Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) and the American Sportsfishing Association (ASA)teamed up with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) last week to send a unified message to the president and Congress that federal investment in public lands that support hiking, hunting, riding, fishing, skiing and any number of other recreational activities contribute significantly to America’s economy.


In a joint advertisement placed in Politico, OIA, TRCP, and ASA – collectively representing millions of active, outdoor recreationists, hunters, anglers, and the businesses that support them – highlight a letter sent to President Obama by more than a 100 leading economists and academics who unanimously agree that “federal protected public lands are essential to the [American] West’s economic future.”


Outdoor recreation encompasses a wide swath of users and businesses, activities and priorities, politics and agendas. But whether you’re in the Vail Recreation Area cross-country skiing, sportfishing for salmon off the Oregon coast, or stalking white tails in Idaho, protection of and access to America’s public lands and waters are common denominators.


Outdoor recreation is a powerful economic driver and, as the letter to President Obama indicates, jobs will continue to be created and businesses supported “by investing in our public lands infrastructure and establishing new protected areas such as parks, wilderness, and monuments.”