Georgia Outdoor Recreation Coalition

I'm excited to see our Outdoors Beyond Barriers initiative continue to grow, ensuring all Georgians (and our out-of-state guests) can enjoy our amazing natural resources. More to come this fall... Georgia Department of Natural Resources #GeorgiaDNR #OutdoorsBeyondBarriers #GoOutdoorsGeorgia #WeAreDNR

“The addition of these chairs at our state parks will help to remove some of the obstacles associated with getting outdoors for those with mobility issues,” said Commissioner Walter Rabon of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. “I’m excited to see the Outdoors Beyond Barriers program continue to grow, making the outdoors more accessible for all Georgians, as well as our out-of-state visitors.” #GeorgiaDNR #OutdoorsBeyondBarriers #GetOutside

The Georgia Bike-Walk-Live Summit returns to the metro area this fall! Join us in Decatur October 3-5 as we highlight and improve on what makes Georgia bikeable, walkable, and livable, from complete streets to trails and greenways. New for 2024: Georgia Bike-Walk-Live Summit folds in the Georgia Outdoor Recreation and Trails Summit; this represents the first official summit partnership between Georgia Bikes and the Georgia Outdoor Recreation Coalition. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome our bike-walk and trails communities to Decatur! Registration, sponsorship, hotel room block, and other info coming soon. In partnership with the Georgia Department of Transportation, and presented by Bike Law GA.

**JOB ALERT** Come work with Tennessee's new Office of Outdoor Recreation. We're looking for an outdoor enthusiast with a keen ability for project management and stakeholder engagement to be our Outdoor Partnership Coordinator. See the job description in the attached photo and apply at the link below. **Posting closed on 7/8** Job Posting: https://lnkd.in/g929dffx #Outdoorjobs #jobs #outdoorrec #outdoorrecreation #OREC #outsidejobs

RURAL GRANTS, ROUND 3! We're delighted to open the third cycle of our rural implementation grants for participants in the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities program, an interagency partnership between US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), USDA Forest Service, Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC), and Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). With the support of the Richard King Mellon Foundation, we'll be awarding $10,000 to communities looking to diversify and support their economies through outdoor recreation. https://lnkd.in/gbE4VBUf

Applications open next week for the sixth(!) cohort incubator in our Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program! ⛺🛶🚴🧗 The #GORP incubator is designed to assist early-stage startups focused on products & services within the #OutdoorRecreation industry. The incubator offers comprehensive support, including workshops, mentorship, consulting, co-working space, network connections, and product/service design to help you reach new heights! Our cohort also provides $15,000 in non-dilutive seed funding, meaning you can secure vital capital without giving up equity in your business. 💰💼 If you have a passion for the great outdoors and a business idea that aligns with outdoor recreation, then GORP is the perfect launchpad for your venture. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gciY5bup #StartSomethingAR #OutdoorInnovation #AdventureAwaits

Did you read the new USA TODAY article on our hiking program?!?!? We are not only running 7 amazing days of accessible adventures but also now providing rentals with the park! Go rent your chair today! https://lnkd.in/eS_-ivdH

🖋 📜 Massachusetts and Pennsylvania formally joined the Confluence of States at last week's National Outdoor Recreation Executive Forum, bringing the number of signatories to a historic 18. The Confluence, a bipartisan network of state leaders advancing the outdoor recreation economy through a collective voice, unites around the pillars of economic development, conservation and stewardship, education and workforce training, and public health and wellness. These new signings come via the authorization of Governor Maura Healey (MA) and Governor Josh Shapiro (PA). Congratulations to these new signatories! Read more: https://lnkd.in/gCM8WGw3

*LONG POST ALERT* The Outdoor Industry Association recently released its Outdoor Retail Sales Trends report and in it revealed that in 2023, three of the four major outdoor retail categories declined in sales. Something caught my attention in this report… Something I’ve seen in other research studies. And that was: “Some of the losses may be explained by consumers heading to the mass market including platforms like Amazon, Big Box retail, and direct-to-consumer sales. Specifically, the consumers who participate in outdoor recreation casually and new outdoor participants who make up more than 70% of the 168 million strong outdoor recreation participant base are exploring their shopping options.” In RBFF’s research conducted in late 2020 to understand how the large wave of newcomers were experiencing fishing, we had a similar insight. In that study, we learned that newcomers were shopping in places they already shop like Amazon, Walmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods, etc. (link to research: https://lnkd.in/dfBK9Pvx) Nowhere was a “tackle shop” mentioned. And in fairness, if you didn’t grow up fishing, or had a friend or family member you go fishing with regularly, would you even know they existed? I did an informal poll on my Facebook feed asking my friends and followers who don’t fish where they would look for basic fishing equipment and basically got the same answers as above. At this point you’re probably saying… So what? Online and big box retailers sell fishing equipment and could fulfill the need of a newcomer. But I challenge that assumption. The number of lost anglers has been increasing over the last several years and I believe part of the reason is people aren’t getting the support or community they need to stick with it. 🐟 I believe they’re ordering something online or picking up something at a big box store without much guidance and they’re having a bad experience on the water and throwing in the towel. 🐟 I believe fishing is such a local activity - local fish species that need specific equipment and tackle to catch, local fishing spots and tips and tricks for catching, local events held by state agencies and clubs and local connections or fishing buddies to help you out. To combat our #retention issue, I believe we need to help local retailers elevate awareness of their stores and help support them in #R3 overall. There ARE some wheels in motion to tackle this issue that RBFF will share very soon. Would love your thoughts!