8
A. Lubowiecki-Vikuk et al.
great deal of the local economy. It is undergoing some changes with the evolution of
the technology and economy of the country, which was necessary to frame the handicrafts in the present day, modernizing and innovating the artisanal talent (Ferreira
et al. 2019).
4 Leisure in the Perspective of Responsibility
for the Natural Environment
Activities that people engage in during their leisure time include a very wide range
of activities, from sports and recreation to tourism (Stebbins 2001). Each of these
categories can be realized, at least partly, in the natural environment, such as hiking,
running, swimming and other outdoor recreation.
Leisure in nature is seen as a return to nature in which people feel connected
to the natural world from which they have been separated by living a modern
lifestyle in overpopulated urban areas (Kaplan 1995; Boyes 2009; Brymer et al. 2010;
Lubowiecki-Vikuk et al. 2021). Therefore, protected natural resources are becoming
attractive areas for these activities. They represent some of the most attractive tourist
destinations of today. The most important types of protected natural resources are
national parks, along with various other nature parks, reserves and other areas with
natural features, diversity and cultural heritage—mountains, forests, rivers, lakes,
seashores and the like.
According to Ewert and Priest (1990), already in the 1960s there was a large
increase in the number of visits to open spaces for recreation and enjoyment of the
natural environment. Since the early 1960s, tremendous social and technological
changes have occurred that have resulted in concerns about the health of our society,
the realization that our children may need better education, and the belief that the
well-being of our planet is in danger. However, in this sea of change, some things
have remained relatively constant. One of these points of stability is our continued
enjoyment of the natural environment during our leisure. Mountain bikes and allterrain vehicles are among the many innovations that have redefined this outdoor
experience, but the essence of the experience remains the same—a positive and
rewarding interaction that occurs when people exercise in the natural environment
(Ewert 1983; Wyman 1985).
Today, in the twenty-first century, leisure activities take a completely different
dimension. Mass tourism and its expansion into all parts of the world during the
second half of the twentieth century resulted in the degradation of many tourist
destinations. The development of airplanes and other forms of transportation enables
tourists to reach the farthest reaches of our planet. A situation where tour operators
made travel arrangements at relatively reasonable prices led to the travel by all
social classes (Yudina et al. 2016). Mass travel has caused more pressure on natural
resources, where, for the sake of economic development, no account is taken of the
social and environmental aspects that are important for the sustainable development
A. Lubowiecki-Vikuk et al.
great deal of the local economy. It is undergoing some changes with the evolution of
the technology and economy of the country, which was necessary to frame the handicrafts in the present day, modernizing and innovating the artisanal talent (Ferreira
et al. 2019).
4 Leisure in the Perspective of Responsibility
for the Natural Environment
Activities that people engage in during their leisure time include a very wide range
of activities, from sports and recreation to tourism (Stebbins 2001). Each of these
categories can be realized, at least partly, in the natural environment, such as hiking,
running, swimming and other outdoor recreation.
Leisure in nature is seen as a return to nature in which people feel connected
to the natural world from which they have been separated by living a modern
lifestyle in overpopulated urban areas (Kaplan 1995; Boyes 2009; Brymer et al. 2010;
Lubowiecki-Vikuk et al. 2021). Therefore, protected natural resources are becoming
attractive areas for these activities. They represent some of the most attractive tourist
destinations of today. The most important types of protected natural resources are
national parks, along with various other nature parks, reserves and other areas with
natural features, diversity and cultural heritage—mountains, forests, rivers, lakes,
seashores and the like.
According to Ewert and Priest (1990), already in the 1960s there was a large
increase in the number of visits to open spaces for recreation and enjoyment of the
natural environment. Since the early 1960s, tremendous social and technological
changes have occurred that have resulted in concerns about the health of our society,
the realization that our children may need better education, and the belief that the
well-being of our planet is in danger. However, in this sea of change, some things
have remained relatively constant. One of these points of stability is our continued
enjoyment of the natural environment during our leisure. Mountain bikes and allterrain vehicles are among the many innovations that have redefined this outdoor
experience, but the essence of the experience remains the same—a positive and
rewarding interaction that occurs when people exercise in the natural environment
(Ewert 1983; Wyman 1985).
Today, in the twenty-first century, leisure activities take a completely different
dimension. Mass tourism and its expansion into all parts of the world during the
second half of the twentieth century resulted in the degradation of many tourist
destinations. The development of airplanes and other forms of transportation enables
tourists to reach the farthest reaches of our planet. A situation where tour operators
made travel arrangements at relatively reasonable prices led to the travel by all
social classes (Yudina et al. 2016). Mass travel has caused more pressure on natural
resources, where, for the sake of economic development, no account is taken of the
social and environmental aspects that are important for the sustainable development