University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

Published: September 22, 2005

By JESSICA KELTZ
Reporter Contributor

Five hundred outdoor recreation and education professionals from around the country are expected to visit UB and Buffalo Oct. 27-29 for the 19th International Conference on Outdoor Recreation and Education.

The conference is being sponsored by the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE), an organization of professionals representing colleges, universities, military and other not-for-profit outdoor programs that is considered to be the definitive voice in outdoor recreation and education.

Russ Crispell, UB men's head tennis coach and coordinator of outdoor pursuits, is president of AORE. He says he started thinking about bringing AORE's annual conference to UB after he was elected president of the organization last fall.

"When the bid process began, I just thought UB would be an ideal site for it," he says, citing the numerous recreation opportunities available in Western New York, including hiking and backpacking, as well as paddling and other water sports. And within a day's drive, he notes, the scenery gets even better, with the Adirondack Mountains to the northeast and Allegheny National Forest to the south in western Pennsylvania. Four hours away in Canada, Algonquin Provincial Park offers the largest, most dense wolf population in the world, Crispell adds.

The conference, geared toward professionals who run outdoor education programs around the country, will feature general education sessions, indoor and outdoor activities, research forums and round-table discussions, as well as talks by well-known outdoor enthusiasts.

Crispell says participants are expected from such institutions as the University of Anchorage, Florida State, Ohio State, Michigan, Cornell, Dartmouth and Harvard.

The keynote address will be delivered by Ang Dorjee Sherpa, who has climbed Mount Everest 11 times, including a trip featured in the book "Into Thin Air." Hans Florine, who holds the world record for the fastest trip up the famous Yosemite National Park mountain El Capitan, also will speak.

In addition, Crispell says he expects a session with President Theodore Roosevelt, known for, among other things, his enthusiasm for the outdoors and for conservation.

"You'll never guess who's going to be portraying Roosevelt," he adds.

Crispell says he sees the conference as a chance to not only show off UB, but to teach outdoor enthusiasts about the many recreation opportunities available in Western New York and Southern Ontario.

"I'm a promoter of Buffalo itself and the Buffalo region," Crispell says. "It's my home and I want people to come and visit. I feel that I am a Buffalo ambassador."

Crispell also says he wants to draw attention to the benefits of outdoor education, a subject researchers are just beginning to study. Early research shows that "wilderness orientations," where new freshmen take a trip instead of going through the traditional freshman orientation, can lead to higher retention rates and better grades, he said.

"I'm sure that is one topic that will be discussed further at the conference," he says. "We don't offer that at UB yet, but this could help springboard new and innovative opportunities here."

Current outdoor recreation classes and trips through UB's Outdoor Pursuits program include an annual trip to Alaska, canoeing in Algonquin, wilderness first aid, and even a summer golf class for course credit.

To learn more about AORE and the conference, visit http://www.aore.org. For more information on UB's Outdoor Pursuits program, go to http://wings .buffalo.edu/org/outdoorpursuits.