LibGuides: Outdoor Education: Websites

Outdoor Recreation Industry Guide

This Outdoor Recreation Industry Guide from Ohio University is a great introductory guide for Industry analysis, consumer trends, and participant data for the outdoor recreation industry the relevant activities

Websites for Scholarly Research and Professional Organizations

The field of outdoor education is particularly rich in current research accessible online via professional organization websites. Below is a small sampling of non-profit and educational agencies engaged in research in the field of OE. As you explore these websites, look for links to "Research", "Education", "Publications", or "Resources". These links often to take you to scholarly information found outside of even library databases. Be sure to check these important web resources as you conduct your research!

American Academy of Parks and Recreation This link opens in a new window
AAPRA is an organization of distinguished practitioners and scholars committed to the advancement of the park and recreation field. Through the Journal of Park and Recreation Administration and other projects, the Academy encourages both practitioners and educators to develop and enhance administration in the recreation and parks field.
American Camp Association: Camping Research and Trends This link opens in a new window
Provides current research on trends in camping.
American Canoe Association This link opens in a new window
The American Canoe Association (ACA) is a member based, national nonprofit organization serving the broader paddling public by providing education related to all aspects of paddling; stewardship support to help protect paddling environments; and sanctioning of programs and events to promote paddlesport competition and recreation (aka FUN!)
American Mountain Guides Association This link opens in a new window
The AMGA inspires an exceptional client experience as the premier source for training, credentials, resource stewardship and services for professional mountain guides and climbing instructors in the United States.
Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) This link opens in a new window
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) works with federal, state, and local agencies, and the Appalachian Trail maintaining clubs in the cooperative management of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.). To help ensure consistent management practices along the roughly 2,180 miles of the Trail, we provide a number of resources for volunteer leaders, agencies and others, including a library of A.T. management policies and other reference materials.
Association for Experiential Education: Publications This link opens in a new window
Offers an index of Journal of Experiential Education, 1978- present.
Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education This link opens in a new window
The mission of the Association is to provide opportunities for professionals and students in the field of outdoor recreation and education to exchange information, promote the preservation and conservation of the natural environment, and address issues common to college, university, community, military, and other not-for-profit outdoor recreation and education programs.
ERIC This link opens in a new window
The world's largest source of education information, provides more than 1 million abstracts and journal articles.
Institute for Outdoor Learning This link opens in a new window
Offers abstracts of JAEOL (Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning).
LARnet: The Cyberjournal of Applied Leisure and Recreation Research (LAR) This link opens in a new window
LARNet; The Cyber Journal of Applied Leisure and Recreation Research is published with the hard work of its editorial board members and peer reviewers. LARNet; The Cyber Journal of Applied Leisure and Recreation Research is free of charge to individuals, libraries, academic and commercial organizations. LARNet is part of a new publishing paradigm whereby the scholars themselves retain control over all aspects of the scholarly communication process.
Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: Research Site This link opens in a new window
Offers citations and some full-text of selected articles on Leave No Trace-related research.
NOLS Research Webpage This link opens in a new window
Collection of research and publications from the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).

National Park Service
Since 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of our national parks. With the help of volunteers and partners, we safeguard these special places and share their stories with more than 275 million visitors every year. But our work doesn't stop there

OutdoorEd.com: Articles This link opens in a new window
Outdoor Ed provides online articles on a range of outdoor education and experiential education topics including: experiential education theory, adventure-based counseling, equipment, risk management, wilderness orientation programs, natural history, paddling, first aid, technology, debriefing & processing, leadership training, leave no trace, activity protocols, activity technique, and outdoor activities.
Wilderness Education Association (WEA) This link opens in a new window
Professional organization for outdoor educators. WEA publishes JOREL (Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Educational Leadership), and previously published JWEA (Journal of the Wilderness Education Association). Past issues of JWEA are available on the WEA website.

Recreation.gov
Recreation.gov is your gateway to discover America's Outdoors and more! Recreation.gov is your one-stop shop for trip planning, information sharing and reservations brought to you by 12 federal Participating Partners. Seven of these partner agencies including the Army Corps of Engineers, Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Archives, offer advance reservations at 2,500 federal areas for over 60,000 facilities and activities.
Recreation Information Database
RIDB is a part of the Recreation One Stop (Rec1Stop) project, initiated as a result of a government modernization study conducted in 2004. Rec1Stop provides a user-friendly, web-based resource to citizens, offering a single point of access to information about recreational opportunities nationwide. The web site represents an authoritative source of information and services for millions of visitors to federal lands, historic sites, museums, and other attractions/resources
U.S. Department of Interior
The U.S. Department of the Interior uses sound science to manage and sustain America’s lands, water, wildlife, and energy resources, honors our nation’s responsibilities to tribal nations, and advocates for America’s island communities. As keepers of our nation’s legacy, we manage the resources in our care to benefit Americans now and in the future. Under the leadership of Secretary Sally Jewell, our department and its employees are developing and implementing the cutting-edge science and expert management techniques that make this possible. We are also taking actions to help America transform the challenges it faces today into opportunities for tomorrow.
Government Resources
USA.gov is an online guide to government information and services. Its mission is to create and organize timely, needed government information and services and make them accessible anytime, anywhere.