenges, leading to the implementation of visitor use management strategies such as park reservation systems and the statewide 鈥淲ildly Responsible鈥� marketing campaign launched in summer 2025, which promotes outdoor preparedness and responsible recreation. 听

While the research has provided valuable insights into managing overcrowding, Ferguson says it remains an evolving challenge that continues to require attention. 听

鈥淭his increased visitation is a good thing. It's just on us as researchers to work with land managers to educate people on how to have a high-quality outdoor experience while also protecting the resources,鈥� Ferguson says. 听

Janel Lawton, director of the NH Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry Development, worked with Ferguson on the state鈥檚 Outdoor Recreation Industry Inventory Report and the Visitor Use Working Group, and credits UNH research for helping to shape the campaign鈥檚 four principles (Plan, Pack & Prepare; Care for Others; Protect and Preserve; and Go Have Fun). 听

鈥淭hrough this process, we saw the need for a stronger, unified voice to amplify messages around safety and sustainability,鈥� Lawton says. 鈥淭here were a lot of existing programs focused on visitor use management, but no single initiative spoke to the entire state or addressed all outdoor activities.鈥澨�

Eric Feldbaum, director of community recreation for the NH Division of Parks and Recreation, works closely with UNH researchers on the SCORP and says the information collected by the researchers is essential because the SCORP is a federally required planning document that helps the state access Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars for outdoor recreation projects, and sets statewide priorities.听

鈥淭his is the sole research-based university in the state that truly has a recreational lens,鈥� Feldbaum says. 鈥淚t has been helpful in getting a good perspective on developing our SCORP document.鈥� 听

Tackling an Emerging Threat 听听

A new component of the 2024鈥�2028 SCORP focuses on how shifting climate patterns are affecting both visitor experiences and provider operations. 听

This was led by Ferguson and Ph.D. research assistant Maddie Smith as part of Smith鈥檚 dissertation. Drawing on survey data from both in-state visitors and outdoor recreation providers, the study explores how changing conditions are already influencing behavior, planning, and day-to-day operations. 听

鈥淎s expected, the greatest impacts were reported in winter (shorter season/reduced snowpack), but visitors are still coming back despite those changes,鈥� Smith says. 鈥淚n contrast, summer was where visitors said they struggled to cope, particularly with hotter days and more frequent heat waves. Some shared that it was simply too hot to go outside and they stayed indoors with the air conditioning on.鈥� 听

Providers are feeling the impacts in numerous areas, with nearly 80% of those surveyed reporting climate-related maintenance challenges, as well as additional impacts extending to staffing, long-term planning, and budgeting. 听听

The research recommended practical ways for recreation providers to adapt to climate change without deterring visitors. These include redesigning spaces to accommodate seasonal changes 鈥� such as adding shade structures or floating docks 鈥� promoting outdoor stewardship through education, and encouraging collaboration between agencies to create shared guidelines for sustainable recreation management. 听

Smith hopes the inclusion of climate data in the SCORP will help providers advocate for resources and support, and that it becomes a regular feature in future plans to track long-term changes. The research has already been cited during U.S. Senate budget testimony to highlight climate impacts on local recreation providers. 听

Anticipating Future Challenges 听

Looking ahead, Lauren Ferguson鈥檚 team is also beginning to explore how public health threats may impact access to and behavior in recreation, including an upcoming study examining how perceptions of tick risk influence outdoor recreation across New Hampshire and New England. 听

Ferguson is leading the project with Kaitlynn Liset, clinical assistant professor of nursing and Ph.D. student. The research aims to understand how residents and visitors, and healthcare professionals, perceive the risks of tick exposure and how those perceptions shape their decisions to engage with the outdoors. 听听

鈥淲e鈥檝e been experiencing many intense tick seasons, and that could become a real barrier to outdoor recreation, which is concerning because spending time outside is such a healthy way to engage with our state, and it鈥檚 also a major economic driver,鈥� Ferguson says. 听听

Another key aspect of the research will be to examine the gap between what people know about tick prevention and their actual practices. Ferguson is especially interested in how perceptions of risk influence behavior, whether that means avoiding outdoor activities altogether or skipping precautions like using insect repellent or checking for ticks afterward. 听

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of misinformation out there,鈥� she says. 鈥淪ome people are hesitant to use DEET on themselves and their children, but as it turns out, DEET is one of the most effective repellents.鈥� 听

The research will also assess current education and outreach efforts across the state, from public health signage to social media campaigns, to identify knowledge gaps and opportunities to strengthen messaging. 听

鈥淭his is an important topic because it connects to so many things that matter in New Hampshire,鈥� Ferguson says. 鈥淲e live in a beautiful state with countless opportunities for outdoor recreation, and as tick populations grow and the issue stays in the headlines, it鈥檚 critical for recreationists to stay informed and know how to protect themselves and their families.鈥� 听

Building a Sustainable Outdoor Future 听

Future projects from UNH researchers will continue to feed into the state鈥檚 SCORP, which is transitioning from a five-year to a 10-year document. Feldbaum says the longer timeline will allow for stronger baseline data on evolving trends, facilitating long-term planning. 听Lawton also sees multiple opportunities for continued collaboration, including efforts to measure the long-term impact of the Wildly Responsible campaign, support outdoor workforce development, and help municipalities integrate recreation into local planning. 听听

鈥淭here are real-world outcomes from this research,鈥� Lawton says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just sitting on a shelf 鈥� it鈥檚 being used to make informed decisions that benefit the state.鈥� 听听