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CONNELLSVILLE -- With the Yough River Park as the backdrop, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced the launch of a new state Office of Outdoor Recreation and highlighted the 2023-24 budget's $112 million investment in state parks and forests -- the largest in decades.
During Thursday's news briefing set along the 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage in Fayette County, Shapiro said state parks and the outdoor recreation industry are key to Pennsylvania's economy, hosting nearly 40 million visitors a year and boosting local businesses and the local economy in and around parks.
"When we invest real money to make our natural resources more accessible for Pennsylvanians, it helps communities and businesses grow and thrive," Shapiro said.
The Pennsylvania Office of Outdoor Recreation will focus on growing the state’s outdoor sector, which adds $14 billion to the state’s economy and accounts for 152,000 jobs. The office will coordinate efforts with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the departments of Community and Economic Development and Health, PennDOT, and others, to create a cohesive strategy for the growth and expansion of the outdoor sector.
Shapiro is "making a tremendous down payment on our ability to improve visitor experiences at our state parks and forests," DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said. "It's our public lands and trails that are the backbone that supports our outdoor recreation economy."
The investments in state parks and forests will help address a $1.4 billion backlog of needed infrastructure work, officials said.
"People and organizations across the commonwealth see the need for statewide coordination to connect communities to meaningful and competitive growth opportunities," said Nathan Reigner, director of Outdoor Recreation.
"We have gathered a significant amount of input and will continue to engage with stakeholders and communities to build up the sixth largest outdoor recreation economy in the country, while maintaining the fun and adventure the outdoors provides."
DCED Secretary Rick Siger said "strong outdoor recreation is also a major advantage when trying to attract and retain people and businesses -- a competition that's fiercer among states than ever before."
Thousands of bicyclists pedal through Yough River Park in Connellsville every year impacting many businesses beyond those directly connected to outdoor recreation. Bicycle visitors lead to shops, eateries and accommodations catering to trail users. They in turn have attracted new housing, a medical facility and other business growth.
"We are fortunate to have experienced significant economic revitalization from the direct impact of the Great Allegheny Passage and the boon in outdoor recreation," Connellsville Mayor Greg Lincoln said. "Investments in the trail have created so many new opportunities for this city, and not just for outdoor recreation. The economic development brought by the trail now extends to new medical centers and new homes being built -- the trail is transforming us."