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QORF / Outdoors Queensland has published the following position statement on the importance of the outdoors and outdoor recreation for the forthcoming 2020 Queensland State Elections.
A Vision for Queensland Outdoor Recreation Policy
Outdoor experiences contribute to healthier, more productive communities.
Outdoor recreation spaces and activities provide quality of life and positive engagement within our communities. Outdoor recreation spaces and experiences connect people to place, self and others.
Queenslanders value experiences in the outdoors and we act to protect the legacy of participation in outdoor recreation, outdoor sports, outdoor/environmental education, health and lifestyle improvement, adventure therapy, and nature-based tourism for our current and future populations.
Introduction (excerpt)
Outdoor activities deliver significant benefits to Queensland: due to our State’s great outdoors, thousands of Queenslanders are employed and millions of Queenslanders are healthier.
Places and Spaces:
Outdoors Queensland calls for spaces for outdoor activities to be identified, secured and managed to integrate with other values and other uses
Policy:
Outdoors Queensland calls for the development and implementation of government policies that enhance the delivery of outdoor opportunities and experiences throughout Queensland, including recognition of the public health value of outdoor activity
Providers:
Outdoors Queensland calls for investment in capacity building for outdoor providers, targeted at enhancing quality delivery of outdoor activity
Promotion:
Outdoors Queensland calls for increased investment in promotion of opportunities for people to participate in outdoor activities and outdoor environments.
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Actions (excerpt)
Outdoors Queensland calls on all political parties to:
- Provide broad ranging opportunities for all people to freely participate in diverse, legitimate outdoor recreation activities;
- Provide active support through promotion and funding for not for profit clubs and associations in their delivery of positive and inclusive outdoor recreation programs and recruitments – including support for Outdoors Queensland as the peak body for the outdoor sector in Queensland and support for Outdoors Queensland’s Nature Play QLD project in its mission to make nature play a normal part of childhood in Queensland;
- Formally connect the active industry (including outdoor recreation) with the health sector to focus on physical activity, obesity, chronic disease prevention and mental health benefits.
- Consider separating funding programs for recreation from funding programs for sporting purposes, rather than the traditional model of having combined recreation and sport funding programs, due to the inherent difficulty in comparing relative merits of projects that address quite different needs.
- Sufficiently resource QPWS to effectively manage the Protected Area Estate (PAE) and to provide support and encouragement for outdoor recreation/education/therapy in these environments …
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Outdoors Queensland recognises that being outdoors is good for people. The outdoors is great for well-being and can speed up healing. Nature can calm us down and increase creativity and productivity. Outdoor experiences connect people to their true selves, to others and to the natural environment. – Outdoors Queensland Strategic Plan: 2020-2022
