Communities and neighborhoods vary in their access to green space (parks and open space). This may be because of the amount or area of parks/open space available, or because of the ability to reach the parks (e.g., based on transportation/transit availability).

The amount of private forest the USFS is directly protecting through their Forest Legacy program. Protected forests enhance the cultural, social, and spiritual appreciation of forests. Acres of land protected under the Forest Legacy program.

Parks and open space can be quite different from each other in the type, quantity, and quality of habitat they contain for wildlife and to allow natural processes to function. Parks with a lot of services and recreating people may provide fewer ecological benefits than an un-developed open space with little infrastructure.

When people recreate in natural areas, they can disturb animals not adapted to their presence (most animals). Some of these impacts have been studied and are predictable.

The amount of employment generated by the recreation, outdoor education, and tourism industries. Recreation, outdoor education, and tourism supply jobs. The point of this indicator is to understand the contribution to maintenance and enhancement of long term multiple social and economic benefits to meet the needs of society.

Campgrounds are associated with and indicative of active recreation. They provide a way for many people to recreate in un-developed areas and the recreating population in turn contributes to the economy of nearby communities.

Trails provide access to scenic and natural areas for hiking, sight-seeing and wildlife-viewing. These three activities are the most popular recreation activities in most states. Trail placement and length can help determine both the enjoyment of an area and the impacts from recreation.

Parks and open space may have multiple uses. For example, a county open space area might be grazed to reduce the extent of exotic weed cover. It may be useful to provide multiple non-conflicting uses within the same park or open space.

Shows how much private non-industrial forest land is protected under a forest stewardship management plan. Protected forests enhance the cultural, social, and spiritual appreciation of forests. Acres of non-industrial private forest land under approved forest steward management.

The number of communities benefitting from USFS assistant to enhance the cultural, social, and spiritual aspect of the environment outside of forests. The number of communities with developing or established urban and community forestry programs resulting from Forest Service assistance.