Overview The recreation and travel industries are important to the quality of life and economic well-being of Vermont. Travel is the state's second largest industry after manufacturing 2 . Vermont's scenic forest landscape is the backdrop for activities that draw millions of visitors annually. Year-round recreational opportunities afford residents and visitors alike a myriad of activities accessible from any part of the state. The public and private sectors have complemented each other in developing recreational resources that meet every taste and lifestyle.
Recreation is truly an activity in the eye of the beholder.
Recreation has different meanings and values from person to person and community to community. People participate in recreation because it has a positive bearing on mental and physical health, for enjoyment, to be with others, to be alone, to develop skills and be challenged, to experience nature, and for relaxation, physical fitness, and spiritual reflection. Traditional forms of forest recreation hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, skiing, and snowmobiling to name a few are still popular pursuits. Approximately 83 percent of Vermont is in private ownership, with the remaining 17 percent, some 850,000 acres, owned by Federal, state, and local government, or nonprofit organizations 1 . Although over 85 percent of recreational activities occur on private land, much of the developed recreational resources are located on public land.