Outdoor Recreation Roundtable: Recreation Funding in America
Outdoor Recreation Roundtable: Recreation Funding in America
Insights into the Future
Study Published: June 2024
Outdoor recreation is a $1.2 trillion economic engine for the U.S., delivering widespread benefits for health, community, and jobs. A recent Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) study conducted by Southwick Associates analyzes current federal funding streams and identifies potential future threats to these funding sources underscoring the need for innovative solutions to ensure sustainable access to recreation for all Americans. This report was made possible from the financial support of leading outdoor industry CEOs from KOA, Brunswick, Winnebago Industries, and Revelyst.
Download the report summary or visit the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) resource page for the the full report.
Great Outdoors Month: Governors Celebrate the Outdoor Recreation Economy
Governors nationwide agree on the power of the outdoors.
In celebration of Great Outdoors Month and the '25 in 2025' campaign—which aims to establish the 25th state Office of Outdoor Recreation nationwide—the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable asked governors from states with existing offices to share their personal insights. On their site, you'll find videos reflecting the bipartisan importance of the $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy for fostering healthy people, connected communities, and thriving urban and rural economies.
Visit the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) site as we celebrate Great Outdoors Month 2025 with governors from around the nation in states with offices of outdoor recreation.
Outdoor Recreation on Federal Public Lands & Waters: A Valuable American Asset
Report Published: November 2025
This new report, Outdoor Recreation on Federal Public Lands & Waters: A Valuable American Asset, released by the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) and conducted by Southwick Associates, reveals that outdoor recreation on federal public lands and waters is a major driver of the American economy. The analysis underscores the immense, often overlooked value that these natural landscapes and waterways generate daily, concluding that conserving and maintaining access to these shared resources for recreation is not only a business imperative but also represents a consistent, high-return investment in the nation's health and economic growth.
