Does intensity of nature-based recreation drive environmental stewardship?

While nature-based recreation is widely recognized for its well-being benefits, its role in fostering long-term environmental stewardship remains underexplored. This study bridges this gap by applying the Serious Leisure Perspective a framework that describes sustained, skill-intensive, and identity-building leisure participation, to examine how sustained engagement in outdoor activities cultivates ecological responsibility among recreationists in Gatineau Park, Canada. Using SmartPLS structural modeling, we analyzed survey data from 248 outdoor recreationists, assessing relationships between serious leisure (measured via the Serious Leisure Inventory and Measure) and environmental concern (using the New Ecological Paradigm Scale).

Serious leisure significantly predicted environmental concern (R² = 0.563), with younger, educated participants showing heightened awareness. Subdimensions of environmental concern—anti-anthropocentrism (β = 0.329), balance of nature (β = 0.771), and ecological crisis (β = 0.766)—were strongly influenced by serious leisure engagement. Findings advance outdoor recreation research by demonstrating how serious leisure fosters place attachment and stewardship. We propose actionable strategies for park managers to design programs (e.g., skill-based workshops, citizen science) that leverage leisure engagement for sustainability outcomes. This study also can be used by park managers, environmental educators, and recreation planners looking for evidence-based strategies to encourage sustainable behaviors through leisure engagement.