The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) reported significant federal policy gains and expanded industry coordination in its 2025 annual report, positioning the $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy as a central driver of jobs and community resilience nationwide.
The coalition, representing 80 members and partners and more than 110,000 businesses, said the sector supports 5 million jobs and generates $351 million per day from outdoor recreation on federal public lands and waters.
The report outlines how bipartisan engagement and cross-sector collaboration translated increased outdoor participation into legislative and administrative outcomes.
Among the year’s developments was the signing of the EXPLORE Act into law, which ORR described as a historic milestone. The organization also reported efforts to defend access to public lands and waters, advance rural development strategies, and address industry headwinds affecting outdoor businesses and communities.
ORR convened federal agency leaders at its first Technology and Innovation Summit, reflecting a broader push to align research, technology and policy.
The coalition also brought together 20 member associations for a national data vision initiative aimed at strengthening industry research and closing information gaps.
The report highlights bipartisan participation across multiple levels of government, including 24 members of the House Public Lands Caucus and 15 bipartisan governors featured in ORR’s “25 in 2025” video campaign.
In addition, 24 states now operate offices of outdoor recreation, reflecting continued state-level investment in the sector.
ORR said its data-driven analysis reinforced the industry’s economic value and supported the case for sustained public investment, particularly in communities recovering from natural disasters.
The report cites $1.7 million in grant requests from recreation communities impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Looking ahead to 2026, ORR said it will focus on expanding recreation access and infrastructure, supporting state outdoor economies, advancing outdoor-informed trade policy and maintaining organizational sustainability.