21 December 1995 New Book Summarises NZ Outdoor Recreation Research

The broad span of outdoor recreation research in New Zealand has, for the first time, been summarised and integrated within the covers of single book.

Produced jointly by Lincoln University and the Department of Conservation, "Outdoor Recreation in New Zealand: a review and synthesis of the research literature" is edited by Pat Devlin and Catherine Peebles of Lincoln and Ross Corbett of DOC, Canterbury Conservancy.

Dr Devlin describes the publication as a timely and much-needed "kete (basket) of information" bringing everyone up to date on the scope, nature, role and status of outdoor recreation research in New Zealand.

The book's editors say their primary aim was to summarise New Zealand outdoor recreation research and present it in a form useful for students and managers.

They see what they have come up with as an "airing" of fundamental issues facing policy, planning and management for outdoor recreation and they believe that recreation research over the next decade has before it a more serious mandate than ever before.

"New Zealand has come a long way in the last decade," they say, "and recreation research has made a good start on many issues and there is a reasonably clear understanding of what needs to be done."

The book, they feel, is part of the springboard for such action.

The editors come at the material from three different positions. Catherine Peebles, a recent Lincoln graduate in Parks, Recreation and Tourism, is an avid "user" of the outdoors as a triathlon competitor; Ross Corbett is a recreation "planner" with the Department of Conservation in Christchurch; and Pat Devlin is a "teacher" in Lincoln University's Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism who has enjoyed the outdoors since before his academic career began.

"Outdoor recreation is unquestionably a central element in Kiwi culture, and has attracted the attention of a diverse range of people over the years - from social scientists to politicians - but until now no one has brought together within two covers of a book a comprehensive summary of the research writings. That's what we have done," says Dr Devlin.

Volume one of the book contains the literature review and synthesis of this material and volume two is a bibliography of existing published material from the field.

Six of the 10 contributors to volume one are from Lincoln's Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, one is from the University's Centre for Maori Studies and Research, one is from the Department of Economics and Marketing, another is from the Centre for Resource Management and the tenth, from the Department of Conservation, is a Lincoln diplomate in Parks and Recreation Management.

The contributors are Tracy Berno, Kay Booth, Pat Devlin, Kevin Moore, Catherine Peebles and David Simmons all of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, Ross Cullen of the Department of Economics and Marketing, Geoff Kerr of the Centre for Resource Management, Hirini Matunga of the Centre for Maori Studies and Research, and Ross Corbett of the Department of Conservation, Canterbury Conservancy.

Topics covered in volume one include Maori perspectives; patterns and characteristics of visitor use; motivations, expectations and satisfactions in outdoor recreation; economics; and management.

Volume two contains information relating to almost 2000 New Zealand research publications and documents concerning outdoor recreation.

In introducing the book, Department of Conservation Director General Bill Mansfield says that with increasing numbers of people wanting to visit New Zealand 's outdoor recreation areas, wise management is essential to ensure that such visits are compatible with the conservation of natural, scientific, historic and cultural values.

"The Department of Conservation sees research playing an increasingly important role in future decisions about outdoor recreation opportunities," he says.

"It is the hope of both Lincoln University and the Department of Conservation that the book we have jointly produced will stimulate students, policy makers, managers and researchers to seek further and deeper understanding of the relationship between outdoor recreation and conservation."

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand.