This is an exert from an article posted by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation about the new Outdoor Business Alliance. PRVCA Executive Director Heather Leach will serve on the advisory board.

Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation economy is on the rise — and thanks to bold leadership, strategic investment, and collaboration across sectors, a new Outdoor Business Alliance of Pennsylvania is poised to deliver real results for small businesses, workers, and communities across the Commonwealth.

Governor Josh Shapiro recently laid out concrete steps to grow the outdoor recreation economy to support the state’s $19 billion outdoor industry, which now boosts more than 168,000 jobs statewide. His message was clear: outdoor recreation is not just a lifestyle in Pennsylvania — it’s an economic engine.

Speaking at REI ’s Mechanicsburg store, named “Best in the Nation” in 2024, Governor Shapiro outlined next steps for outdoor economic growth. He was joined by Pennsylvania Outdoor Recreation Director Nathan Reigner, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn, REI President and CEO Mary Beth Laughton, President and CEO Brett Randall of Pennsylvania-based manufacturer Aliner, and Silas Chamberlin Interim Executive Director of the Outdoor Business Alliance of Pennsylvania.