Brochure outlines landowners’ rights of recreational land use

OMAHA, Neb. – The National Park Service has created a new brochure, Recreational Use Statutes and The Private Landowner. It is a customized brochure for each of the 48 states that have legislation on limited liability for landowners allowing recreational use of their property.

Limited liability. The brochure contains a brief description of the conditions and responsibilities of both the landowner and recreational users. Each state has its own legislation, but the common thread is that landowners are not required to maintain safe premises or to warn people of hazardous conditions. People entering land to recreate enter at their own risk.

The brochure also includes each state’s specific law title and contacts for further information.

“Many private landowners are willing to allow people to recreate on their properties, but worry that they may be liable if someone is injured on their land.” said Equestrian Land Conservation Resource Executive Director Kandee Haertel.

The park service’s Midwest Region’s Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program partners involved with this publication all have additional information available regarding recreation liability issues. They include:

American Association for Horsemanship Safety, www.law.utexas.edu/dawson/recreate/recreate.htm or 1-512-488-2220; Equestrian Land Conservation Resource, www.elcr.org or 1-815-776-0150; International Mountain Bicycling Association, www.imba.com or 1-888-442-4622; American Whitewater, www.americanwhitewater.org/ or 1-866-BOAT4AW.