The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) senior leadership gathered to discuss national recreation strategy this week.
ORR Executive Director Jessica Turner led the discussion alongside other ORR members, regarding the move as “a great step” in ongoing conversations about the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA).
“We very much appreciate all the work of the USFS and their commitment to an ongoing dialogue and collaboration around GAOA implementation,” Turner said. “We look forward to working together over the coming months and years.”
More than 80 stakeholders from across the outdoor recreation industry joined the two-hour discussion. ORR presented several ways to mitigate the recreation infrastructure and maintenance backlog on U.S. public lands and waters over the next four years. Specific topics highlighted during the talk included:
- Project selection process and prioritization
- How projects can assist economic development and job creation
- Celebrating project success with an eye toward future funding
- Ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion in project selection criteria and in process conversations moving forward
In addition, USFS leadership provided an overview of their work throughout fiscal year 2021, including deferred maintenance projects and its plans for public dialogue and transparency as GAOA is implemented.
“ORR members were instrumental in getting National Forests included in GAOA – a priority since many forms of recreation happen on USFS-managed lands and waters,” ORR stated.
View a recording of the full session here.
