https://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/05/the-science-behind-traffic-jams-infographic/
Best Practices in Traffic Operations and Safety: Phase II: Zig-zag Pavement Markings
Bike Maryland March 2011 update
Bicycle Symposium – a Huge Success!
Bike Maryland’s 14th Annual Bicycle Symposium took place in Annapolis on Tuesday, February 22. Although we thought it wouldn’t happen for the forth year in a row – it snowed – allot. Approximately 175 advocates, leaders and planners filled the President’s Conference Center to share ideas, meet with state legislators and listen to top notch presenters. Throughout the day, dozens of Senators and Delegates were introduced to the audience. Thank you Senator Rosapepe for securing the conference room for our use. Two probike partners, Delegate Cardin (Chair of the Bicycle Caucus and sponsor of the 3 Foot Law) and Delegate Carr (sponsor of the Shoulder Law), discussed the importance of pro-bicycle legislation and policy including their current work with Bike Maryland to:
- promote access to trails after dark for bicycle commuters
- create the opportunity to bring a bike on the MARC
- expand complete streets infrastructure
- increase driver awareness and education
During the Bicycle Symposium keynote address, Andy Clarke, Executive Director of the League of American Bicyclists, described what LAB calls “a Simple Solution”. “Bicycling is economical, efficient, clean, and sustainable. The level of investment needed to get more people riding is small and offers big returns. Riding a bike frees people from car, gas, and insurance payments; it frees the nation from costly oil imports from volatile corners of the world. Bicycling is the ultimate expression of freedom and independence and the simple pleasure of riding a bike harkens back to simpler times. It’s fun, and its good for you.” Learn more about the Solution at the National Bike Summit this week – additional information below.
Bike Maryland is deeply thankful for the support and participation of the Symposium presenters, exhibitors, volunteers, legislators and attendees that made the day a huge success! The Symposium recording will be available on line soon.
Testimony Complete – Update on House Bill 363 Manslaughter by Motor Vehicle or Vessel – Criminal Negligence
The day after the Bike Symposium, 21 people testified in support of House Bill 363, which would fill a gap in Maryland’s criminal law that currently operates to allow drivers who kill cyclists to receive little or no punishment. In short, the bill creates a misdemeanor for causing the death of another while operating a vehicle in a criminally negligent manner.
During the Judiciary Committee hearing, testifiers urged Delegate Vallario to “bring the strongly supported bill to a vote!” If you haven’t already done so please click here and take action to support this critical legislation. You can listen to the HB363 testimony by visiting https://mgahouse.maryland.gov/House/Catalog/catalogs/default.aspx. Click on Judiciary in the left navigation bar and scroll down to 2/23/11 (either one of the versions). Since it was a 4 hour session — you can move the bar forward to 1 hour and 58 minutes which is when Delegate Simmons begins the presentation.
Additional information:
- Bill to punish fatally bad driving should pass with care – Lawmakers should steer clear of criminalizing mistakes
February 27, 2011|By Michael Dresser, The Baltimore Sun. View article here. - Maryland Vehicular Homicide Bill : Drivers Who Cause Fatal Auto Accidents Should Get Tougher Penalties, Grieving Families Say. February 28, 2011 by Jeff Butschky, Maryland Injury Attorney Blog. View article here.
Press Release -Maryland Department of Transportation Asks, “What Are the Barriers to More Children Walking and Biking to School?”
The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Completes Statewide Survey Identifying Obstacles – Develops Recommendations for Future. MDOT, working with partners in both the education community and the bicycle and pedestrian community, has completed the Maryland Statewide Student Travel Policy Survey. A primary goal of the survey is to provide State officials with an understanding of the policies and practices governing walking and biking at individual schools and within entire school systems. The survey identified a number of challenges that stand in the way of walking and biking to school and developed a series of recommendations to address those challenges. View the press release here and view the survey here.
Events
March 8 -10th, 2011- the League of American Bicyclists National Bike Summit; Grand Hyatt|Metro Center|D.C.
