Core Competencies
Descriptions of the 39 competencies and proficiencies in the ORPCF
The purpose of the Outdoor Recreation Professional Comptency Framework identifies core competencies for people who plan, manage, and provide outdoor recreation as a public service. This framework supports consistency across current and future training, professional development, degree program, and certification providers, and will provide a path to employment in the outdoor recreation public sector workforce.
Accessibility Laws and Principles:
Entry-level: Understand accessibility laws, guidelines and operational practices relevant to recreation management. Full Performance: Integrate accessibility requirements and organizational policies into recreation plann...
Budgeting + Milestones
Entry-level: Understand project budget, milestones, and funding sources. Track project time and costs. Provide timely updates on progress and potential delays. Full Performance: Develop and execute a project management p...
Business Acumen
Entry-level: Describe different funding sources and partnerships for recreation program planning, management, operations, and maintenance. Full Performance: Coordinate with partners, permit holders, concessionaires, and...
Community Context
Entry-level: Identify and evaluate trend and community data for a specific project or planning area. Full Performance: Collect community data from multiple sources, assess its importance and relevance, and make conclusio...
Conflict Resolution + Consensus Building
Entry-level: Identify conflict resolution and consensus building processes and tools and when they should be used to support management outcomes. Recognize when there may be conflicts, and work to address or know when to...
Contract Administration + Management
Entry-level: Recognize contract requirements including the scope of work, budget, and timeline. Document contractor activities as directed by supervisor or contract administrator. Full Performance: Identify contract requ...
Customer Service
Entry-level: Effectively communicate with and respond to requests from visitors, partners, user groups, and members of the public, focusing on creating great customer experiences. Full Performance: Identify different cus...
Desired Conditions/Visioning:
Entry-level: Explain the purpose and elements of visioning and desired conditions statements. Understand the goals and objectives related to recreation in your organization’s guiding documents. Support the development of...
Facilitation
Entry-level: Identify facilitation processes and tools to achieve stated objectives of a meeting or process. Support the development of facilitation agendas and plans. Full Performance: Plan, design, and lead engaging an...
Grants + Agreements
Entry-level: Recognize the elements of a grant proposal or a partner agreement including outcomes and specific tasks or requirements. Understand types of agreements and when they are applicable. Full Performance: Identif...
Historical Context of Public Lands Management
Entry-level: Describe the history of public land management including laws and policies that shape recreation access and management Full Performance: Incorporate land management ethics and modern land management objectiv...
Human Dimensions Tools + Data:
Entry-level: Demonstrate understanding of human dimensions concepts and the role of social science in outdoor recreation planning and management. Assist with data collection, documentation, and interpretation of findings...
Implementation + Monitoring
Entry-level: Explain project goals and compliance requirements. Assist with inspections, monitoring, and project implementation. Full performance: Identify and communicate project implementation requirements including an...
Indicators + Monitoring:
Entry-level: Describe relevant indicators for recreation management in your organization or project area. Identify appropriate monitoring techniques for common indicators. Full Performance: Identify and evaluate the effe...
Information Access:
Entry-level: Describe the existing information and education approaches your organization uses. Full performace: Provide accurate and relevant information and education to different user groups. Identify new opportunitie...
Information Gathering + Management Application
Entry-level: Describe information collection systems and use established methods for extracting and conducting basic analysis of biophysical, social-cultural and visitor information/data. Full Performance: Plan, manage,...
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Entry-level: Describe natural and cultural resource management concepts relevant to your organization. Recognize the roles and perspectives of resource specialists relevant to recreation planning and management. Full Per...
Land Management Competencies
Land Management includes the following competencies. Download the attached pdf to review all of the competencies and proficiencies in this bucket. Historical Context of Public Land Management Interdisciplinary Collaborat...
Land Management Jurisdiction + Policy
Entry-level: Explain the mission and guiding principles of your organization and those of adjacent jurisdictions. Full Performance: Apply your organization's missions, policies, and jurisdictional responsibilities to pla...
Leadership
Entry-level: Explain and understand the different leadership styles, including your own. Recognize components of both effective leadership and management. Full Performance: Identify and use the appropriate leadership sty...