Oregon OREC Office Releases Report On Improving Outdoor Recreation

States that have Offices of Outdoor Recreation (OREC) and an OREC Director whose job and mission it is to advocate for the outdoor recreation economy provide significant value to the RV industry, as well as the larger outdoor recreation economy. The RV Industry Association has been a leader in the mission to establish OREC offices in all 50 states and to date, 17 such offices or task forces have been created.

“During this public health crisis, we have especially seen the value of having an OREC Director in a state,” said RV Industry Association’s Legislative Analyst Ashley Brinkman. “We have been able to reach out for guidance and assistance that has been extremely helpful in advocating for the RV industry during our nation’s struggles through the COVID-19 pandemic.”

An example of the good work that these OREC offices are doing shines through in a new report from the Oregon OREC Office. This report utilized five strategies and offers 30 recommendations for ways to move the outdoor recreation sector in Oregon forward; coming at an important time as Oregon is one of the fastest growing states and an increasingly popular destination for tourists from around the nation and the world.

Although the report focuses specifically on recommendations for Oregon, the principals can be applied to outdoor recreation needs across the country.

The five strategies that serve as the foundation for the recommendations include:

1. Center efforts on diversity, equity, and inclusion
2. Strengthen collaboration and organizational effectiveness
3. Accelerate investments in the outdoor recreation sector
4. Catalyze innovative policies and legislation
5. Empower local and statewide action.

TOP FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE OREGON OREC REPORT

1. Advance accessibility: From increasing multilingual park signage to infrastructure modifications for those outdoor enthusiasts with physical disabilities, these are actions that will allow more people to better access a state’s impressive natural resources.
2. Address county search and rescue needs: Rescues in Oregon increased by 30 percent in 2018-19, and 98 percent of the time the person needing rescue is from outside the area, strapping rural sheriff’s offices that already have limited resources. So, in addition to legislation to address funding issues, this recommendation includes providing training and classes to the public about preparation for the outdoors to help avoid search and rescue scenarios.
3. Statewide inventory of recreation areas: Conducting a cohesive inventory of every viable public space available for outdoor recreation is needed as much of this data currently exists within separate agencies or from private entities. This would allow for the creation of a statewide recreation map for visitors. For Oregon this would mean showing the more than 7,000 recreation sites across the state with up-to-date information on a park or location’s status. A model that could be replicated in other states.
4. Reassess recreational immunity and liability provisions: Many public lands out west are only accessible with the cooperation of private landowners living next door who allow visitors to traverse their property to get to those great recreation spots to hike, climb, hunt, fish, etc. Recreational immunity shields landowners from being sued if you get injured while taking part in outdoor recreation on their property, which is an often-necessary incentive for their cooperation. That partnership has been challenged in Oregon in recent years, so work is needed to provide more certainty to businesses, private landowners, land managers, and the public on this issue.
5. Appoint a stakeholder group to advise the Office of Outdoor Recreation: Create a group of government officials, community groups, and business leaders to support coordination, provide guidance on priorities, serve as ambassadors, and minimize duplication among various statewide outdoor recreation efforts.

The RV Industry Association applauds the continued efforts of the state of Oregon, led by OREC Director Cailin O’Brien-Feeney, to improve outdoor recreation and look forward to the execution of the goals outlined in this report. This report is just another reason why it is imperative that the Oregon OREC Office continues to be funded.