Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plans (SCORPs)

SCORPs are required for a state to receive LWCF funds.

The Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) serves as a guide for all public outdoor recreation in urban and rural neighborhoods, cities, and regions for a given state. Each state must prepare a SCORP every five years to be eligible for funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

by American Trails Staff

photo credit: Mary Shaw

(photo credit: Mary Shaw)

The Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) serves as a guide for all public outdoor recreation in urban and rural neighborhoods, cities, and regions for a given state. Each state must prepare a SCORP every five years to be eligible for funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

A SCORP's Key Objectives

The SCORP attempts to bring together the wants and needs of the recreation users and providers into a single, comprehensive document. Arizona’s 2018 SCORP summarizes the objectives of the SCORP as follows:

Establish outdoor recreation priorities.
Set evaluation criteria to allocate the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)
grants.
Protect, conserve, and manage public lands, recreation spaces, and unique
places for current and future generations.
Encourage a highly integrated and connected outdoor recreation system.
Ensure a diverse and growing population has access to outdoor recreation spaces and opportunities to enjoy a range of recreation activities.
Communicate linkages between outdoor recreation, individual wellness benefits, community health, and a thriving economy.
Elevate public participation and engagement in outdoor recreation planning initiatives and issues.

Example SCORPs

Colorado 2019-2013

This plan is the first time a Colorado SCORP considers both conservation and recreation together as values that are closely intertwined. In addition, the SCORP looks at current and changing demographics and recreation trends to help the outdoor recreation sector be culturally relevant and respond to future shifts.

New York 2014-2019

The 2014-2019 SCORP for New York titled, New York State Outdoors: Healthy Living through Nature focuses on public participation as well as goals and recommendations and the implementation / action plan to facilitate improvements to New York’s outdoor recreation system.