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"relaxing by the water;" and "picnicking outdoors" identified as <br />highly popular year-round and three -season activities. In winter, <br />top activities were"sledding and snow tubing;' and "ice fishing:' <br />These findings suggest a number of interesting possibilities: <br />that Minnesotans prefer activities that require less equipment or <br />advanced skills, and/or that they have not had the opportunity <br />to develop interests and skills to participate in other activities. <br />This is an area for additional exploration for Ramsey programs. <br />How we spend our time at work, with our families and in <br />leisure has rapidly changed in recent decades considering <br />with technological advances. As dynamics shift, some of the <br />traditional nature based activities are declining. According to the <br />Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Recreation Plan, <br />outdoor Recreation Participation Minnesota is not escaping <br />this broad trend —evident since the 1990s—of declining per - <br />capita participation in nature -based outdoor recreation in the <br />United States. This is a national trend that impacts national <br />parks, national trails, state parks, state trails and other outdoor <br />recreational facilities. It includes activities such as hunting, <br />fishing, boating, wildlife watching, and wilderness use (Kelly, <br />2008). Although the decline in these activities in Minnesota is <br />not as large as the national decline, it is still present. The primary <br />driving factor behind this trend is a decline in involvement <br />among young adults (ages 20-45) and their children. Today's <br />young adults and youth are not as engaged in traditional <br />nature -based activities as older generations were. Declines in <br />participation reduce the number of Minnesotans who receive <br />the personal and community benefits of outdoor recreation. <br />CITY OF RAMSEY PARK SYSTEM PLAN <br />