Pennsylvania Hires First Outdoor Recreation Director

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has hired a former Penn State assistant professor with recreation and tourism expertise as its first-ever director of outdoor recreation with the goal of assessing needs and drawing in more diverse park and forest users.

Nathan Reigner, who holds a doctorate in natural resources, assumed the job recently with a $109,380 yearly salary.

Cindy Adams Dunn, secretary of the DCNR, said during a meeting Wednesday of an advisory council that the pandemic helped reveal the need for a leader to focus on outdoor activities “from a 10,000-foot view.”

Millions of Pennsylvanians, and out-of-state visitors, fled to the outdoors during COVID-driven lockdowns. State parks and forests saw record numbers of visitors for hiking, biking, camping, fishing, and other activities.

“We concluded that we need a director of outdoor recreation,” Dunn said, “so we’ve hired an incredible asset for outdoor recreation in Pennsylvania. ... He is a leader in outdoor recreation in the state, nationally, and internationally.”

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Reigner said the benefits to the state come from dollars spent for services like outdoor guides and outfitters, equipment manufacturers, retailers, and connected tourism and travel. He said businesses use their proximity to outdoor areas to lure workers freed from offices because of the pandemic. Those jobs no longer have to be clustered around cities.

“People want to move places where recreation is accessible, where recreation is diverse, where recreation is high quality,” he said. “I think outdoor recreation opportunities, in their ability to attract both residents and visitors ... can help small communities punch above their weight.”

Read the rest of the article on The Philadelphia Inquirer here.