Note that the data published in the 2002 State of the Nation’s Ecosystems Report as well as the 2003 and 2005 Web-Only Updates have been superseded by the 2008 Report and thus should be used with caution. For the most recent data, purchase the 2008 Report from Island Press.

What Is This Indicator, and Why Is It Important? This indicator would report the number of days spent fishing, hunting, viewing wildlife, or engaged in other recreational activities on farmland.

A great deal of recreation takes place on our nation’s farmlands, and those enjoying these recreational opportunities may be the farmers themselves, their friends, or visitors. In many areas, farmers supplement their income by charging to hunt or fish on their property, and they may even take steps to increase the abundance of wildlife in order to attract business. Wildlife-associated recreation is an important source of income for many small agricultural communities.

Why Can't This Indicator Be Reported at This Time? There are no national data sets that document the type and level of recreation on farmlands. The National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation (http://fa.r9.fws.gov/surveys/surveys.html) and the National Survey on Recreation and the Environment (http://www.srs.fs.fed.us/trends/nsre.html) both provide reliable data on these activities, but neither survey identifies activities that take place on farmlands. The Census of Agriculture (http://www.nass.usda.gov/census/), which provides information on a wide range of farm-related subjects, does not address recreational activities.

Adequate reporting would require modification of existing surveys to elicit information either on the location of recreational activities or on the amount of recreation on farms.