Helping Communities Tell Their Outdoor Recreation Economic Story: Wisconsin’s DIY Economic Impact Program

Webinar Outline

Outdoorists are spending big money in communities where they recreate. The Wisconsin Office of Outdoor Recreation is in the second year of its Do-It-Yourself Economic Impact Program, supporting teams in calculating the important value of outdoor recreation in their community to finally put a number behind those muddy boots, bikes on car racks, and ATV/UTV trailers coming into town. Learn how the Office and The Harbinger Consultancy developed a written guide and implemented a program that equips communities and organizations to collect and analyze data necessary to calculate the economic impact. Webinar attendees will also learn how Wisconsin’s participating teams uncovered millions in local economic activity and are using their findings to promote their destination, leveraging the value of Wisconsin’s record-breaking tourism and outdoor recreation industries.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn how the Wisconsin Office of Outdoor Recreation and the Harbinger Consultancy utilize a DIY approach to understand the economic value of outdoor recreation infrastructure.
• Hear how trail managers, including motorized and nonmotorized, are using this DIY approach to calculate economic impact and leverage future investment.
• Learn why economic impact data is important and how to use it to tell a compelling story about the value outdoor recreation brings to your community.
• Gain a broad understanding of what types of data and resources are necessary to calculate economic impact.

Trail Competencies

• Program Administration
• • Communications
• • Education and Public Outreach
• • Partnership and Collaboration

Relevant Trail Types

General. All trail types are relevant.