Outdoor Recreation in Israel from the Early 1950s to the 1970s: From Nation Building to Landscape Consumption

Abstract

This article explores outdoor recreation planning in Israel between the early 1950s and the 1970s as a unique example of state-initiated modern recreation planning that was influenced by western trends. Based on relevant plans and documents, it argues that recreation planning in Israel was an integral part of the nation building project aimed at cultivating place attachment toward the local landscape. Early state planning in this realm was initially based on the supply of attractive amenities but was followed by a demand for recreation-directed planning leading to consumption models based on abstract predictions.