Recreation Economies for Rural Communities

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (RERC) program helps small towns and rural communities leverage their natural and cultural assets to strengthen local economies, revitalize Main Streets, and improve quality of life. Through a collaborative planning process, communities explore opportunities to connect parks, trails, rivers, and public lands with downtown development, local businesses, and broader community priorities.

Ahead of the program's second round, I was invited to join the national technical assistance team by Steph Bertaina of the EPA and Jason Espie, co-founder of Revive Strategies. I brought experience in outdoor recreation development, equitable access to the outdoors, community engagement, and building partnerships across the national outdoor recreation sector. Since joining the program, I've contributed to both Round 2 and Round 3, working with EPR, P.C., Revive Strategies, and other planning partners to help communities identify opportunities and develop strategies rooted in their unique assets and aspirations.

A significant focus of my early involvement was helping strengthen how equity was incorporated into the program's planning framework. Working alongside fellow consultants and federal partners, I contributed to the design and facilitation of conversations with organizations advancing greater participation in outdoor recreation. The lessons from these discussions informed efforts to refine the national RERC planning toolkit, including community guides, facilitator resources, and self-assessments intended to help communities engage a broader range of residents in planning and decision-making.

My work has also included community planning and workshop facilitation, developing case studies, refining technical assistance resources, and connecting local planning efforts with expertise and resources from the broader outdoor recreation sector. I continue to work with EPR on the program's third round, supporting communities as they explore how outdoor recreation can drive economic opportunity, strengthen connections to place, and improve the lives of residents.