BTN’s Executive Director Kristi Drake was recently invited to be a panelist for, and to attend, The Business of Outdoor Recreation Summit.  She was asked to provide her knowledge of communicating the economic value of trails to elected officials.

Nearly 250 participants from industry, community, and conservation are expected to attend this summit, along with those able to participate through live stream of sessions. A diverse collaborative of organizations, groups, businesses, community members and leaders will come together to network, share information, educate, and empower each other to grow and enhance our community experience and businesses with tangible data, access to resources, and strategies for engagement.

Outdoor Recreation is an economic driver and integral to the economic diversity and wellbeing of communities, in the State of Montana and greater transboundary Crown of the Continent region, including Alberta and British Columbia. Knowing now that outdoor recreation is 2.2% of US GDP and is growing rapidly, it is important that we take an in-depth look maximizing this segment of our economies potential while addressing population growth and user pressure. Outdoor recreation, especially on our public lands, is the foundation of our lifestyle, offering opportunity for quality of life that is unsurpassed, thus making our communities attractive places to live, do business, and visit.