New Statewide Comprehensive 5-Year Plan Being Developed to Get Residents Outside

“Going Outside in Connecticut,” a 165-page volume last produced by the state in 2017, reflected the many ways in which state residents and visitors could get out and do something.  The official “Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreations Plan” published that year looked ahead to the years 2017-2022.  Now it’s time for the next five-year edition.

This week, the Center for Community Engagement and Social Research (CCESR) at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) announced it will lend its expertise to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) as it drafts the state’s 2023-2028 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP). 

The SCORP will evaluate the supply and demand of outdoor recreation resources in Connecticut while identifying outdoor recreation issues of statewide importance. The federal Land and Water Conservation Fund requires states to complete a comprehensive outdoor recreation plan every five years to remain eligible for funding and to ensure wise use of the grant awards.

To better support DEEP’s data collection efforts and ensure ample opportunity for public participation, the faculty, staff, and students at the Center for Community Engagement and Social Research will conduct four outdoor recreation surveys. Data collection for three of the surveys — the Avid Outdoor Enthusiast Survey, the Statewide Demand Survey, and the 169 Municipalities Survey — is now underway.

Later this spring, CCESR will also release a survey to capture feedback from current recreationalists. The Center will collect more than 2,000 surveys to assess and update public outdoor recreation resources in state parks, state forests, wildlife management areas, and state boat launches. These surveys will be used to better understand recreation habits, establish baseline demographic information, identify needs, and establish economic impacts of outdoor recreationalists during the spring and summer recreation season. 

CCSER’s collaboration with DEEP exemplifies the Center’s mission to engage CCSU students and the community in meaningful projects and outreach efforts for the greater good.

A draft of the 2023-2028 SCORP will be available for public review and comment later this year. The previous version noted that “In a state with recreation opportunities as diverse as its population and ecological communities, presenting one plan that fully represents the often divergent interests of its 3.5 million residents is very challenging.”  Hence, a series of partners, in addition to CCSU, will support DEEP in information-gathering for the forthcoming SCORP. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services have provided funding for local communities, the 2017-2022 SCORP points out,  to address issues and implement policy and environmental changes that promote healthier lifestyles and reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cancer,” adding that “parks play a crucial role in bringing about positive changes in communities.

Additionally, communities benefit from the increased social interaction of residents bonding with their neighbors while pursuing common interests. The local environment benefits from the increased awareness of environmental issues and the importance of environmental stewardship.”

Additional information will be shared online at http://www.ct.gov/deep/scorp or for questions or comments about the Recreation Plan, contact DEEP at deep.scorp@ct.gov. For inquiries about the data collection for SCORP, contact CCESR at CCESRfeedback@ccsu.edu. Funding for this project is provided by DEEP Bureau of Outdoor Recreation.