On Thursday, February 5th, over 100 outdoor recreation advocates took to the Capitol in Montpelier as part of the 3rd annual Outdoor Recreation Day at the State House.
The event, co-hosted by the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance, Ski Vermont, the Vermont Recreation & Parks Association, the Kelly Brush Foundation, Unlikely Riders, and The Vermont Trails and Greenways Council, was months in the making, with VMBA Executive Director Nick Bennette serving as one of the planning committee leaders. The schedule included coffee and lunch sessions to engage with legislators, testimony from outdoor rec advocates in multiple legislative committees, including a joint hearing of the Senate and House Economic Development Committees, and remarks from the Commissioners of the Departments of Tourism & Marketing and Forest, Parks & Recreation, the Lieutenant Governor, the Treasurer, and the Governor.
Throughout the day, coordinated messaging emphasized both the value of outdoor recreation – now responsible for nearly 5% of State GDP, second only to Hawaii – and a set of specific needs for the collective outdoor community, including:
- Stable, consistent, and flexible funding for outdoor recreation
- Workforce development & training programs
- Predictable and efficient regulation
- Smart land-use and conservation policies
Outdoor Rec Day also provided our advocates the opportunity to communicate the importance of two trail-specific pieces of legislation that we have been working on this session. Following a three-year hiatus in funding, the Governor’s recommended budget includes $500,000 for the VOREC Community Grant Program. Since 2019, VOREC Community Grants have provided nearly $2.5M to our Chapters, partners, and mountain biking projects, and their absence in the recent past has not gone unnoticed. Nick testified in the Caucus for Vermont’s Economy, along with Dani Kehlmann of Vermont Huts & Trails and Tom & James of L&D Trailworks. Nick was back testifying the Joint Senate and House Commerce Committee hearing, joined by VMBA Chapter leaders Bob Kogut (MRR), Alex Racicot (LAST), and Nick Mahood (WAMBA) and Community Builder partner Jeff Alexander of Vermont Adaptive.
In addition to advocating for renewed VOREC funding, testifiers used the joint hearing as an opportunity to speak to the proposed comprehensive outdoor recreation impact study included in S.327, introduced by Senator Clarkson (Woodstock), chair of the Senate Economic Development Committee. The study would replace an outdated and narrowly scoped 2016 study and provide legislators – and Vermonters – the first comprehensive view of how and where outdoor recreation generates over $2B in economic impact in Vermont, along with clear tools to inform future investment priorities.
In addition to remarks and testimony, the day included a series of “issue huddles” with advocates intended to help educate them on key issues and prepare them for conversations with their legislators. These included The Vermont Conservation Plan (30×30), Destination Management & Advocacy, and VOREC.
The administration played a major role in the day’s proceedings, too, with Governor Scott providing a keynote address on the importance of outdoor recreation to Vermont’s economy, and Treasurer Mike Pieciak reinforcing that message over lunchtime remarks.
Advocates and legislators connected over lunchtime conversations, equipped with guidance from the morning issue huddles but focused on the stories, impacts, and needs of their local communities. The afternoon then saw a ceremonial reading of House concurrent resolution H.C.R.182, officially designated the day as Vermont Outdoor Recreation Day at the State House in order to celebrate the importance of outdoor recreation to the economy, the quality of life, and the mental and physical well-being of Vermonters and visitors.
We will share updates on relevant legislation and policies as the session progresses, and let you know if and when we need your help in communicating the importance of these bills to your local lawmakers.