The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) released the Trail Map for Rural Development in America, a resource designed to guide federal, state, local, Tribal and philanthropic leaders in harnessing the power of outdoor recreation to strengthen rural economies, improve community resilience and enhance quality of life.
The Trail Map’s five sections — Education, Community Vision, Financing and Implementation, Resilience and Innovation — identify key actions in policy, practice and research to ensure that outdoor recreation continues to drive sustainable rural development in every corner of the country.
“The Trail Map for Rural Development in America is ORR’s vision to unite and guide partners across the country as we help build a bright future for rural America through outdoor recreation,” said Chris Perkins, vice president of programs at the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. “It builds on what we’ve heard from rural leaders for years — that outdoor recreation creates real opportunities when it’s backed by the right planning, partnerships, and investment. Through this new resource and our existing Toolkit and grants to rural communities, ORR is committed to making sure rural communities have the guidance and support they need to turn local outdoor recreation visions into lasting impact.”
The Trail Map for Rural Development in America was shaped during an October 2024 convening of national outdoor recreation, conservation and rural development leaders hosted by ORR at the Richard King Mellon Foundation offices in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Office of Outdoor Recreation and the Pennsylvania Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship also supported the gathering, contributing valuable insight and leadership.
The Trail Map also identifies challenges for rural communities to mitigate — from housing and affordability to ongoing operations and maintenance of infrastructure — and is designed for institutions from federal agencies to foundations — that want to be intentional and strategic about how they partner with and invest in rural recreation communities.
Along with the Trail Map release, ORR is also releasing its updated Rural Development Needs Map, now with over 350 communities from across the United States seeking support in growing their recreation economies, including nearly 200 in Hurricane Helene-impacted regions that submitted their information for ORR’s recent Hurricane Helene Recovery Grants.
To view the Trail Map for Rural Development in America and learn more about ORR’s rural development work and access additional resources like the widely acclaimed Rural Economic Development Toolkit, visit www.recreationroundtable.org.
