Massachusetts recently became number 18 of the U.S. States to establish an Office of Outdoor Recreation. This was praised by the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) as it should further our country's ability to support the outdoor recreation industry.

 
The Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor, Karyn Polito, has welcomed a number of recreation and conservation advocates to celebrate the added office, that will become part of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The reasoning behind the creation of this office is similar to the reasons 17 other states have created similar offices: support for a multi-billion-dollar industry.

According to the ORR and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, outdoor recreation brings in over $800 billion a year across the United States. This means that 1.8 percent of the American economy can be attributed to outdoor recreation and the industry supports over 4 million jobs.

"The creation of the Office of Outdoor Recreation is a huge step forward for Massachusetts, a state that offers a wide diversity of outstanding recreation opportunities," said Jessica Turner, President at the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. "Outdoor recreation in Massachusetts grew 24% in the past year, helping create jobs, supporting rural communities, and promoting conservation of the Commonwealth's natural resources. We thank the Commonwealth of Massachusetts - including Governor Baker, Lieutenant Governor Polito, and Secretary Card - for their leadership in recognizing outdoor recreation's importance and look forward to working with them to make sure residents and visitors alike benefit from access to outdoor recreation for generations to come."

https://recreationroundtable.org/massachusetts-orec/