The 2008 Outdoor Recreation Participation Report, is based on an on-line survey capturing responses from over 60,000 Americans ages six and older and covers 114 different outdoor activities, making it the largest survey of its type examining participation in sports and outdoor activities.

The report provides important insights into trends in participation in outdoor recreation among all Americans, with focused looks at youth, diversity, and gender.

According to the report, over 50% of Americans participated in outdoor recreation in 2007, getting outside 11.36 billion times - either close to home, in a nearby park or on an overnight trip.

While the increase in participation comes as good news to the outdoor recreation industry, the report also reveals over an 11% decline in participation in outdoor activities among youth age 6 to 17 with the sharpest declines among youth age 6 to 12.

The insights detailed in the 2008 Outdoor Recreation Participation Report are critical to efforts nationwide seeking to understand and reverse the growing inactivity crisis among youth and the growing disconnect between youth and the outdoors.

Throughout January, The Outdoor Foundation will release additional in-depth analysis of each segment studied in the report (overall participation, youth, diversity and gender). These analyses will look at current trends and opportunities for growth in outdoor recreation and the outdoor industry.