Outdoor Alliance, outdoor recreation community advocate for adequate public lands funding

Outdoor recreation is growing rapidly on U.S. public lands, and in order to maintain the benefits for local economies, adequate funding from the U.S. Congress is needed. A letter, sent to Congress last week by Outdoor Alliance and more than 70 organizations and businesses that represent the outdoor recreation community, outlines the specific investments needed. Notably, the letter addresses the need to keep pace with the growing demand for outdoor recreation on U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands and to implement the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act.

The letter calls on lawmakers to fully fund USFS and BLM recreation budgets in its Fiscal Year 2027 budget, asking Congress to fund BLM’s Recreation Resources Management program at $100 million and the USFS Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness at $70 million, with a commensurate increase to National Forest system salaries and expenses.

Outdoor recreation as a whole contributed $1.3 trillion in economic output and more than 5.2 million jobs, comprising 2.4% of U.S. Gross Domestic Product in 2024 (Outdoor Recreation Roundtable). The letter points out that deeper investments from Congress will help unlock more of these economic benefits, particularly for local communities in the vicinity of public lands. It also addresses the extensive staff losses that these agencies have faced over the past year, including the current federal hiring freeze preventing the ability to fill much-needed vacant positions.

The letter also highlights the need to ensure effective and efficient implementation of the EXPLORE Act, which was passed in December 2024. As the first comprehensive update to federal recreation policy in decades, EXPLORE will improve outdoor access for veterans and service members, support public lands gateway communities, expand public/private partnerships for recreation infrastructure, create long-distance bike trails, simplify outdoor permitting, and more.

“People are getting outside in record numbers, but the agencies that steward these places haven’t been given the resources to keep up. Investing in outdoor recreation is about taking care of the trails, rivers, and climbing areas people rely on—and making sure these experiences remain accessible,” said Jamie Ervin, Senior Policy Manager at Outdoor Alliance.

“We’ve seen what happens when public lands and waters don’t have the funding and staffing they need: it has a direct impact on our ability to teach people how to get outdoors safely and sustainably. Mountaineers’ programs and courses depend on agency staff to steward landscapes, maintain trails and campgrounds, and issue recreational permits. We urge Congress to properly fund our public lands, including implementation of the EXPLORE Act to improve outdoor access and streamline recreational permitting,” said Betsy Robblee, Conservation & Advocacy Director at the Mountaineers.

“Outdoor businesses depend on well-managed public lands. When Congress invests in recreation infrastructure and staffing, it supports not just outdoor experiences, but also the entire outdoor economy,” said Annie Nyborg, Head of Environmental and Social Impact at Peak Design.

Along with Outdoor Alliance, more than 70 other organizations and businesses are calling on lawmakers to fully fund recreation.

Outdoor Alliance is the only organization in the U.S. that unites the voices of outdoor enthusiasts to conserve public lands. A nonprofit coalition comprised of 10 national advocacy organizations, Outdoor Alliance’s members include American Whitewater, the American Canoe Association, Access Fund, International Mountain Bicycling Association, Winter Wildlands Alliance, the Mountaineers, the American Alpine Club, the Colorado Mountain Club, and the Surfrider Foundation. By working with its member coalitions and helping mobilize the involvement of individuals to protect public lands and waters, Outdoor Alliance helps ensure public lands are managed in a way that embraces the human-powered experience. Outdoor Alliance — conservation powered by outdoor recreation

To learn more, please visit www.outdooralliance.org.