Outdoors are for everyone. All shapes, sizes, genders, races, sexual identities, ages, abilities. All bodies are good bodies, and all are welcome here. This hasn’t always been the case in outdoor recreation, but we have the power to change that. Together we can build an outdoor recreation culture that honors our bodies, the land, and the Indigenous people who have stewarded the land for generations. Sarah Histand, founder SMH training and Ski Babes
RECREATION THE ENJOYMENT OF LANDS AND WATERS VIA SEASONAL ACTIVITIES DEEPENS UNDERSTANDING OF AND CONNECTION TO PLACE.
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Outdoor recreation opportunities and natural amenities improve the quality of life for Alaskans. 81% of Alaskans participate in outdoor recreation each year. Alaska’s spectacular beauty and the opportunity to recreate outdoors cultivates a special, place-based connection; however, that connection must be centered on Indigenous values systems to guide proper treatment of the lands and waters. Regenerative recreation deepens connections to and understanding of lands and waters while protecting and enhancing equity and access. Extractive outdoor recreation cultures tend to be highly individualistic, consumptive (environmental degradation and seasonal gear surplus), and tend to view the landscapes as inanimate playgrounds. In contrast, Alaskans of many cultural backgrounds enjoy the outdoors with friends and family as they garden, walk, and play in ways that give them a strong sense of connection. Recreation can be an important avenue to deepen understanding of Alaskans’ impact on the land and responsibilities to it, and ultimately, our interdependence. We envision a future where all Alaskans live in reciprocity and right relationship.
