Recent changes to public land budgets and staffing are changing the way avid outdoor recreationists plan their activities.
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Recent changes to the federal workforce and agency budgets, including those working in public lands, have garnered international attention. These changes --- referring to policy, budget, and staffing --- are expected to influence how our federal public lands are managed, but will they also influence recreation behaviors? In partnership with Leave No Trace, researchers at Pennsylvania State University explore how avid outdoor recreationists feel about these recent federal changes and if they are anticipated to influence their summer 2025 recreation plans. In total, n=1,676 recreationists were surveyed across all 50 U.S. states, including Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, and 11 countries (27 international responses). The goal of this study is to provide insight for land managers as they plan for the summer 2025 season.