The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR), in partnership with Confluence of States, has released what the organizations describe as the first national disaster resilience playbook created specifically for state outdoor recreation offices, providing guidance to help officials prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters affecting outdoor recreation economies and public lands.
The resource, titled When Disaster Strikes: A State Playbook for Outdoor Recreation Resilience, was developed with support from The VF Foundation and draws on interviews with state directors of outdoor recreation who have managed recovery efforts following hurricanes, wildfires, historic flooding and other disasters.
According to the organizations, the playbook is intended to help state leaders coordinate disaster response while supporting recreation businesses, gateway communities and public lands.
Chris Perkins, vice president of programs at ORR, said the guide captures lessons learned by state leaders who have managed disasters and provides a resource that previously did not exist for outdoor recreation offices.
“State outdoor recreation offices have become essential partners in helping communities prepare for and bounce back from natural disasters, but until now they’ve had to build that playbook from scratch, often in the middle of a crisis,” Perkins said in a press release.
The organizations said the playbook provides preparedness checklists, disaster recovery timelines, first-72-hour action guides, communications templates, contact tree resources and recommendations for coordinating among emergency managers, land managers, tourism officials, economic development organizations, businesses, nonprofits and community leaders.
It also outlines the role state outdoor recreation offices can play in organizing partnerships, documenting recreation impacts and supporting long-term recovery efforts.
According to ORR, the nation’s outdoor recreation economy generates $1.3 trillion annually, supports 5.2 million jobs and accounts for 2.4% of U.S. gross domestic product.
The organizations said the sector’s continued growth has increased its exposure to costly and more frequent natural disasters, making coordinated recovery efforts increasingly important for businesses, public land managers and destination communities.
Amy Allison, director of the North Carolina Outdoor Economy Office, said the state’s experience with natural disasters demonstrated the importance of partnerships established before emergencies occur.
“One of our greatest lessons has been that the partnerships you build before a disaster become the foundation for recovery afterward,” Allison said. “We hope this toolkit serves as a practical resource that communities across the country can adopt to strengthen preparedness, support recovery, and build resilience for whatever challenges lie ahead.”
The release is part of ORR and Confluence of States’ broader effort to strengthen the network of state outdoor recreation offices, which now includes 25 states. The organizations said the initiative aims to improve coordination across agencies, support local businesses, protect recreation access and strengthen community resilience.
Gloria Schoch, executive director of The VF Foundation and senior director of global impact at VF Corporation, said the foundation supported the project to help states strengthen disaster preparedness and recovery efforts.
Hannah Wintucky, manager of the Confluence of States, said the playbook gives state outdoor recreation leaders practical tools to prepare for disasters, improve response efforts and help communities recover.