Outdoor recreation resource library

 

 

Image credit: Destination BC | Cristina Gareau

 

Welcome to ORCBC’s resource library. Here you’ll find practical guides, research, webinar recordings, policy information and tools to help outdoor recreation groups, communities, land managers and partners strengthen outdoor recreation across British Columbia.

Looking for funding opportunities? Visit our Grants & Funding page.

Find resources by topic

Explore the topics below. Click on any heading further down the page to open the section and view the available guides, research, webinar recordings and other resources.

  • Make the case for outdoor recreation

  • Build stronger recreation communities

  • Plan, build and manage trails

  • Understand access, land use and policy

  • Support stewardship and responsible recreation

  • Strengthen Indigenous relations and reconciliation

  • Improve inclusion, accessibility and youth engagement

  • Build nonprofit capacity

  • Watch webinar recordings

Featured resources

Outdoor Recreation for Community and Economic Development

A practical guide for rural B.C. communities looking to use outdoor recreation to support quality of life, local economies, tourism, workforce attraction and community resilience.

Guidance Toolkit for Engagement with Indigenous Communities

A resource to help outdoor recreation groups approach relationship-building with Indigenous communities in a respectful, thoughtful and informed way.

Conducting and Using Visitor and Recreational User Research

A practical guide to help recreation groups and communities collect useful information about who is using trails and outdoor recreation areas, how they are using them, and why that data matters.

Socio-Economic Impact Collection

Looking for research to support a funding application, advocacy campaign or community project? This collection brings together economic impact research from B.C. and beyond to help recreation groups, local governments and partners understand the benefits of trails, recreation amenities and outdoor recreation investment.

 

Make the case for outdoor recreation

Use these resources to explain why outdoor recreation matters for B.C.’s communities, economy, health, wellbeing and quality of life.

They can support grant applications, council presentations, media interviews, advocacy letters and conversations with decision-makers.

 

Build stronger recreation communities

Outdoor recreation helps make communities places where people want to live, work, raise families, visit and invest.

These resources support communities, local governments, regional districts, recreation groups, tourism partners and economic development practitioners

 

Plan, build and manage trails

These resources support trail groups, land managers, planners, local governments and volunteers working to plan, build, maintain and manage trails in B.C.

 

Access, land use and policy

Outdoor recreation access is shaped by land use planning, forestry, resource roads, tenure decisions, liability rules, legislation and relationships between many different interests. These resources help recreation groups better understand the systems that affect access to trails, rivers, lakes, backcountry areas and outdoor recreation infrastructure.

 

Stewardship and responsible recreation

Outdoor recreation depends on healthy landscapes, respectful behaviour and the work of volunteers, clubs, communities and partners. These resources support stewardship, responsible recreation, volunteer action and public education.

 

Indigenous relations and reconciliation

Outdoor recreation takes place on the lands and waters of Indigenous Peoples. These resources support recreation groups in learning, listening and building more respectful relationships with Indigenous communities.

 

Inclusion, accessibility and youth

These resources support groups working to make outdoor recreation more welcoming, inclusive and accessible for more people across B.C.

 

Funding, governance and nonprofit capacity

Outdoor recreation groups need funding, volunteers, insurance, governance, partnerships and practical tools to do their work well. These resources support the organizational side of outdoor recreation.

 

Webinar recordings

ORCBC hosts webinars to share knowledge, practical tools and examples from across the outdoor recreation sector. Browse selected recordings by topic below.

 

Other resources

 

Suggest a resource

Do you know of a useful outdoor recreation resource that should be included here?

We welcome suggestions for guides, research, tools, webinar recordings and examples that may help B.C.’s outdoor recreation sector. Please contact us with your suggestion.