Campaign issues challenge to states to create the 25th office of outdoor recreation
WASHINGTON — Along with leading outdoor recreation organizations from across the United States led by the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR), the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas celebrates the launch of the ‘25 in 2025’ campaign, a challenge to states to create the 25th office of outdoor recreation in the calendar year, following 24 other states that have created such offices in government since 2013. In the coming months, the campaign will highlight the accomplishments and importance of existing offices of outdoor recreation with new resources and research and culminate in an in-person convening this fall to celebrate the 25th state.
“Offices of Outdoor Recreation are crucial for supporting the continued growth of the recreational marine industry and provide access, knowledge, and opportunities to the boating public and businesses,” said Matt Gruhn, President of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. “The MRAA is proud to support the ‘25 in 2025’ campaign and looks forward to working with the ORR to create the 25th office of outdoor recreation in 2025 to further strengthen the marine industry and outdoor recreation economy at large thoughout America.”
“Since its establishment in 2022, Massachusetts Office of Outdoor Recreation has been instrumental in continuing the development and growth of our state’s outdoor recreation economy,” said Randall Lyons, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Marine Trades Association. “Paul Jahnige, Director of the Massachusetts Office of Outdoor Recreation, has been dedicated to working with recreational marine businesses throughout the state and helping to showcase the variety of outdoor recreational opportunities throughout the commonwealth, from boating and fishing to exploring our inland ponds, lakes and rivers. The MA Office of Outdoor Recreation has been a valuable partner and supporter of the recreational boating industry in Massachusetts. I look forward to working more with Paul in the future.”
“As small business owner and member of the Massachusetts Outdoor Recreation Economy, the establishment of an Office of Outdoor Recreation reinforced with me that our state understands the importance of small businesses who ultimately make outdoor recreation possible in Massachusetts. This action also proves that the state of Massachusetts is committed to supporting my business and the rest of the state’s recreational boating industry,” said Craig LeBlanc, Owner and General Manager, at Allen Harbor Marine Service in Harwich Port. “As a member of the MRAA Board of Directors I am excited to see we support the ‘25 in 25’ campaign, as I have seen the positive benefits of these offices first-hand and believe that their establishment in other states will only benefit MRAA members and the boating public at large.”
Jessica Wahl Turner, President of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, applauded the campaign’s launch, stating,“Few stories represent the bipartisan importance of outdoor recreation better than the 24 states from coast to coast who have created offices of outdoor recreation in just over a decade. These offices are leaders on new initiatives and investments in outdoor recreation for states across the country, creating new economic development, conservation, and public health potential. We are thrilled to highlight the powerful accomplishments of current offices of outdoor recreation over the year and look forward to celebrating the 25th state together.”
State Office History
In 2013, Utah Governor Gary Herbert created the first state office of outdoor recreation, recognizing the critical role of outdoor recreation to Utah’s identity, economic competitiveness, and community health. Since that time, states representing nearly half the country have created these offices through executive action or legislation, placing offices in various agencies to catalyze new growth in their states’ outdoor recreation economies and promoting access for all. The Confluence of States, the coalition of these offices of outdoor recreation, has gained significant national prominence during this time for its efforts to unite offices around a shared vision. A map with all states that have created offices of outdoor recreation can be found here.
The campaign launch also includes the launch of a new resource called “5 Steps to Create an Office of Outdoor Recreation in Your State.” This new tool aggregates best practices shared from the experiences of other states who successfully created offices of outdoor recreation. This new tool will be displayed alongside several other resources to support states in creating and managing offices of outdoor recreation, including A Guidebook to Developing Offices of Outdoor Recreation, Strategies to Support Offices of Outdoor Recreation, Pathways and Structures for Offices of Outdoor Recreation, The Value of Offices of Outdoor Recreation and more. In the coming months, ORR will release additional resources related to the importance of offices of outdoor recreation to help stimulate new investments in existing offices of outdoor recreation. The ’25 in 2025’ follows a historic year for the outdoor recreation economy that included passage of the EXPLORE Act, the most comprehensive update to outdoor recreation policy in recent history, as well as a new data release from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis showing that outdoor recreation generated $1.2 trillion (2.3% of GDP) and 5 million jobs in 2023, growing 36% in real terms since 2012.
Questions? Reach out to the MRAA Advocacy team.
About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.
