Abstract:
Research has noted that Blacks are noticeably absent from wildlands, even in regions of
the country where Blacks are highly concentrated. Surveys of public lands and other
wildland areas have shown that an overwhelming majority of the recreationists are White.
It is suggested that more research is needed in order to understand the visitation,
recreation patterns, attitudes and behavior toward participation in natural areas (e.g.,
wildlands) among Blacks. Using a sample of Black and White students who attend
George Mason University as the target population, the purpose of this study was to
examine college students’ attitudes and behaviors toward participating in wildland
recreation, as well as their perceived cause for national low participation trends of Blacks
and facilitators to increase their participation rate. A non-experimental convergent
parallel mixed methods design was used to assess the attitudes and behavioral differences
of students toward wildland recreation using online survey. It was found that Blacks
were not absent from wildlands and parks, as literature suggests. However, it was
discovered that the majority of Blacks had higher visitation rates in natural areas that
were in suburban and urban settings. In comparison, Whites were more likely to visit
areas that were more solitude and required specialized equipment, skill-sets, and
education.
