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Mon Forest Towns Partnership Secures $2.5M Funding to Boost Outdoor Recreation

The Monongahela National Forest Towns Partnership, a collaboration of 12 towns in Central West Virginia, has recently secured $2.5 million in funding, with $1.9 million contributed by the Appalachian Regional Commission through the POWER Initiative. This investment aims to enhance the outdoor recreation economy in the region over the next three years, focusing on improving access, infrastructure, and awareness of recreational opportunities.

The partnership includes towns such as Cowen, Davis, Durbin, Elkins, Franklin, Marlinton, Parsons, Petersburg, Richwood, Seneca Rocks, Thomas, and White Sulphur Springs.

According to an article published by West Virginia News, Executive Director Josh Nease emphasized the collaborative spirit driving this initiative, noting, “These days, it’s tough to get 12 people in a room to agree on something, let alone 12 town councils. There’s a real sense of community and a real sense of ‘the rising tide lifts all ships.’ All the towns have expressed that they see the value in lifting up the whole region.”

A major objective of the partnership is to strengthen connections between towns through programmatic and thematic efforts, such as passport programs for visitors traveling across the region. This builds upon existing physical connections and aims to create new biking, hiking, and mountain biking routes, further enhancing access for outdoor recreation and tourism. “The physical connections already exist, but this part of it will be programmatic and thematic connections,” Nease explained.

To build regional interconnectivity, the partnership is focused on connecting visitors with local businesses, including shops, restaurants, and services in each town. By leveraging the state’s booming outdoor recreation economy, the partnership hopes to create a comprehensive visitor experience across multiple towns and attractions, offering a cohesive destination for tourists.

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Hi, you might find this article from Modern Campground interesting: Mon Forest Towns Partnership Secures .5M Funding to Boost Outdoor Recreation! This is the link: https://moderncampground.com/usa/west-virginia/mon-forest-towns-partnership-secures-2-5m-funding-to-boost-outdoor-recreation/