Whitefish will host session on $7.1 billion industry

It’s no secret that outdoors recreation in Montana is big business. Gov. Steve Bullock wants to see the growth continue.

The state’s outdoor recreation economy generates more than $7.1 billion in annual consumer spending and employs more than 71,000 people each year, making it the second largest sector of the state’s economy, according to the Montana Department of Labor & Industry.

In response to those statistics, the Montana Office of Outdoor Recreation will host the Business of Outdoor Recreation Summit Dec. 4-5 at Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish. Summit organizers want to bring together leaders, community members, recreation and conservation groups from Montana and the Greater Crown of the Continent, including Alberta and British Columbia, to provide a platform to discuss promoting and strengthening outdoor recreation and the economic activity it supports.

“Outdoor recreation, especially on our public lands, is central to Montana’s economy and Montanans’ way of life,” Bullock said. “We’ll be bringing folks together from all across the state to identify opportunities to further invest in our outdoors in order to keep our economy thriving and keep Montana the best place to live, work, play and raise a family.”

Bullock created the Montana Office of Outdoor Recreation in 2017 to capitalize on and grow the outdoor recreation economy in Montana.

Also, the Business of Outdoor Recreation Summit is incorporating a competitive funding award program supporting Montana organizations with on-the-ground conservation and recreation projects. Six finalists will be selected and spotlighted at the summit, where attendees will vote on two winning projects. Each winning organization will walk away with $5,000 to support its important work.

Eligible nonprofit organizations can apply by submitting a PDF-formatted application, not to exceed two pages, to info@crownofthecontinent.net with MTOOR SUMMIT AWARD-Project Name in subject line. The deadline is 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8.

Applications must include a one-page letter of interest including the organization’s contact information, website, mission statement and short description of on-the-ground conservation or recreation project, a brief project budget narrative describing how the funds will be spent, and for those selected as a finalist, the person from the organization that can attend and present at the Summit Dec. 4-5.

The Summit panels, workshops and keynotes will cover:

- Turning community vision into community planning;

- Balancing infrastructure growth with sustainable long-term management and funding;

- Project planning across multiple landowners and land managers.

It also aims to communicate outdoor recreation and conservation needs to local, state and federal elected officials as well as funding long-term operations and maintenance.

Other goals are developing the economic value of open spaces and outdoor recreation, helping communities in transition create a vision and action plan for sustainable expansion of their tourism economy and integrating sustainable practices into business plans.

The summit, which is being sponsored by REI Co-op and many other businesses and organizations, begins with a kickoff celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and National Trails Systems.

Registration for the summit is open until Nov. 30. The registration fee is $125.

The summit will wrap up at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5, at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center for a fireside chat, film festival and launch of National Parks Conservation Association’s centennial. It is open to the public. About 200 tickets, $10 each, are available for purchase beginning Nov. 1 at select Flathead Valley-based retailers.

The fireside chat will feature Patagonia’s Lisa Pike and a broad selection of films celebrating recreation, conservation and community. Tickets will be available Nov. 1.

“The Summit will unite our collective vision for conservation and outdoor recreation in the region,” said Alan Myers-Davis, director of development for Whitefish Legacy Partners. “Sharing strategies to develop, fund and maintain on-the-ground projects is invaluable to our quality of life and economic resilience.”

Sheena Pate, project coordinator of the Crown of the Continent Geotourism Council, said “the impact of outdoor recreation on the economy and well-being of communities in Montana and the Greater Crown of the Continent, including British Columbia and Alberta, is undeniable.

“Not only is it consistently the top reason people choose to live and visit, but it has become a powerful tool in industry and employee recruitment and retention,” she said. We’re bringing together diverse stakeholders to ensure the value of one of our leading economic drivers is understood, supported and planned for, not just for the industry’s sake, but because we are all inherently tied to the health of the landscape.”

For more information, go to http://business.mt.gov/Office-of-Outdoor-Recreation.

Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.