Learn more and view the action packed agenda here. There are more people riding bikes than ever. Yet half of all U.S. trips are three miles or less, and more than 90 percent are made by car. The National Bike Summit has improved bicycle-friendliness and livability in many communities, but the need and opportunity to improve physical activity, safety and livability in the U.S., while reducing congestion, greenhouse gas emissions and our dependence on oil – remains greater today than a decade ago. These issues seem difficult to solve but the answer is simple. The answer is the bicycle. Now is the time to ask Congress to make strategic transportation investments that foster healthy people and healthy communities. Attend the summit to act on a simple solution – the bicycle.
March 9th – 5:30 PM – SUPPORT RIDE FOR NATHAN. Start location Broadview Apartments 116 West University Parkway, near Hopkins campus. “Johns Hopkins University Engineering student Nathan Krasnopoler was badly injured while riding his bicycle in the bike lane on University Pkwy Saturday, February 26th. We need to come together on this, for Nathan, his family, and ourselves.” Learn more here. Free.
Update by Mitchell Krasnopoler (Nathan’s father) March 6, 2011 Update 3:00 pm. Nathan continues to take very small steps of improvement. He is in a coma, but is in stable condition. Not much change in his responsiveness, but some small signs. The good news is that he was taken off the ventilator today and is breathing on his own! He does have a trachea collar to provide humidified and oxygen enriched air.
Nathan was wearing a helmet and did not suffer any head trauma but did suffer chest injuries and had stopped breathing by time the EMTs arrived.
The initial article in The Baltimore Sun quoted a Police Detective who said no charges would be filed against the 83 year old driver. During a meeting with the Police Department last week, Bike Maryland, government officials and other advocates were informed that the decision to charge/prosecute the driver will be made after the investigation has been completed; they indicated that the original police statement was in error. View the letter from Greg Hinchliffe, Chairman of the Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Committee.
Additional information links:
- After a bicyclist is put in a coma, Baltimore debates traffic enforcement – March 5; Author: Philip Langdon;
New Urban Network - www.abc2news.com/dpp/news/region/baltimore_city/baltimore-police-responds-to-public-concerns-in-hopkins-student-hit-while-biking
- https://www.bikebaltimore.org/
- www.baltimorespokes.org/article.php?story=2011030413431398
March 11, 2011 Special Event – Bike Travel and Touring! Free.
Join Bike Maryland and the Adventure Cycling Association (ACA) for a special presentation by ACA’s executive director, Jim Sayer, on the joys of bicycle travel and cool projects happening at the national and state level. He’ll touch on new bicycle routes and maps coming from the ACA (including the new Sierra Cascades route and the planned Bicycle Route 66), a new website with resources on “bike overnights”, plus a status report on development of the official US Bicycle Route System.
Join us on Friday, March 11th, from 7-9 PM at the Episcopal Cathedral of the Incarnation at 4 East University Parkway, Baltimore, Maryland, 21218. The entrance is on Charles Street. Click here for direction details.
Please RSVP by March 5th via email to Sarah Raz or via phone at 800-755-2453 x 210. Please spread the word about this free exciting presentation. We are looking for a few volunteers to help with the event. Please contact Carol Silldorff if you are willing and able to assist!
March 29, 2011 Bicycle Friendly Business Workshop
Presented by the Frederick Bicycle Coalition, the League of American Bicyclists, Bike Maryland and the Department of Economic Development. Free.
1 to 4 PM at the C. Burr Artz Public Library – Community Room, 110 East Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701
The League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) program recognizes employers who make bicycle commuting a more viable option for their employees by providing resources such as secured bike parking and showers. In doing so, businesses are demonstrating their dedication to social responsibility by helping their employees maintain an active lifestyle, while also reducing traffic congestion and improving air quality. Bill Nesper and Carly Sieff from the League of American Bicyclists will host a workshop on how to become a BFB, providing step-by-step technical guidance on making your workplace a more bicycle friendly environment to work in. Over 21 communities, businesses and university leaders attended the last LAB/Bike Maryland training session and many applied for LAB bike friendly status – this program is an incredible opportunity for businesses interested in improving bike-ability!
REGISTER AND LEARN MORE HERE. Add your business to the growing list of BFBs across the country!
April 7, 2011 Creating 880 Cities: Walking, Cycling, & Public Places for All. Free.
Keynote presentation by Gil Peñalosa, Executive Director 8-80 Cities; Thursday, April 7th 2011, 7-9 PM at the Bain Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way Columbia, MD 21044.
