Five rural communities across Alaska, Ohio, New Hampshire, Virginia, and Vermont have been awarded outdoor recreation grants by the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR).
The 2024 recipients—Beverly, Ohio; Claremont, New Hampshire; Giles County, Virginia; Haines, Alaska; and Poultney, Vermont—will receive funding aimed at bolstering their local economies through outdoor recreation initiatives. The grants are part of the ongoing Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (RERC) program, a collaborative effort involving the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, USDA Forest Service, and regional commissions.
According to a press release, Jessica Wahl Turner, president of ORR, expressed her enthusiasm for the new group of recipients, highlighting the potential economic and environmental benefits these grants will bring to the selected areas.
“From economic resilience to public health improvements, outdoor recreation continues to be a key factor in supporting the growth and sustainability of rural communities,” Turner explained.
The awarded communities represent diverse regions of the U.S., each with outdoor recreation assets. In Appalachia, Beverly, Ohio, and Giles County, Virginia, plan to invest their grants in improving trail systems. Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin of the Appalachian Regional Commission noted the importance of these improvements in building resilient local economies.
“Appalachia’s rural The Richard King Mellon Foundation has been an invaluable partner in helping deliver this grant program and ensuring that more places and people than ever will have the opportunity to experience the benefits of time spent outside. We can’t wait to see what these communities accomplish with this support,” Turner noted.
Further north, the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) is supporting Claremont, New Hampshire, and Poultney, Vermont, both of which are focused on enhancing outdoor access.
“The awards announced by ORR today reflect our commitment to building inclusive outdoor economies where local communities truly benefit,” NBRC Federal Co-Chair Chris Saunders said.
In Alaska, the community of Haines will use its grant to enhance access to its outdoor recreational offerings, including hiking and wildlife viewing opportunities. Steph Bertaina, manager of the RERC program at the EPA, emphasized the importance of protecting natural resources while expanding access to outdoor activities.
The collaboration between multiple federal and state agencies allows the RERC program to offer comprehensive support, guiding communities through the process of planning and executing outdoor recreation-based economic development. Meryl Harrell, deputy undersecretary for Natural Resources and the Environment at USDA, stressed the importance of these partnerships.
“These implementation grants are a great boost for communities that have been a part of the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities program,” Harrell said.
For more information about the ORR, visit recreationroundtable.org.