The Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation

Maine’s Office of Outdoor Recreation was permanently established July 1, 2019 and on Oct. 24, 2019 became a member of the Confluence of States, a group of now 16 states developing a national platform to grow the outdoor industry, protect our wild places and transform conservation into a driver for economic prosperity. As an office within the Maine Dept. of Economic & Community Development, we work closely with partners from the public and private sectors to leverage our assets and outdoor heritage to grow the outdoor rec economy and brand. Areas of focus are: - Help develop strategies to create outdoor recreation employment, enhance business growth and coordinate with state econ dev leaders to integrate the outdoor rec industry into their efforts. - Establish relationships between diverse industries that depend on natural resources to ensure recreation interests are included in policy decisions related to land use and management planning, including access, stewardship, conservation. - Serve as a central point of contact for the outdoor rec industry, monitor emerging trends and issues that may impact the outdoor assets and experiences in Maine. - Facilitate coordination with Office of Tourism, IF&W, Dept. of Ag, Conservation & Forestry and Dept. of Transportation to promote outdoor opportunities and the outdoor economy. - Promote the health benefits of outdoor recreation by encouraging active lifestyles through collaboration with healthcare leaders and communities minimizing barriers to outdoor recreation. In 2020, outdoor recreation made up 3.3% of Maine’s economy, more than double the national average. From 2018 to 2019, contribution to state GDP grew 5.9% in Maine, compared with 3.7% for the US. Largest contributors in 2020: boating/fishing at $379M ($299M in 2019); RV’ing at $149M ($137M in 2019); snow activities $46M; and hunting/shooting/trapping at $38M. Outdoor rec supported more than 28K jobs, accounting for 4.6% of employment and $1.1B in compensation.

Website

https://www.maine.gov/decd/programs/maine-office-of-outdoor-recreation

External link for The Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation

Industry

Recreational Facilities

Company size

1 employee

Type

Government Agency