With an increasing interest in outdoor recreational activities, significant progress has been made towards legislation aimed at encouraging this growing sector. Advocates, including western governors, continue to lobby for the official implementation of policies intended to enhance outdoor recreation on federal lands.
The proposal in question is the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act, also known as the EXPLORE Act. The Act, which is a combination of more than a dozen policy measures, was passed by the House in April with support from Wyoming’s Representative Harriet Hageman and subsequently moved into the Senate.
This legislation aims to address several challenges faced by outdoor recreation destinations in the West that attract a rising number of visitors annually. These locations require additional support, infrastructure, and management tools to deal with the increased levels of recreation while conserving these resources for universal enjoyment and future generations.
Both the Outdoor Alliance and the Western Governors’ Association (which includes Wyoming’s Mark Gordon) have endorsed the EXPLORE Act. The Outdoor Alliance held numerous meetings with lawmakers and staff earlier this month to promote the Act.
The Act combines several provisions that will allow for more long-distance bike trails and facilitate permits for guides and outfitters. It will also fund parks and green spaces, and support the practice of installing permanent climbing anchors in the wilderness.
EXPLORE aims to address issues like housing shortages, parking, and other infrastructure challenges in destination gateway communities such as Cody or Jackson. These plans line up with many policies contained within America’s Outdoor Recreation Act, which was introduced by U.S. Senators John Barrasso of Wyoming and Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
Wyoming plays a prominent role in propelling the outdoor recreation sector. There has been substantial growth and economic benefits in this sector, with Wyoming capitalizing on this industry through an outdoor recreation trust fund. In August, the state announced $1.7 million in grants to 14 infrastructure projects, indicating a clear acceptance and support for the industry.
The Western Governors’ Association also voiced its approval of the EXPLORE Act, citing that the Act embodies several key aspects within their own recreation and tourism policy resolution. The resolution highlights that soaring visitation and ongoing outdoor recreation since 2020 are aspects that require maintenance to sustain.
Another point to note is the economic advantages of increased outdoor recreational activities. In 2023 alone, visitors to national parks in Wyoming spent $1.1 billion and generated 14,522 jobs in local communities, according to the National Park Service.
Wyoming’s outdoor recreation economy rose to $2.02 billion or 4.1% of the state’s GDP in 2022. The state, in the year following, set up a trust fund to allocate grants to outdoor recreation projects and passed a law permitting a governing board to assign these infrastructure and access grants.
In August, Wyoming’s Outdoor Recreation Office announced a new series of Outdoor Recreation Collaborative Grants aimed to support concepts that emerged from various small collaboratives from different areas across Wyoming. It demonstrates the state’s substantial commitment to cultivating and enhancing outdoor recreational activities.
