The outdoor recreation economy is growing – legislation could stand in the way of welcoming new recreational athletes

When my family and I moved to the United States from India, our immigration route to settling here was, to put it simply, very difficult. As we tried to learn all the customs of our new home, we stumbled upon camping because we believed that it too—like trick-or-treating at Halloween and painting eggs at Easter—was an integral part of American culture. The simple experience of learning new outdoor skills as a family gave us a break from our stressful immigrant lives. At the campsite, I saw my parents laughing and relaxing by the fire instead of rushing between shift work and financial worries; And instead of being full-time, overwhelmed latchkey kids, my sister and I just got to be kids again, exploring a new landscape, and pursuing our curiosity until the sun goes down. These first experiences in the great outdoors of America were very formative for me and allowed my family to find healing and joy in turbulent times.

But nature is much more than my personal antidote; It’s a force for good across the country. Government figures show that outdoor recreation generates $862 billion in economic activity and employs 4.5 million Americans. A new report from the Outdoor Foundation shows that outdoor recreation supports more than 170 million participants in all activities. In recent years, this sector has become even more important to local communities, from supporting public health and well-being to boosting urban and rural economies.

At a time when the outdoor industry should celebrate diverse backgrounds, skills and identities, Congress is considering bills that would impede our industry’s progress toward a more welcoming and equitable nature and could impede the economic growth of this fast-growing industry.

Recent budget legislation passed by the House of Representatives prevents land and water agencies from investing in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) training for their employees and bans non-U.S. flag raising on property. DEIA education offers valuable insights into different perspectives and the history of exclusion in our shared public spaces; This education is a crucial tool to ensure land managers are properly trained so that everyone who walks through their front door or into the great outdoors feels welcome, safe and supported.

Likewise, our public lands must reflect the richness of our society and recognize the contributions of each individual who calls this land home. By allowing flags like the Pride flag to be raised at key historical landmarks, we loudly proclaim that while safe spaces were not always part of American history, our public lands today are a reflection of our nation’s progress and the struggles, triumphs and represents resilience of those who have made tremendous personal sacrifices in the fight for equality and justice.

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It should be a common goal to ensure that all Americans find a sense of belonging in our public lands, especially the agencies that steward public lands, bodies of water, parks and historic sites that serve as the crown jewels of our nation and our values. We hope to work with Congress to ensure that these provisions do not become law and that our efforts instead focus on creating and expanding public spaces where all people feel welcome and valued. Together, let’s build strong support for efforts that invite new visitors to their public lands and waters and build bridges to communities not historically included in outdoor history.

At a very difficult time in my life as an immigrant and family, outdoor recreation served as a crucial therapeutic relief that allowed us to bond and heal. Discovering camping gave me a love of nature and a passion to share its benefits and responsibilities with all Americans. By committed to ensuring inclusivity and accessibility to our public spaces, we will help foster a sense of belonging for everyone who goes outdoors, families like mine and yours.

Ambreen Tariq is Senior Program Director at the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. Ambreen also founded and directs @BrownPeopleCamping, is not a practicing attorney and most recently was the Strategic Communications Specialist for the federal government in Washington, DC Ambreen is the author of Fatima’s Great Outdoors.

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