Nature sports in general and hiking in particular have become in our urban andpost-industrial
societies a growing phenomenon practiced by millions of citizens.The motivations and interests
of this large group are varied but they have a commonelement: to disconnect from stressful
modern life and reconnect with nature.National parks and other protected areas are the
preferred destinations but theypresent an challenging contrast for land management:
conservation versus tourist use. Whileonce considered a romantic practice of escape and
discovery hiking is now a consumerproduct and a tourist experience. It promises experiences of
disconnection quiet andhealth yet natural spaces are increasingly scarce and more often than
not they arecrowded by other recreationalists.This book presents a multidisciplinary
perspective on the latest trends and developmentsin hiking. In particular the authors work
from a European perspective withvarious outdoor recreation models represented and different
conservation initiativesexplored in the contexts of Spain Norway Poland Germany and Lebanon.
Collectively the authors attend to hiking as a social phenomenon and economic opportunity which
has the potential to sustainably revitalize rural destinations if managedproperly.
