Transformative Technology

December 31, 2014, Department, by Marissa Bracamonte

Technology is having a major impact on how we recreate in the modern age.There’s no doubt about it — we’re living in the digital age. In order to adapt to the changing times, many park and recreation agencies are looking to technology to pique the public’s interest and keep folks engaged with events and programming. Below, we’ve highlighted just a handful of the ways technology is changing the way we recreate.

$30 million: What it will cost to install a network of fiber optic cables throughout Yellowstone National Park.

2016: The centennial of the National Park Service and the year NPS plans to equip more parks with Internet access.

80: Percentage of agencies that have automated electronic recreational management systems (RMS).

73: Percentage of agencies that have web-based RMS.

31: Percentage of agencies that use RMS exclusively for program and activity registration.

38: Number of locations (including state parks, state beaches and trails) that California is making virtually available thanks to Google Street View Trekker.

35: Percentage of agencies that have computer-aided maintenance management systems (CMMS), 34 percent of which are web-based.

2000: The year technology use in parks exploded with the advent of geocaching — now the activity has grown to include millions of geocache sites around the word, as well as a smartphone app.

Sources: www.peer.org, www.parks.ca.gov, www.geocaching.com, PRORAGIS database.

Marissa Bracamonte is the Editorial Intern for Parks & Recreation magazine.