Proceedings From Statewide Outdoor Recreation Forum Released

Proceedings from a Wyoming forum on outdoor recreation earlier this year are now available.

The University of Wyoming’s Ruckelshaus Institute; UW’s Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality (WORTH) Initiative; and the state Office of Outdoor Recreation convened the Emerging Issues Forum, “Outdoor Recreation: Building It the Way We Want It,” in April to explore how Wyoming communities could maximize the benefits of growing the outdoor recreation economy while mitigating negative impacts.

More than 200 attendees -- legislators, educators, entrepreneurs, landowners, government officials, students, recreationists and others from around Wyoming -- called it a watershed moment: the first attempt to bring together representatives from all outdoor recreation stakeholder groups around the state.

The panels, presentations and keynotes discussed trends, successes and challenges in outdoor recreation, including wildlife conflict; entrepreneurship; funding; barriers; managing crowds; conflict and collaboration; accessibility; master planning; volunteerism; education; budgeting; the National Environmental Policy Act; trail-building; and community engagement across Wyoming.

The proceedings are available for viewing and can be downloaded here.

Wyoming residents have long enjoyed the state’s outstanding natural spaces and solitude. In recent years, and especially since the pandemic, these qualities have attracted large numbers of tourists and outdoor enthusiasts, which has its own set of challenges.

In particular, increased visitation has required greater efforts toward sustainable development in the outdoor recreation economy and its impact on the state’s wildlife and natural landscape. If appropriate sustainability and protective measures are not in place, the growth of outdoor recreation can lead to overcrowding, environmental degradation, loss of wild spaces and higher costs of living in nearby communities.

The key takeaway of the forum was that there is broad, measured support for outdoor recreation development statewide. However, the outdoor recreation economy is complex, not just for the number of different industries it impacts -- with potential benefits to retail, service, hospitality and guiding sectors -- but also the possible conflicts that could arise regarding land use for mining, agriculture and logging. There also are environmental concerns with water quality, wildlife migration, habitat conservation and general health of the ecosystem.

Implementing outdoor recreation projects relies on the buy-in and support from communities to ensure the growth of this industry is navigated with all voices heard. It was concluded that collaboration and transparency are necessary among all stakeholders to build trust and assure that the development process leads to sustainable growth.

Several priorities emerged from the forum about managing the growth of the outdoor recreation industry in Wyoming. These included educating users on responsible recreation and stewardship of natural spaces; staying informed through data collection and analysis; adapting to changing conditions and community desires; identifying sustainable funding opportunities; and controlling crowds in environmentally sensitive or high-traffic tourism areas. In all cases, the importance of large-scale master planning involving all stakeholders could not be overstated.

The greatest need the forum revealed was an ongoing space for outdoor recreation interests to come together; air issues; celebrate and learn from successes and challenges; and work cooperatively to “build it the way we want it.”

Inspired and driven by the forum’s success, the WORTH Initiative and Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation have decided to hold an annual Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Summit. Interested parties can learn more, register and propose presentations at www.uwyo.edu/worth.