Abstract
First, key words related to forest recreation are defined and compared, then a framework consisting of natural area (forest), human and management is suggested for this analysis. Second, the historic developments of forest recreation studies in Japan and the United States were compared. It became clear that American studies partially influenced Japanese directions. However, Japanese researchers still tend to select forest environment as their research topic, and satisfaction studies which will improve management are still underdeveloped in Japan. For the qualitative development of forest recreation and its research, the author suggests 1) accumulating previous research results including American ones, 2) clarifying the objectives of studies based on the framework, 3) accelerating communication between researchers and managers to promote accumulation of field data and feedback of research results, 4) research on the role of cultural resources in the forest, and 5) establishment of a framework with conservation-oriented access from home to forests.
