Outdoor Recreation Roundtable’s Post

If you love outdoor recreation data and research, you'll love this: we just released the complete Recreation Funding in America report that debuted earlier this month. Inside you'll find answers to questions like: - How much does the U.S. government spend annually on outdoor recreation? - Is federal recreation spending keeping pace with the millions more users getting outdoors? (Spoiler: No.) - What % of federal recreation spending comes from sources like fossil fuel taxes, excise taxes, and recreation fees? - Which agency's recreation spending will need the most attention in the future due to forces and trends like climate change, increased renewable energy, and changing consumer behavior? Dive on in: https://lnkd.in/gAx5mFbZ

Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals Webinar: What is the Outdoor Recreation Access and Participation Survey (ORAPS)? The Outdoor Recreation Access and Participation Survey (ORAPS) has been designed to measure activity participation by different groups and enable comparisons across populations and regions. Our goal is to develop rigorous national standards for collecting and disseminating information on outdoor recreation participation by US households at county, state, and national levels. Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals Wayde Morse https://lnkd.in/eysMHHjf

Help inform the next Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan for Pennsylvania (SCORP) by taking a few minutes to take this public survey and then share with your networks and contacts. #outdoorrecreation #planning #conservation

A budget reflects a community, state or nation's priorities--and, at this moment, budgets at all levels of government fail to adequately prioritize investments in the outdoor economy. An indicator of success in the national outdoor economy movement will be the level of public investment we see in outdoor recreation at all levels--and how we fund it. Will we continue to fund outdoor assets like "nice to have" quality of life assets or will we fund them like true economic investments that deliver returns in new jobs, more tax revenue and business creation?

Let's hope the Senate can come together and recognize the value of the EXPLORE Act and pass it. This legislation can support the growth of a domestic industry currently worth more than $1 trillion with the potential for much more, including job creation, and provide more access to two of our country's most precious & shared resources: public lands & waters. H.R.6492 - EXPLORE Act A BILL To improve recreation opportunities on, and facilitate greater access to, Federal public land, and for other purposes. SEC. 111. CONGRESSIONAL DECLARATION OF POLICY. Congress declares that it is the policy of the Federal Government to foster and encourage recreation on Federal recreational lands and waters, to the extent consistent with the laws applicable to specific areas of Federal recreational lands and waters, including multiple-use mandates and land management planning requirements. Link to bill in comments below, and thanks to Outdoor Recreation Roundtable for the work you're doing - keep it going! #PublicLands #PublicWaters #RecreationForAll #RecreationIsGoodBusiness

This was a fabulous webinar with so many specific examples of what to do, while also highlighting the challenges facing Nations who are working hard (often at their own expense) to protect the land and be able to continue traditional practices essential for physical, emotional, amd spiritual health and wellbeing. The non-Indigenous community has a lot of learning to do and significant privilege that needs to be acknowledged and left at home when recreating on unceded traditional lands (FYI - those practices also make conservation sense). My most profound take away was the explicit reminder that - “Indigenous Nations and rural communities of carry the burden of tourism”. Super Natural BC is not found in urban centres with lots of infrastructure but rather the rural and remote communities with limited resources and funding.

Glad to have listened in on this discussion--so much of what was covered aligns perfectly with my forthcoming book on these topics. I began this book years ago when I was a journalist covering Indigenous-led resistance to development by a ski resort held sacred to 13 regional tribes. I do believe the majority of settlers who recreate on Indigenous land--which is all of us on every acre of land in the US and Canada--want to do right by Indigenous communities, but don't know how. Answering that begins by listening to Indigenous people and starting from the assumption that one's love of skiing, trail running, climbing, paddling, etc. is never more important than Indigenous cultural and spiritual survival. Listen when they give guidelines for respectful interaction with their sacred spaces, listen when they say when to go and when not to go. Do not argue or demand an explanation if you don't get the answers you want--accept that there are cultural traditions, protocols, and belief systems connected to the land that are none of your business. Prepare for differences between what is "legal" and what Indigenous communities actually want. Stay humble. I understand that many folks and organizations want a check list or a universal process they can put on an infographic or something, but this not about trying to establish a set of dos and don'ts--it's about dignity, respect, and the process of making better relations with Indigenous communities and the landscapes we love. It demands that settlers and other nonIndigenous folks ask tough questions of themselves, which begins with conversations like this--and I would LOVE to see more of this, and be part of them, especially in the US.

Great work from the great state of Maine for investing $30 million into trails! That sort of investment in Michigan, especially if it was focused on natural surface trails would get us a minimum of 300 miles of new natural surface trails. The actual # of miles would likely be higher as the $100k average is for feature rich trails that would include jumps, technical features, etc. Data also suggests that the investment will return $2-$3 per dollar invested annually at a cost of only 10% for maintenance...so next year that will be $60 million returned once built at a cost of $3 million annually. Is there a better economic development strategy? Oh, and $3 saved per dollar of trail for health care in the area!

Excited for where outdoor recreation and the industry, when realized, properly invested in, and utilized can take us as a nation - better societal health (physical, mental, and emotional), combat climate change, improve DEI, passionate and purposed workforce development and employment, sustainable economics and economy, increased cognitive abilities, improved communities and opportunities, vested environmental protection, the potential to maintain livable housing costs, and much more. We are fortunate to have Outdoor Recreation Roundtable leading much of this charge (but it is the work of so many, from government to business and vital non-profits and individuals). The last 10 years have been a data boom showing the many benefits and allowing us to start realizing the many parallel and tangential ones tied to recreation, public lands, infrastructure, etc. This data allows wise and bi-partisanship decision making for the mutual benefit of all. Where the OREC Industry, but particularly the vital underlying recreation infrastructure, can take us is limitless, but only if we continue to "move the needle" and push forward.

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