Jessica Wahl Turner - Outdoor Recreation & Rural Economies

Episode • Oct 13, 2020 • 1h 6m

Jessica Wahl Turner is the Executive Director of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR), America's leading coalition of outdoor recreation trade associations and organizations. Currently, the ORR is comprised of 31 national association members that serve more than 100,000 outdoor-related businesses, which is an amazing feat considering that the organization is less than three years old. Jessica and her team bring together all sectors of the outdoor economy to harness the industry's collective power and advance issues related to conservation, outdoor access, public lands infrastructure, and much more. Whether she's in the halls of Congress or the wide-open spaces of the American West, Jessica is a devoted, effective advocate for the outdoor industry.

This conversation is part of the Montana Governor's Office of Outdoor Recreation's "Business of Outdoor Recreation Summit"—a gathering of some of the most notable names in the outdoor recreation sector. Because of COVID, this year's summit has gone virtual, but the need for collaboration and idea-sharing among industry experts has never been greater. The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable is a case study in focusing on common goals, putting aside petty differences, and overcoming challenges with new and innovative approaches. So I was thrilled to get a chance to learn exactly how Jessica has gone about leading her organization during these changing times.

Jessica and I connected on Zoom and had a fun, educational, and wide-ranging conversation about all aspects of the outdoor economy. We started by chatting about the history of ORR and precisely what the organization does. We also discussed the Great American Outdoors Act and how this landmark legislation will positively affect the outdoor industry. We talked about COVID's effect on the outdoor economy and how ORR is working to support outdoor businesses during these unprecedented times. We also talked about how the outdoor economy contributes to rural and urban areas and how all aspects of the outdoor economy are interconnected. We also spend some time talking about Jessica's educational and professional backgrounds, and what makes her so uniquely qualified for her current role. And as usual, we discuss favorite books, favorite outdoor adventures, and she offers some wise parting words.

This was a wonderful conversation, and I hope you enjoy. Be sure to check out the "Business of Outdoor Recreation Summit" webpage, as there are many resources, films, and other podcasts that you will find enjoyable and educational. Links to everything are in the episode notes.

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TOPICS DISCUSSED:

3:30 - Outdoor Recreation Roundtable explained
8:00 - Focusing on the commonalities in the outdoor industry
12:00 - Impact of the Great American Outdoors Act
17:30 - How the upcoming election could affect the recreation economy
22:00 - The national interconnectedness of the outdoor economy
26:45 - How COVID has affected the outdoor recreation economy
32:00 - Balancing conservation and increased outdoor activities
36:30 - Future goals and measures of success for the roundtable
40:30 - Jessica’s education and early career
44:15 - Lessoned learned from the Outdoor Industry Association
48:45 - Advice to aspiring industry advocates/lobbyists
53:15 - Heroes and mentors
58:00 - Favorite books
1:01:30 - Favorite place in the outdoors
1:03:00 - Jessica’s parting words of wisdom

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ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE:

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