Abstract:
This study was undertaken to better understand the resources in the
Indiana Uplands region and the opportunities that exist. Specifically, the
purpose was to:
• Develop an inventory of the region’s resources, which include public,
non-profit, and private conservation and recreation areas, recreation
and tourism facilities, and recreation and tourism programming in 11
counties;
• Map the public, non-profit, and private conservation and recreation
areas and facilities in the 11 Indiana counties; and
• Provide recommendations to improve park, recreation, and protected
land resources to assist communities with economic sustainability,
health, and quality of life.
The Indiana Uplands park, recreation, and protected lands inventory and opportunity mapping project included research and civic engagement. The research component comprised the identification of public, non-profit, and private conservation and recreation areas, recreation and tourism facilities, and recreation and tourism programming, their accessibility, and the benchmark analysis. The civic engagement piece of the study included focus groups with stakeholders in the 11 counties of the Indiana Uplands region to understand perceptions of resource use and opportunities for the region.
