Outdoor Recreation Gets A Seat At The Decision-Making Table

Above, The Beast at Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For years, outdoor recreation was hardly recognized by state planners and tourism bureaus. 

Today, that is beginning to change as some states (16 of them) now have governor's cabinet-level Offices of Outdoor Recreation. My state of New Mexico is one of them.

RV Travel has posted an article about outdoor recreation "getting a seat" at the decision-making table.

They begin with:

For the past nine years, a movement has been slowly spreading across the U.S. that could have a significant impact on your camping future. There are now 16 states that have added governor’s-cabinet-level Offices of Outdoor Recreation or at least established task forces to coordinate efforts on behalf of outdoor recreation.

Before you say, “Oh great. More state bureaucracy,” consider this. The addition of these high-level state offices gives outdoor recreation a seat at the decision-making table. For the first time, outdoor recreation enthusiasts have advocates in state capitols, tasked with making it easier to access the outdoors.

It’s about time. Nearly half of the nation’s population (140 million folks) at least dabble in outdoor activities, and many of those millions are full-scale outdoor fanatics. Dedicated RVers fall into that latter group.

To read the full article, go here.