Diversifying the outdoors is making nature more accessible to BIPOC, LGBTQ+, differently abled, and historically underrepresented communities.
From overnight hikes in the mountains to a picnic at your local park, enjoying the great outdoors means something different to everyone. Fresh air and sunshine are public goods—owned by no one, and intended to be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of factors like age, gender, ethnicity, or income.
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Not only does exploring nature offer the obvious benefit of getting some exercise in, but outdoor activities have a host of other benefits. You don’t have to be summiting Mount Everest to reap the physical benefits of the outdoors—just 20 minutes outside offers proven health benefits.[1]
Studies have shown that the outdoors can improve our attention span, thus reducing hyperactivity and offering a restorative rebalancing, that effectively can combat stress, anxiety, and mental fatigue.[2,3] Getting outside also has proven effects on those suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. Veterans and at-risk youth showed fewer symptoms of PTSD upon returning from a whitewater rafting trip, reports a UC Berkeley study from 2018.[4]
The long list of benefits from getting out into nature—improved sleep quality[5], lowered blood pressure,[6] a more robust natural immune system[7], enhanced childhood development[8], and increased overall life satisfaction[9]. These are enough to inspire anyone to shut down their laptop and get some fresh air. But is getting out into nature really that straightforward?
Perhaps one of the most underrated benefits of time spent outdoors is the facilitation of community. Scientists have observed that the feelings of awe and happiness that we experience outside lead us to place a higher importance on other people, a phenomenon commonly called prosocial behavior[10]. Essentially, spending time in nature creates strong bonds with the people we experience it with, forming a sense of community. But, developing this sense of camaraderie can be a lot more difficult when you don’t see yourself represented in outdoor spaces.
Many have described nature as a “great equalizer,” bringing together people from all across the world to appreciate national parks and other natural monuments. While this is partially true—the parks system received 312 million visitors in 2022, restoring tourism to pre-pandemic levels—roughly 78% of annual park visitors are white and aging, and a significant portion were upper class.[11]
Developing this sense of camaraderie can be a lot more difficult when you don’t see yourself represented in outdoor spaces.
Make no mistake about it, the nature gap is very real. Coined in a joint report[12] created by the Conservation Science Partners (CSP), Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF), and Center for American Progress (CAP), the distribution of and access to America’s natural areas is limited by factors like income inequality, systemic racism, and other disparities suffered by marginalized communities.
The U.S. is losing a significant percentage of its remaining natural land each year, because of practices like urbanization, development, agriculture, logging, and farming. Yet, the land disappearing—and the effects of which—are not suffered equally by Americans. To fully grasp the consequences of the nature gap plaguing the country, it’s important to understand just how it was created.
The disproportionate distribution of access to nature in the U.S. is not by coincidence—rather, nature deprivation begins and ends with more systemic problems. According to the Center for American Progress, discriminatory influences on human settlement patterns—like economic segregation, redlining, and migration—have created physical barriers to the outdoors. Centuries later, this resulted in a confluence of preventative factors that continue to prohibit marginalized groups from getting outside. Public lands in general hold a history of exclusionism. Many people of color were barred from accessing these natural outdoor spaces, and much of the land itself was seized from Native American groups.
The distribution of and access to America’s natural areas is limited by factors like income inequality, systemic racism, and other disparities suffered by marginalized communities.
As far as Jenny Bruso is concerned, there’s no such thing as a misfit in the outdoors. At least, that’s what she hopes to achieve through her organization, Unlikely Hikers.
“As I began researching trails and gear to improve my adventures, I was disappointed to find that so much outdoor media isn’t really written for the new outdoorsperson, even "how-to" pieces. This felt like a barrier, and a frustrating one. This, on top of how difficult it is to find plus-size gear and how cost-prohibitive so much of it is, had me kind of up against the wall with this thing that I was loving so much that didn’t seem to have a place for me,” said Bruso in a 2019 interview for Outdoor Project's Women In the Wild.
The implications of failing to engage a more diverse audience in protected natural spaces are significant and far-reaching. However, efforts are being taken by renowned organizations like the NPS and grassroots organizations around the world to create greater equality of access to the great outdoors.
