Outdoor Recreation Roundtable

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) shares a reminder below of the upcoming 10/16 application date for the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities program. The deadline has been extended to 11/13 for communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. ORR has supported rural communities in this program with over $125,000 in implementation funding and is grateful for the partnership of US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), USDA Forest Service, and Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) in helping illustrate the value of outdoor recreation to community and economic health.

🎤 🏔️ The new Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE) podcast episode is perfect for anyone wanting to dive deep into outdoor policy! ORR Vice President of Programs Chris Perkins joined AORE Executive Director Jeannette Stawski to kick off the second season of their outstanding Changemakers and Trailblazers Podcast. Perkins unpacked ORR's Recreation Funding in America Report and covered the challenges faced in maintaining outdoor infrastructure as well as the need to pass the EXPLORE Act and for action to ensure sustainable funding and access to outdoor spaces for all. Listen to the episode here: https://lnkd.in/grF8bt9M

👏 🎉 We're proudly celebrating the Arizona Office of Outdoor Recreation, the 24th such office nationwide. Arizona’s announcement today highlighted that the office at Arizona State Parks and Trails, led by Neil Large, will “position Arizona’s outdoor offerings as a top choice for residents, visitors and industry partners while ensuring businesses, land managers and other stakeholders are empowered and all the beautiful state assets are conserved for future generations to enjoy.” The office will continue to receive support and coordination from the Arizona Office of Tourism to further its efforts, guided by five pillars: Environmental Conservation & Stewardship; Education & Workforce Development; Economic Development; Exercise, Health & Wellness; and Equity, Access & Inclusion. “With today’s announcement, Arizona is demonstrating leadership in recognizing that Arizona’s $11.7 billion outdoor recreation economy provides economic, health, and community benefits for everyone in the Grand Canyon State,” said Jessica (Wahl) Turner, President of Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. "On behalf of organizations across the $1.1 trillion outdoor recreation economy, we are so excited for all that is in store outdoors for Arizona’s residents, outdoor businesses, and visitors alike.” Confluence of States Lena Allen

A+ collaboration: At this week's National Leadership Forum on Rural Development, we were fortunate to welcome USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Basil I. Gooden, Ph.D. and CEO of the Foundation for America's Public Lands I Ling Matthews Thompson to discuss the role of federal agencies in catalyzing rural resilience and opportunity through the outdoor recreation economy.

Emmy-nominated speaker and host Baratunde Thurston delivered the keynote for our National Leadership Forum on Rural Development and elevated the power of nature to unite us all and shared stories of his many travels to recreation communities across the country. The audience is energized and inspired here in Pittsburgh! #OutdoorRecreationEconomy #RuralDevelopment

It's National Public Lands Day! All National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone in celebration of all that America's public lands and waters have to offer. “This National Public Lands Day it’s inspiring to see the ongoing commitment of our nation’s resource management agencies and volunteers from across the nation to restoring and preserving the public lands and waters that are the backbone of America’s outdoor recreation," said Jessica (Wahl) Turner, President of Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. "As we celebrate our outdoor heritage by getting outside, enjoying these special places, and hopefully giving back through volunteer efforts, it is a great time to remember that passing the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act as soon as possible will improve our access to these public lands we celebrate and ensure even more Americans have access to the physical, mental, and community benefits of outdoor experiences – all with no additional cost to taxpayers.” 

We’re ending the week on a high note after being joined by an inspiring group of leaders for an evening of lively discussion on sustainability innovations across the recreation industry as we came together during Climate Week in one of the most unique settings in NYC. Grateful for Peter Mack for partnering with us to host this truly memorable gathering at Collective Retreats and to everyone who attended.

New policy recommendations for developing recreation economies: today, the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of the Interior, and USDA released a groundbreaking inter-agency report providing recommendations for regional economic development through outdoor recreation in the United States. These recommendations are a testament to the central role of the $1.1 trillion outdoor recreation economy in communities across the country and are an outcome of President Biden’s executive order in April 2022 that directed the Secretaries of these departments to collaborate on this report. The report recommends: – Continuing to work with communities to identify and address barriers to growth through the Federal Interagency Council on Outdoor Recreation (FICOR) and other initiatives. – Implementing provisions of the MAPLand Act and 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act to inventory assets and improve public access to Federal lands. – Utilizing available authorities to support the maintenance and adaptation of recreation facilities through long-term planning that incorporates evaluations of climate risk and corresponding adaptation strategies. – Reauthorizing the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act and the Great American Outdoors Act. – Coordinating across the Federal Government to utilize programs like the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities Program to support economic development for underserved communities and resilient infrastructure. – Investing in collection and management of data on recreation, in consultation with communities and the public, to help inform agency and community understanding of current demand, emerging needs, patterns, and trends. – Investing in research and development for outdoor recreation, such as the Economic Development Administration’s program evaluation of the Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation Program, and disseminate lessons learned to help the sector grow.

WOW—$254.7 million to outdoor recreation marks the biggest-ever investment in local parks and access for all in the history of the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program at the U.S. Department of the Interior. This year's projects, spanning coast to coast and 24 states, ensure that disadvantaged urban communities that lack access to close-by outdoor recreation can connect to our great outdoors. Read more about the announcement here: https://lnkd.in/gjWmgQ4h

🎉 Jeff McCabe has been named the new Director of the Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation (MOOR).   McCabe replaces the inimitable Carolann Ouellette, who assumed leadership of the Maine Office of Tourism and its subsidiary offices as Director of Tourism, Outdoor Recreation, and Film in June. McCabe has served as Deputy Director under Ouellette since November 2023.              “I am pleased that Jeff will be able to seamlessly continue and build upon the important work being done in outdoor recreation to contribute to Maine’s economy,” said Heather Finnemore Johnson, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development. “He is a strong voice for outdoor recreation in our state, an industry that is helping to advance our statewide goals of talent attraction, innovation, manufacturing, and rural economic development.” “Maine’s Outdoor Recreation economy is strong and growing,” said McCabe. “It has been an honor to work with and to hear from those in the industry from across the state and I look forward to the work ahead.” Please join us in welcoming Jeff to his new role! Confluence of States Maine Outdoor Brands