This is an event you don’t want to miss! Mr. Peñalosa is an internationally renowned livable city advisor and is passionate about vibrant and healthy communities. As Executive Director of the non-profit organization 8-80 Cities and former Commissioner of Parks, Sports and Recreation in Bogota, Colombia, Gil’s tireless commitment to fostering healthy communities remains front and center. He also works as Senior Consultant for the renowned Danish firm Gehl Architects. And he serves on the Boards of Directors of American Trails, Ciclovias of the Americas, and City Parks Alliance. As the Commissioner of Parks, Sport and Recreation for the City of Bogotá, Colombia, Gil’s team initiated the “new Ciclovia”—car-free Sundays— today an internationally recognized program that sees over 1.3 million people walk, run skate and bike along 75 miles of Bogotá’s city roads. Co‐sponsored by the Columbia Association and Bike Maryland. RSVPs Preferred: Event.Rsvp@ColumbiaAssociation.com
May 1, 2011 Baltimore Bike Club’s 27th Annual Instructional Ride Series. Free.
The club’s most popular Instructional Ride Series will begin with an orientation to be held on Sunday, May 1, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. This series is offered to anyone over 16 years of age interested in learning the basic skills of cycling, including doing minor road repairs and improving as a rider. We want to help people new to our sport find a comfortable riding level and develop so they can at least ride on the BBC casual rides by the end of the series. Experienced riders who are new to club riding can meet other BBC members and learn about group riding. The ride series will cover both road and recreational trail riding. And we do have something for faster riders. At the orientation, we will demonstrate cycling skills and techniques; discuss bicycles, equipment and clothing; and answer any questions about the program. We will watch a short, informative video on cycling safety and bike handling. If you bring your bicycle to the orientation, we can check it out for you and show you how to do a pre-ride bike check. Learn More HERE.
Save the Date for this Super Special Opportunity
May 13-15, 2011 Wining Campaigns Training
Space is limited to 30 participants. Hosted by: The Alliance for Biking and Walking, Bike Maryland and the City of Baltimore. Location: Baltimore, MD – specific building TBD. Friday, 5-9 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AND LEARN MORE!
The Alliance’s Winning Campaigns Training is a boot camp for bicycle & pedestrian advocacy organizations. This action-oriented workshop gives novice and veteran advocates the tools to create and manage powerful campaigns to increase biking and walking in their communities. Our proven curriculum is led by longtime advocates and national experts with first-hand experience conducting — and winning — bicycle and pedestrian campaigns. During each three-day training, participants learn how to:
• Focus on a specific, winnable campaign for their community
• Identify and map the key decision makers
• Craft a persuasive message to rally members and policy makers
• Use media outlets to communicate to a broad audience
• Become an effective fundraiser
• Create a detailed Campaign Blueprint that ensures success and builds toward even greater victories!
The Winning Campaigns Training is more than a class. It’s a fun, interactive experience that fosters collaboration among advocates and results in a road map with next steps and strategies specific to your Winning Campaign. Take advantage of this vital, affordable training this spring in Baltimore!
The Cyclists’ Bill of Rights
I thought it might be a good idea to put the full text, bill info and source a little more in prominent view on the web:
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL 09-0176R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmembers Clarke, Henry, Middleton, Branch, Kraft, Young, Spector,
Welch, Reisinger, Holton, Cole, Conaway, Curran, D’Adamo
Introduced and read first time: December 10, 2009
Assigned to: Community Development Subcommittee
REFERRED TO THE FOLLOWING AGENCIES: City Solicitor, Planning Department, Department of
Public Works, Police Commissioner, Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, Commission
on Sustainability, Baltimore City Parking Authority Board, Department of Transportation
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RE SOLUT ION concerning
The Cyclists’ Bill of Rights
FOR the purpose of reaffirming support for efforts to improve conditions for cyclists and
encouraging more widespread awareness of the “Cyclists’ Bill of Rights” .
Recitals
The widespread use of bicycles brings many benefits to a community. Cycling improves
people’s health, increases public safety, encourages greater involvement in communities, reduces
traffic congestion, improves air quality, reduces our reliance on fossil fuels, and generally is
better for the environment than alternate methods of travel.
