(DOWNLOAD) "Rocky Mountain National Park: History and Culture As Factors in African-American Park Visitation (Report)" by Journal of Leisure Research # Book PDF Kindle ePub Free

eBook details

Title: Rocky Mountain National Park: History and Culture As Factors in African-American Park Visitation (Report)
Author : Journal of Leisure Research
Release Date : January 22, 2009
Genre: Social Science,Books,Nonfiction,
Pages : * pages
Size : 237 KB

Description

For many individuals in the United States, visiting a National Park site during leisure time is considered common practice. However, recent studies have shown that traveling to a National Park is not widespread among all ethnic and racial groups and that visitation by racial/ethnic minorities is very low. On average, the White population typically accounts for 91% of park visitors while minority populations such as African-Americans, consist of only 3.8% (Littlejohn, National Park Service, personal communication, 1998; Floyd, 1999). Low visitation rates by minority groups concerns the National Park Service (NPS) because the organization has an ethical, legal and moral responsibility to make parks accessible and available to all individuals (Sandy Weber, NPS Interpretation and Education Branch, personal communication, 1999). To gain a better understanding of low visitation rates by minorities in National Parks sites, this qualitative research inquiry explored the relationship between Denver's African-American community and Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). RMNP is located just 70 miles northwest of the city and is one of the nation's major tourist attractions. In Denver, African-Americans constitute 11.1% of the city's population (U.S. Census, 2000), but they rarely visit the natural area. To understand why the African-American population in Denver tends not to recreate in the RMNP, it is important to identify the historical factors that shape and influence how and where this population recreates. Furthermore, the cultural context in which the African American population from Denver lives is also essential for understanding the underutilization of the park. In this study, the lead researcher explored how historical and cultural factors of the African American community living in Denver have influenced their current outdoor recreation practices.