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Alabama 2021 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP)

Empowering Alabama’s citizens with the engagement tools needed to discuss, imagine, and activate outdoor recreation opportunities.

Planning, priorities, and a pandemic.

The process to update Alabama’s 2021 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) began in the spring of 2020 during the early months of the pandemic.

Creating this important roadmap requires plenty of effective public engagement. A big task in normal times made all the more difficult because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Empowering engagement

The SCORP is a vital statewide planning document that identifies regional and statewide outdoor recreation needs and opportunities. It also sets a collective strategy for statewide partners to work together to enhance the delivery of outdoor recreation services to citizens.

Every five years, states are required to update their Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP). Since having in-person meetings throughout the state was impossible, H+W helped the University of Alabama’s Center for Economic Development (UAED) develop an online workshop platform to empower engagement, facilitate conversation and collect input.

A roadmap for the future

This SCORP is an aspirational guide for the improvement and development of outdoor recreation services throughout Alabama.

Through the 14-month process, UACED transformed the hopes and needs of the general public, service providers, planners, funders, and operators into an actionable plan for the successful development of outdoor recreation opportunities for all Alabamians.

To see the SCORP and learn more about the process, outcomes, and goals, visit: alabamaoutdoorrecreation.org

Project Outcomes:

  • Through online workshops and surveys, we engaged over 2,600 Alabama residents, 800 recreation providers, and 60 key stakeholder organizations
  • Definition of SCORP values that guided the outreach process
  • Creation of a new vision statement for Outdoor Recreation in Alabama. 
  • Seven goals defined as priorities for Alabama’s robust outdoor recreation future
  • Development of alabamaoutdoorrecreation.org to empower online engagement during and after the SCORP development process
  • Design and layout of the SCORP document.

Services Provided

Engagement Strategy
Stakeholder Engagement + Outreach
Project Planning
Workshop Planning + Facilitation
Branding Strategy
Brand Messaging
Design
Graphic Design
Website design and development
Copywriting + Editing
Illustration

Alabama SCORP website on desktop and mobile devices
Alabama Mountain Biking

2021 SCORP Vision Statement: Outdoor recreation in Alabama enhances the health and quality of life for everyone by offering a variety of experiences that embrace social, environmental, and economic sustainability.

Alabama SCORP report book cover and page spread
Data pages from 2021 Alabama SCORP report layout
Alabama SCORP Online facilitation screenshots

This 14-month planning process collected the input of over 2,000 Alabama residents, 800 recreation providers, and 60 key stakeholder organizations who participated in surveys and facilitated meetings.

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Strategic Plan Checklist example

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