The well-being of many groups of people is improved by recreation opportunities around the Great Lakes. These opportunities cover both land- and water-based activities. Participants include waterfowl and game hunters, sport fishers, birdwatchers, boaters (including sailing, kayaking, canoeing, and motorized boating), hikers, walkers, and beach-goers. Educators can use recreational activities as learning opportunities and to promote environmental stewardship. On another level, local economies can benefit from recreation through tourism jobs and revenue.

Policies and land use planning can impact available recreation opportunities. Zoning, permitting, and land use plans can impact the location and availability of parks and trails, and lakefront access. Transportation availability may also impact people’s ability to access recreation options. Habitat preservation and restoration impact biodiversity, in turn, contribute to recreation experiences, for example, the amount of flora and fauna and the diversity of species for viewing, fishing, and hunting.

Measurement metrics include a recreation day (one-day recreation trip), land protected for recreational purposes, and the presence of recreation attributes on a property (scenic view, open space access, proximity to forest preserve). Other recreation measurements may be the number of visits to an area, which can include the number of people or groups (for example, the number of cars or boats); the type of activity (for example, hiking, camping, picnicking, birdwatching, fishing, boating, biking); activity duration (number of hours, days); and visit location (both the area as well as where within the area). Demographic information on recreationists can also be collected.

When recreational opportunities change, it can impact the many benefits people experience from those opportunities. Some examples include:

• A change in recreation can impact physical and mental health due to changes in the type and amount of physical activity. This may impact indicators of health such as weight, stress level, mood, and more.
• Recreation provides an opportunity for social Interactions, as shared activities can both make families and friendships stronger and facilitate new social interactions.
• Recreation provides an opportunity to learn new skills and gain an appreciation for the environment and nature, which contributes to environmental stewardship.

Economic valuation methods for recreation include actual expenditures, revealed preference (hedonic wage/property, travel cost), and stated preference (contingent valuation). Meta-analyses of literature reviews have also been conducted. The economic impact of recreation can be measured through the jobs created as well as tourism revenue. Cost-benefit analysis can be used to choose projects. The averted expenditures from increased physical and mental health can also be estimated.