Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018 - 18

THE PULSE

THE BIG PICTURE

director, says community-specific data is still
absolutely critical.
"In order to have a real discussion on priorities, we need good intelligence and research,"
says Havel. "We can spin poetry until the cows
come home, but we want to be able to provide
numbers to support our claim that outdoor rec
should be a priority."
To that end, Oregon's OREC is working with
non-profits and the state tourism department
to provide county-by-county analysis. "When
someone says outdoor rec is not important
enough here or there, or we shouldn't worry
about this piece of land, we want to be able to
present data from that community," explains
Havel. "Then we'll know if that community is
building from the economic benefits of the outdoor industry or not, and we can make an informed decision whether that community's efforts should be suppressed or supported."
Utah's Adams says the same. "We have to be
the voice to help legitimize OIA's numbers," he
says. "We bridge the gap between recreation
and local and federal government; we're the
voice for communities that are unknown or
underappreciated."
Community-based studies are also in process in Alaska, and Vermont's VOREC did a
town-meeting-style tour amalgamating input from Vermonters before crafting recommendations for the governor.
"The response was overwhelming," says
Hal Ellms, manufacturer's rep and owner
of Pinnacle Outdoor Group. "Communities
have ideas, and they're showing up to be part
of the process. We got the good, the bad, and
the ugly. A lot of VOREC's ideas and opinions
were validated, but we also heard lots of things
we didn't expect, including the negative effects of Vermont's Act 250, which was created
to protect recreation."

ANOTHER WAY ORECS ARE PROVING THEIR
worth is by being a nexus for communication
around recreation business and resources
for local, state, and federal players as well as
outdoor business. "We're asking how well do
state, federal, and local agencies cooperate?"
says Havel.
That creates a lot of synergy with the state's

18 OUTDOOR RETAILER

/ Summer 2018

BUT THE SUCCESS OF ORECS ISN'T JUST ABOUT DIRT
BIKERS AND DOG WALKERS BANDING TOGETHER. IT'S
ABOUT BRINGING MEANINGFUL ECONOMIC GROWTH
TO DEPRESSED COMMUNITIES.
economy. "Do we pursue our jobs using similar
objectives? Do we have goals for outdoor recreation? And if we do, does everybody know
them?" Havel asks. "From towns to counties to
the feds, we want to make sure that we're hitching all of our horses to same wagon. There are a
lot of players doing work to benefit outdoor rec,
but until now we've lacked a common forum
to make sure we're getting the most out of the
resources we have and that those benefits are
spread statewide. We want economic success
in every corner of Oregon, and we need similar
goals and measures to know where we're doing
well and where we need to improve."
In Oregon, at least two independent business coalitions formed as a result of legislating Oregon's OREC. Those coalitions
include retailers, business owners, servicesector employees, and non-profit advocates.
In Vermont, Vermont Outdoor Business
Alliance (VOBA) grew out of VOREC, and
it's now helping to guide VOREC. In Alaska ,
a business coalition also grew from conversations on forming a state OREC.
By organizing, ORECs have potential to give
outdoor rec a voice at the national level. Havel
says that Oregon is adding its voice to a nationwide chorus supporting outdoor rec nationally. Michael Snyder, Vermont Commissioner
of Forest Parks and Recreation believes that the
states can lead. "We have differences but we
can work together and come to the table with
a uniform message, a unified voice, and show
the federal scene how to get it done," he says.
Eight OREC states (Colorado, Montana,
North Carolina, Oregon, Utah, Vermont,
Washington and Wyoming) met in January
to clarify a unified message. And that collaboration is translating to learning on all sides.
"Other states have issues we haven't had to
deal with, like how to grow diverse participation with Native peoples," says Snyder. "We
could learn from that. We don't have the same

conflicts with extractive industries, and we're
anchored in grassroots action and environmental stewardship, which is something we
can teach other states."
ORECs are a place for bipartisan collaboration, a sign of hope in a time when people on
all points of the political spectrum feel despair,
which could be another reason for their success. They have to be in order to have the time
to be impactful. "For outdoor rec to have staying power, ORECs need to be able to survive an
administration" says Havel. "They need funding and support from government, private sector, non-profits, and business. Otherwise this
movement will peak, plateau, and fade."
Havel says that another part of ORECs' continued success is to remember that this isn't
just about economics it's about people and
communities. "If we were to lock on economics as our only goal, we'd lose diversity and inclusion, health and well-being for individuals
and communities. And people are more likely
to support and protect the thing they love."
Ten states might have ORECs (add
Maryland and Michigan to the list above)
and three more are currently working towards them, but Adams wants 50. "We need
an OREC in every state that has bipartisan
support." Snyder hopes for the same, and insists it's achievable though not easy. "Moab
was a uranium mining town with swag piles
everywhere," says Snyder. "Now it calls itself
the recreation capital of the world. As soon as
there is recreation, there is food, art, culture,
and towns turn around."
He also seconds Adams that every state
needs an OREC. "Don't assume you don't have
a need just because you don't have a lot of public land," he advises. "Get people together and
be prepared for compromise. This has to include all parts of society in your state. Come to
the table, talk, make a plan, and the economic
benefits will follow." O.R.

Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2018

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