The City of Baltimore has long recognized these myriad benefits and has therefore
consistently sought to encourage cycling. In these efforts, the City has been blessed with a
strong and vibrant local cycling community eager to serve as a partner. Many in the cycling
community throughout the nation have begun to promote a “Cyclists’ Bill of Rights” that they
feel encapsulates the treatment that cyclists should be able to expect from government.
This “Cyclists’ Bill of Rights” expresses the following tenets:
1. Cyclists have the right to travel safely and free of fear.
2. Cyclists have the right to equal access to our public streets and to sufficient and
significant road space.
3. Cyclists have the right to the full support of educated law enforcement.
4. Cyclists have the right to the full support of our judicial system and the right to
expect that those who endanger, injure, or kill cyclists will be dealt with to the full
extent of the law.
5. Cyclists have the right to routine accommodations in all roadway projects and
improvements.
6. Cyclists have the right to urban and roadway planning, development, and design that
enable and support safe cycling.
7. Cyclists have the right to traffic signals, signage, and maintenance standards that
enable and support safe cycling.
8. Cyclists have the right to be actively engaged as a constituent group in the planning
and implementation of roadway and transit projects.
9. Cyclists have the right to full access for themselves and their bicycles on all mass
transit.
10. Cyclists have the right to end-of-trip amenities that include safe and secure
opportunities to park their bicycles.
11. Cyclists have the right to be secure in their persons and property and be free from
unreasonable search and seizure, as guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment.
12. Cyclists have the right to peaceably assemble in the public space, as guaranteed by
the First Amendment.
The City has repeatedly signaled its agreement with these principals in the past – notably, by
including policies that further the goals articulated in the “Cyclists’ Bill of Rights” in its Bicycle
Master Plan. Today, the City Council reaffirms its support for efforts to improve conditions for
cyclists by encouraging more widespread awareness of the “Cyclists’ Bill of Rights” among
government agencies and the general public.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That this
Body affirms its support for the principals contained in the “Cyclists’ Bill of Rights” and
encourages all citizens to have a greater appreciation for the rights of cyclists.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the
Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Committee, the Bicycle Coordinator for Baltimore City, the Director
of the Office of Sustainability, the Director of Public Works, the Director of Transportation, the
Police Commissioner, the Planning Director, the City Solicitor, the Director of the Baltimore
Office of Promotion and the Arts, the Executive Director of the Parking Authority, and the
Mayor’s Legislative Liaison to the City Council
MADD not impressed by Vallario drunk-driving bill
from Getting There by Michael Dresser
…
MADD supports legislation that would make installation of such devices mandatory for all those convicted on driving under the influence. Such a bill passed thhe Senate last year only to die in the Judiciary Committee when Vallario declined to bring it up for a vote.
…
Cash said she had at first been encouraged when she heard Vallario was proposing his own bill. But once interlock proponents read the full bill, they realized there was nothing mandatory about it, she said.
MADD supports a bill called the Drunk Driving Elimination Act, sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Jamie Raskin and in the House by Del. Benjamin F. Kramer, both Montgomery County Democrats.
…
The Vallario bill would require drivers who are found to have a blood-alcohol content of 0.15 percent or more — or those who refuse an alcohol test — to enter an ignition interlock program in order to avert a driver’s license suspension. But Cash said that is no more than drivers are permitted to do now, adding that many drivers simply accept the suspension but continue driving anyway.
Vallario’s role is crucial because as chairman he can prevent any bill he opposes from getting a vote in committee. In practical terms only the speaker, who appoints committee chairs, has the authority to tell him to bring a bill to a vote.
Continue reading “MADD not impressed by Vallario drunk-driving bill”
Bad bicyclist behavior does not cause bicycling deaths
from Streetsblog.net by Angie Schmitt
…
But here’s the problem.
Despite protestations from some quarters, bad bicyclist behavior does not cause bicycling deaths. Bad driving does.
Even a cursory examination of cyclists killed in Orange County recently suggests that the problem isn’t cyclists running stop signs, riding two abreast or even flipping off drivers, as obnoxious as that may be.
They died at the hands of drunk, high or careless drivers. Simply put, no crackdown on rider behavior would have done a damn thing to save the lives of Michael Nine, Donald Murphy or Alan Earl Miller.