For some, going on an outdoor adventure requires a lot more planning than simply driving to the nearest trailhead. Accessibility to nature depends on an abundance of factors, but outdoor spaces have been historically un-diverse. In many ways, getting outside is still a privilege. But outdoor advocates have found that often, the facilitation of a community is what’s needed to expand society’s definition of an “adventure lover”.
Accessibility goes far beyond just the location and monetary resources of underprivileged and BIPOC groups—it’s also about the knowledge and information needed to succeed in nature, and sourcing the necessary gear and supplies. Organizations and movements of all levels have cropped up across the world in response to the outdated notion of who can appreciate the outdoors, such as social media-based groups like Unlikely Hikers—an outdoor community that caters to the underrepresented outdoorsperson. Prioritizing accessibility, the community offers organized hikes around the nation, a podcast with Jenny Bruno, and a sense of community for adventurers of all backgrounds—plus-size, Black, Indigenous, people of color, queer, trans and non-binary, disabled, neurodivergent and beyond. The organization was created in response to the “narrow definition of who is ‘outdoorsy’ that isn’t representative of most of us,” and seeks to foster connections with nature for a broader audience by breaking down basic barriers to access in a psychologically and physically safe space.
Greater accessibility can also mean rethinking the way trails are designed in the first place. Nevada geologist and professor Ed Price founded the Trail Access Project in 2015 to address this discrepancy.
“Most hiking trails in the past have been designed for only the non-disabled. This may be because the natural terrain makes considering hikers with disabilities too large of a lift for trail builders, or it may be because trail users with disabilities were simply not considered at all. Regulations now require that new trails on federal lands be built with certain accessibility characteristics, such as moderate gradient on hills,” said Price
For others, the terrain itself presents a nearly insurmountable challenge. Aspiring hikers with physical disabilities may struggle with trail width, grade, terrain, and overcrowdedness. Organizations like the Trail Access Project ensure that those with physical disabilities and wheelchair-users can have safe and meaningful outdoor experiences—by collecting information and forming a database of backcountry and frontcountry trails around the country that may be suitable for adaptive hiking. The nonprofit also lobbies and fundraises for increased accessibility modifications on trails that are less accessible, increasing the number of wheelchair-friendly backcountry spaces available.
For many adventurers, there are still more considerations to account for when planning a trip to the outdoors. Outdoor Afro’s founder Rue Mapp is seeking to flip the script on who belongs in the outdoors by offering safe and supportive nature experiences for members of the Black community.
“Adventuring comes with so many things to think about. What gear do I need? What expertise do I need? Who is coming with me? Black people also need to wonder if they are going to be the only ones there, what are they driving past to get there—Confederate flags, political affiliations, etc. Once you are where you want to be, are people going to think you don’t belong?” said Mapp in a 2020 interview with Forbes Magazine.
Aligning with the National Park Service’s visitor demographics, scientists have found that communities of color are three times more likely than white communities to live in nature-deprived areas[13]—about 74% of communities of all color in the contiguous U.S. compared to 23% of white communities. Groups like Outdoor Afro are working to address this discrepancy by promoting Black connections and leadership in nature by offering online and in-person events and leadership training, partnering with prominent outdoor brands like REI Co-op, Clif bar, and KEEN, and most importantly, building an expansive network of Black outdoorspeople across the country—essentially, building an entire community of like-minded individuals from scratch.
Once a project dreamed up at her kitchen table, National Geographic Explorer Mapp’s organization has expanded to over 40 states, operating in 56 cities. With goals of making the outdoors a welcome environment for the Black community, Mapp added, “We activate our work through a recruited and trained volunteer network. Those are folks all over the country, and we’ve been fortunate to have representation from New York to Ohio, Chicago, Detroit, as well as the Twin Cities.”
The high cost and arguably exclusive sizing of adventure gear can be a huge deterrent for would-be explorers. A long overdue trail was blazed with the creation of relatively affordable plus-size hiking backpacks[14], a collaboration between adventure outfitter Gregory Packs and Unlikely Hikers founder Jenny Bruso in 2021. Not only were the packs made larger, they’re specially designed to accommodate plus-sized bodies, with expanded hip belts, more ergonomic pockets, and carefully-designed shoulder harness angles for maximum comfort. The next—and arguably even more convoluted—step for inclusive adventure outfitters is to dismantle the long-standing elitism behind pricey technical gear. Be it tents, sleeping bags, or backpacks, they should be more affordable and attainable for the new outdoorsperson.
