The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources released its Growing Outdoor Recreation for Pennsylvania Conclusions Report and Roadmap for the Future. The new report proposes 50 ways to grow the outdoor recreation industry in Pennsylvania.
The report was written as part of a growing effort by the state to make Pennsylvania a national leader in outdoor recreation. The 32-page report includes feedback from stakeholders, outdoor recreationists, and the departments of Community and Economic Development, Health, and Transportation.
The Growing Outdoor Recreation for Pennsylvania plan involves five strategic goals: building capacity within Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation industry, building community and economic development capacity, and building the capacity for inclusive and equitable well-being for Pennsylvania. The report suggests a number of specific actions that the state can take to achieve these goals.
Some of the specific actions outlined in the report include steering funding to the outdoors through policy, planning, and communicating the economic benefit of the outdoors; organizing the outdoor industry through an outdoor business alliance and identifying gaps to support businesses in the industry; developing the outdoor workforce by elevating and stabilizing compensation, benefits, working conditions, and the professional status of outdoor workers; communicating the value of the outdoors through collaboration with tourism and marketing partners; and supporting events, programs, and resources to expand diversity, emphasize inclusiveness, and address inequity in access to outdoor spaces and activities.
“Outdoor recreation is more than pleasant outings to enjoy nature with friends and family — it is a vital industry in Pennsylvania and growing part of our economy that has the power to reinvigorate communities across the Commonwealth,” Pennsylvania Director of Outdoor Recreation Nathan Reigner said. “We see a tremendous opportunity for quality growth that creates entrepreneurial opportunities, attracts and retains highly competitive workers, and advances the wellbeing of all communities.”
Story source: PA DCNR