Kalene Griffith’s Post

💡 🌲 Huge win for outdoor recreation in rural America: Just before the holiday, the U.S. Economic Development Administration was reauthorized with new language unlocking billions of dollars in outdoor recreation investments. ORR's work helped guide the bill to identify and support outdoor recreation for the first time. The bill text states, "In awarding grants, the Secretary may also consider the extent to which a project would support outdoor recreation to spur economic development, with a focus on rural communities." This legislation will grow the Public Works program’s funding for communities to invest in recreation infrastructure such as boat ramps, trails, and campgrounds. These investments are critical for the expansion of Main Street economies, ensuring a sustainable economic future and enhancing the quality of life for residents across the nation. “This legislative milestone is a testament to the undeniable value of outdoor recreation to America’s rural economies and the overall well-being of our communities,” said Jessica (Wahl) Turner, President of Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. “By creating new investment opportunities in outdoor recreation infrastructure, planning, and jobs, this legislation is acknowledging the transformative power of this industry that supports every corner of the country." International Economic Development Council National Association of Development Organizations (NADO)

The House and Senate's passage of the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 "acknowledges the significance of outdoor recreation as an economic driver for rural communities for the first time and explicitly authorizes outdoor recreation projects as an eligible use of EDA funding." #OutdoorRecreationEconomy #QualityOfLife #GetOutside

Academic Thoughts on the EXPLORE Act The passage of the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act is a monumental win for outdoor enthusiasts, public land managers, and the recreation industry. Unanimously approved by the Senate, this bipartisan legislation marks a turning point in how we manage and invest in outdoor recreation. For decades, funding for recreation on public lands has lagged behind booming demand. Agencies like the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management have faced stagnant budgets, even as visitation has soared—325 million visits to National Parks in 2023 alone! The EXPLORE Act addresses these challenges with forward-thinking solutions: Fostering Partnerships: The Act empowers federal agencies to collaborate with state governments, municipalities, universities, and private industry to manage and develop recreation infrastructure. Market-Based Solutions: It opens the door for private investment in unique outdoor experiences, reducing reliance on taxpayer funding. Adapting to Modern Needs: By aligning public land management with today’s economic realities, it sets the stage for innovation and sustainability. While it doesn’t resolve all funding issues, the EXPLORE Act lays the foundation for a future where outdoor recreation is accessible, sustainable, and well-supported. Check out the full post here:

Today the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) released a new report, "Recreation Funding in America: Current Results and Future Insights.” This first-of-its-kind comprehensive study conducted by Southwick Associates, Inc. on behalf of ORR aggregates and analyzes current federal funding streams for outdoor recreation and identifies potential future threats to these funding sources including changing energy demands, evolving participation, inflation, weather events and climate change, and stagnant appropriations trends. Stand-out stat: Outdoor recreation contributes 2.2% to U.S. GDP, yet only receives 0.16% of federal funding, a nearly 14x difference in scale. The report highlights the pressing need for innovative solutions to ensure sustainable funding for the $1.1 trillion recreation economy and the millions of Americans and communities who rely on it in the face of these potential funding gaps. https://lnkd.in/gRjG5cMy

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.

Check out my article: The Case for Universal Changing Tables. Featured in the first 2025 publication of Parks & Recreation magazine!! https://lnkd.in/g83QRtVm #Foundations #UniversalChangingTable #Accessibility #ParksandRecreation

Outdoor recreation is big! A new report released recently from the  U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) shows outdoor recreation in the U.S. generating $1.2 trillion in economic output (2.3% of GDP) and 5 million jobs. The article below tells the story of bipartisan support for the Explore Act, which creates more and better outdoor recreation opportunities. In a nearly unprecedented event, it passed the Senate on a unanimous vote. Three cheers for something everyone can agree on! https://lnkd.in/e7VEssbJ

The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond published an article titled "Investing in the Great Outdoors" in their latest Econ Focus magazine. The piece details how some rural and small-town communities across the fifth district see potential for outdoor recreation to reinvigorate their economies. Our Virginia Outdoors is highlighted as an example of helping coordinate support at the state, regional, and national levels. "Environmental conservationists and outdoor recreation advocates in Virginia joined forces to form the Our Virginia Outdoors coalition in 2021, which advocates for dedicated, consistent state funding for natural resources. Such funding would both help preserve those resources for future generations and better capitalize on the economic potential of outdoor recreation." "Virginia has 42 state parks and 66 natural area preserves, a good portion of which are open to the public. And yet, when you look at the state budget and ask whether we are putting money toward this as a priority, the answer is a resounding 'no,'" says Mikaela Ruiz-Ramón, the public funding and policy manager for the Virginia chapter of The Nature Conservancy, a global nonprofit environmental group. Read the full piece here by Tim Sablik: https://lnkd.in/euf4jbwp?