The growing trend towards diversity in the outdoors has been prevalent on social media, too. There’s never been a shortage of adventurers with large followings, but it’s never been easier to come across explorers who can personally relate to issues of equity and access in the outdoors. By focusing on their own lived experiences and documenting their outdoor adventures in candid ways, social media users from many marginalized communities have carved out a safe space of the internet for like-minded adventurers looking for inspiration.
Building empowering outdoors communities is the first step towards adventuring with equity.
The outdoors has always been photo-worthy, but the platform of social media has given power to both outdoor inclusivity organizations and underrepresented leaders and adventurers to tell their own stories. From nature photographers Gina Danza and surfer Danielle Black Lyons, to hikers Rahawa Haile, Ambreen Tariq, and Syren Nagakyrie and environmental and LGBTQ activist Pattie Gonia, there’s no shortage of underrepresented adventurers amplifying the voices. They're making space for outdoor enthusiasts of all skill levels, ethnicities, identities, and abilities to find their community.
Building empowering outdoors communities is the first step towards adventuring with equity, and adequate representation of diverse bodies and abilities within the industry is an equally important factor that has been on the rise. The marketing of adventure publications and outdoor gear retailers can be relatively homogenous. From the models to the gear sizing, the nature of outdoor marketing can often be exclusionary. The representation goes further than just who’s in front of the camera—by seeing themselves and their specific needs reflected in both outdoor merchandise and the leadership responsible for creating it, aspiring adventurers of all backgrounds can experience a more inviting outdoor environment.
The groups and brands mentioned are just a handful of countless advocacy organizations spread across the country—from nonprofit grassroots campaigns to larger partnerships with leading outdoor brands and retailers, the momentum is shifting towards a more inclusive outdoors.
While the outdoors has historically been a somewhat homogenous ecosystem in the U.S., that doesn’t mean it always has to be. Blazing a trail for people of marginalized and disadvantaged communities to get outside is a slow and steady battle. But, thanks to the efforts and advocacy by community organizations and inclusive outdoor brands alike, progress is making nature a more welcoming space for all to enjoy and reap the benefits of.
In many ways, advocating for greater equity in the outdoors is a direct investment in the sustainability of our planet. To address climate change, we have to think about the groups and identities that we’re excluding. By offering underserved and underrepresented groups of our population the opportunity to go out on a hike, kayak on a lake, or hit the waves, we’re investing directly in the stewardship—or care—of our planet.
People want to save things they feel a personal connection to—if they’ve never had the opportunity to get outside on their own terms, the likelihood that they’ll adopt more climate-friendly habits in their own lives is much lower.
This also requires changes in the governance and leadership of nature preserve areas across the country. Seeing more diversity in leadership in the National Parks Service and similar state organizations creates an important subliminal message to park visitors of marginalized groups—they deserve to be here, too. Especially those for whom visiting a national park is unfamiliar, a diverse group of Parks employees makes for a more welcoming experience.
That being said, even getting to nature areas can be a time and cost-intensive activity. Long-term government investments towards a more inclusive green space experience might look something like subsidizing or providing free transportation options for families who are low-income or located within inconvenient urban environments. Parks have also begun looking into free or reduced admissions prices for first-time visitors or constructing more affordable accommodation nearby highly-trafficked parks, lowering the financial barrier to entry.
There’s no quick fix to bridging the Nature Gap. However, advocates can start small. By expanding our definition of the outdoors to include green spaces in urban areas, we can begin to cultivate an appreciation for nature amongst a portion of the population that isn’t surrounded by the magic of the great outdoors on a daily basis.
From free organized hikes to significant investments in more complex systemic diversity issues, sealing the nature gap begins and ends with simply engaging more people. As the U.S. continues to diversify in every regard, it’s critical to continually stoke our population’s love for the great outdoors, ensuring generations of responsible environmental advocates to come.
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