Continue reading “Bad bicyclist behavior does not cause bicycling deaths”
Area Man’s Biggest Accomplishment Not Ever Killing Anyone With His Car
Via the Onion {Yes, this is satire]
HAMPSTEAD, NH—In his 36 years of life, Gary Widmer’s greatest contribution to humanity has been not causing any fatalities while behind the wheel, sources close to the Hampstead man confirmed Thursday. "Overall, I’ve got a lot to be proud of: I worked my way through college, I’m a good friend, I have a solid job," said Widmer, whose most enduring† deed thus far is never having sent a pedestrian rolling over his hood or slamming his car into a bus full of schoolchildren. "And I try to give back to the community, too." …
Continue reading “Area Man’s Biggest Accomplishment Not Ever Killing Anyone With His Car”
Busted for Biking
by Taylor Delhagen
NYC – … A few weeks ago, I met some friends for dinner while commuting home from the Crown Heights high school where I teach, and as I locked my bike outside Press 195 in Park Slope, I heard a driver yelling at me. He was in a typical limo-service car and I figured he was a cab driver. He was irate, yelling: "Yo asshole, listen the fuck up!"Not needing a cab, I figured he wasn’t speaking to me.
When I turned back around the man was walking quickly towards me yelling: "Motherfucker! You stop when I’m talking to you. You went through a red light!"I apologized, even though I didn’t recall going through any red lights. He asked, "Why the fuck are you biking?!" "It’s how I get to work,"I said. He kept asking similar questions and yelled at me to come over to his car. He still hadn’t identified himself as a police officer, but as I stepped away from my bike towards his car and he asked for my ID, I realized he was a cop. I told him my wallet was in my bike bag, but he told me not to "fucking move"and without warning grabbed and twisted my arm, cuffed me, and slammed my head and chest against his car. He called for back-up and before I knew it three more officers were on top of me. One stepped on my foot and told me to walk, while another pushed me forward so I would fall, which I did. My friends and people from nearby restaurants watched and filmed the incident despite the officers’ demands that they shut off their cameras.
I was taken to the local precinct on 6th Avenue and Flatbush, and while they checked me in, one officer thought I was looking at his badge and said, "You want to look at my fucking badge?! Spread your legs!"I complied, and as he "patted"me down (for the fourth time), he grabbed me between the legs and squeezed. Humiliated, I remained silent while the other officers laughed. I was put into a cell from 7-11:30pm, when the arresting officer came to fingerprint me. He grabbed my hand, sprayed Windex on it and slammed it against the machine, bruising my fingers. I calmly asked him not to touch me this way, but he pushed me back into the cell and told me he could keep me there as long as he liked, and that he was looking forward to the overtime pay. He returned two hours later telling me there was a two-year warrant out for my arrest. As a New York City teacher for the past five years, I doubted this, but it was enough to keep me until 4pm the following day. My wife and I retained Alain V. Massena as our attorney and that afternoon in court the judge pursuant to my attorney’s request immediately dismissed the "warrant." However, I was still charged with resisting arrest and disorderly contact. The witness statements and the video clearly disprove these accusations, and my attorney has advised me that in seeking justice we will vigorously pursue an outright dismissal of these charges.
This situation is dis-empowering to say the least. Money is one thing, but taking me away from my students is another, and the officers’ behavior is scary to comprehend. I ask that all community members—cyclists, pedestrians and drivers—be alert for such abuses of power. No one deserves to be treated this way.
Continue reading “Busted for Biking”
If only we would have stopped when auto centricity made sense
By CHARLES MAROHN
…
In addition to the interstates [if it had ended there], we have built state highways, regional highways, inter-city roadways and intra-city roadways. Again, if it had ended there…
…
Now we sit in 2011, keenly aware (at least the readers of this blog) that we have built more transportation infrastructure than we have the remotest chance of being able to maintain. All of this auto-mobility has failed to create places sufficiently productive to justify the ongoing expense of their own maintenance. We are a throw-away society, but it is hard to throw away two generations of infrastructure. What to do?
Many of us understand that our places need to be more productive. To correct our financial imbalances, we need to get a higher return on our public investments. Our approach needs to change, to mature in response to our greater understanding of the financially-precarious position we are in. We need to have more productive places. Stronger towns.
