Prof. Steven Burr '73 Takes on Teaching Responsibilities at Utah State-Moab

August 23, 2015

Steven W. Burr, professor of recreation resources management at Utah State University and 1973 graduate of DePauw University, will be teaching undergraduate students in Recreation Resources Management (RRM) at USU-Moab beginning this fall. Dr. Burr will also serve as an extension specialist in outdoor recreation and tourism. He will continue as director of USU's Institute for Outdoor Recreation and Tourism until January 1.

"With access to two national parks, a national forest, Bureau of Land Management recreation lands and a state park, Moab is a natural fit for Burr, who brings 27 years of higher education experience to the recreation resource management program," reports the Moab Sun News. "His duties will include coordinating, teaching and advising students. Recreation resource management students learn to strive for a balance between continuing to conserve and protect natural resources, while making these resources available for recreational use through policy development, innovative planning and management."

Burr, who majored in zoology (biological sciences) at DePauw, states, "This is especially important for Moab, Grand County and southeastern Utah’s recreation economy because of the preponderance of public lands in the area, related outdoor recreation and tourism, and economic impact and community development."

The story notes that Burr has had a passion for the natural environment since childhood. "He worked (a YMCA summer) camp while completing a bachelor’s in zoology/ecology from DePauw University and eventually became the camp’s associate director after earning his master’s in recreation and park management from the University of Oregon. In 1994, Burr completed his doctorate in recreation, parks and leisure studies from Penn State University. In 1999, after six years at Western Illinois University, Burr joined the faculty in the S.J. Quinney College of Natural Resources at USU in Logan."

According to Professor Burr, "Healthy economies are based on healthy environments. Healthy public lands play a huge role in the economies of rural communities, (and that is) especially true here in Utah, but outdoor recreation and tourism-based businesses should really only be part of a mix that contributes to a diverse economy in rural communities."

Burr serves on a number of committees, and was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to the BLM-Utah Resource Advisory Council.

Read more at the newspaper's website.

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