One of the simplest steps in creating a higher return in a neighborhood is to restore the neighborhood mobility options these places were originally built with. While this includes things like sidewalks, street trees and human-scale lighting, it also includes reducing the dominance of the automobile on local streets.
When streets are auto-only, the adjacent land pattern reacts by becoming less dense and less productive (a lower rate of return). When automobiles share neighborhood space with other forms of transportation, especially in places where those other forms actually dominate, the adjacent land pattern reacts by becoming more dense and more productive (a higher rate of return). We need more productive places.
…
Continue reading “If only we would have stopped when auto centricity made sense”
America’s Great Outdoors:
…
Through remarks, discussion, jokes, stories, and even a song—you
showed us how much people your age care about, and yearn to connect
more meaningfully with the outdoors. You listed several reasons for
spending time outdoors: from relaxation, and inspiration, team sports,
recreation, and exercise, to discovering historical and cultural sites,
to family vacations and school trips. You made it clear that the “great
outdoors” means something different to everyone, and that your views
of and experiences in the natural world depend in large part upon the
circumstances of your childhood and your proximity to outdoor places.
For some of you, going outdoors means traveling to remote places like
the majestic vistas of the Grand Canyon, the hardwood forests of the
northeast, the warm beaches of the Gulf Coast, or the choppy waters of
the Puget Sound. Others of you defined the outdoors as any space beyond
your front doorstep, including local parks and playgrounds, your school’s
sports fields, or a greenway that links one part of your city to another.
Many of you who grew up in more rural settings viewed the outdoors
through the perspective of your family’s farm or ranch, conveying a deep
understanding of—and appreciation for—the streams, trails, and fields
that had been core to your identity since childhood. Similarly, the range
of what you do in the outdoors ranges from walking your dog and playing
games like capture the flag, to organized team sports, to more extreme
activities, such as rock climbing, snowmobiling, mountain biking, and
motocross. Many of you were devoted campers and hikers, and spoke
of your skills in fishing, hunting, and archery. In general, though, you
appeared more likely to visit places close to home, often accompanied by
friends or family.
…
Throughout the listening sessions, we observed evidence of a generational
shift in the way young people think about and experience nature. Most
of the adults we engaged in the general listening sessions told stories of
childhoods spent outdoors: farming, hunting, fishing, horseback and
bike riding, exploring the woods, and sleeping under the stars. Now,
only some of you could personally relate to those experiences. Many
more of you describe the outdoors as remote, mysterious, and sometimes,
scary. Likewise, several of you told us that you do not have the “skills”
necessary to participate in activities like camping, hiking, and mountain
biking. More importantly, you said that nobody ever took you outside.
Indeed, those of you who had spent a lot of time outside attributed your
familiarity with—and appreciation for—nature to the parents, caregivers,
teachers, mentors, or camp instructors who had instilled these values in
you as young children
…
Your ideas for ensuring that all young people have access to safe clean,
and close to home outdoor places:
• Create more parks near and in communities, including networks of
connected trails, bike paths, and greenways, and urban gardens and community “pocket parks.
…
Through the AGO listening sessions and public input process, we
learned that there is a powerful consensus across America that outdoor
spaces—public and private, large and small, urban and rural—remain
essential to our quality of life, our economy, and our national identity.
Americans communicated clearly that they care deeply about our outdoor
heritage, want to enjoy and protect it, and are willing to take collective
responsibility to protect it for their children and grandchildren. In fact,
they are already doing so. They are restoring rivers and streams, building
and improving hiking trails and bike paths, ensuring the long-term
conservation of their private lands, sponsoring beach and roadside
cleanups, planting trees and gardens, and restoring migratory bird habitat
and populations.
…
Participants also discussed youth stewardship programs for the next
generation. They talked about programs that engage Americans with the
outdoors through biking, hiking, hunting, canoeing, off-roading, skiing,
and other recreational activities. They described initiatives that encourage
parents to get their children outside. One listening session was devoted
to the cutting-edge topic of the connections between outdoor experiences
and improved mental and physical health. Other sessions focused on the
special relationship that tribal communities have with nature, culture,
and the outdoors.
…
Continue reading “America’s Great Outdoors:”