I love traveling and usually start planning my next trip before the current one ends, but I knew that spending three out of four weeks away from my family and home would be tough. And it was—especially since I didn’t feel well on two of those trips, and the third involved a serious family distraction (thankfully, all is well now). Still, the traveling was worth it to meet so many people who are passionate about creating memorable outdoor experiences and working together to ensure these resources are sustainably managed. It was also exciting to introduce new people to the Society of Outdoor Recreation Professions (SORP) and brainstorm ways to elevate our work as a profession.
Trip 1: World Trails Conference, Ottawa, ON
Ottawa is an interesting juxtaposition of 1800s Gothic Revival architecture (think Hogwarts-style government buildings), 1960s brutalist buildings (think monolithic with a rigid geometric style and large-scale use of poured concrete), and modern glass towers all mixed in with charming English cottages and craftsman-style homes. As Canada’s capital, it embraces its contrasts including in its parks and trails.
The National Capital Commission (NCC) is a government agency that plans and stewards monuments, parks, and public spaces in and around Ottawa. The 2024 World Trails Conference started with field visits and I joined trail builders, planners and volunteers from across the globe on a hike at Gatineau Park, the National Capital Region’s conservation park. Gatineau Park is the largest green space in the region and the second most visited park in Canada. Like many parks and outdoor recreation spaces, Gatineau Park is challenged with balancing conservation and public access. NCC staff focus on education, stewardship, and restoration. They work with volunteers and trail contractors to prioritize trail maintenance and reconstruction.
The juxtaposition continues in the park with residential homes in or near the park’s boundary and remnants of the industrial era nearly hidden in the park’s natural setting. We visited the Carbide Wilson ruins that sit on the edge of a waterfall. Inventor Thomas “Carbide” Wilson built a fertilizer plan on his land near Meech Lake but the plant never operated. The ruins tell the story of an era when industry and progress dominated the landscape while today visitation and recreation are most visible.
The 2024 World Trails Conference was hosted by the World Trails Network and Trans Canada Trail. Each day started with a keynote panel focused on one of three tracks: Climate and Nature, Regenerative Tourism, and Resilient Trails Sector. Breakout sessions were curated around each day’s theme. I was struck with the similarity in issues regardless of location - New Zealand to Norway, Canada to Kenya. I was also impressed by the passion and commitment that trail champions bring to their work. I heard from volunteers who devote their free time to trail maintenance, nonprofit staff who manage long-distance trails, and agency employees who are committed to making sure trails are part of their community’s identity. I also had great conversations with Canadians who want to connect with other outdoor recreation professionals and see an opportunity for SORP to be more present up North. If you know someone in Canada who could benefit from being a part of the SORP community, send them my way!
Trip 2: Basecamp Conference and Workshop, Moab, UT
Moab is one of the most iconic outdoor recreation destinations in the United States. It’s not hard to see why: hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands for almost any outdoor recreation activity imaginable in a high desert setting of towering sandstone cliffs, arches, spires, and canyons. With this draw comes recreation management challenges as well as impacts to a small town of just over 5,000 when more than 3 million people visit each year.
Moab was an obvious choice for the second Basecamp Conference and Workshop hosted by Utah State University’s Institute for Recreation and Tourism. Former SORP board member Dr. Jordan Smith directs the Institute which focuses on research, management, and collaboration to address the challenges and opportunities facing recreation-dependent communities in the Western United States. Basecamp is a regional gathering to share new insights into how to improve outdoor recreation opportunities and protect the communities that enable them. The conference included two separate tracks - outdoor recreation and gateway communities - and a workshop day that brought all participants together.
The outdoor recreation track began with an inspiring keynote from long-time public lands advocate - and former federal employee - Bob Ratcliffe. Bob provided a brief history of recreation management and a challenge for the future: recreation managers must ensure these places are accessible and relevant and well-managed using modern approaches focused on partnerships and collaboration. Breakout sessions featured topics relevant to recreation management: estimating visitation, understanding and monitoring impacts, educating visitors, planning frameworks, community engagement, and data collection and analysis. Several emerging ideas and approaches were presented including using a socio-ecological systems approach for managing recreation, managed access, and managing for visitor experiences.
All of the topics speak to the importance of proactive and sustainable recreation planning and visitor use management (VUM). Given this, SORP hosted a VUM workshop that used the concepts presented in the Wednesday morning Conflict Competence Workshop to foster a discussion among participants about ways to effectively engage multiple perspectives in developing desired conditions. Dr. Lee Cerveny (USFS) and I did a brief presentation about VUM and the VUM Framework while Amy Tendick (NPS) presented a case study for developing desired conditions in Arches National Park and for the river corridors in Canyonlands National Park.
Approximately 40 participants then spent time in breakout group discussions using conflict competence concepts such as interests vs. positions and reframing to better understand diverse perspectives around desired conditions. Key takeaways from the breakout groups included:
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Use innovative engagement strategies to hear different voices
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Identify stakeholders based on interests
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Find shared interests using inquiry
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Agencies need to be clear on sideboards and decision space
Three hours was definitely not enough time to talk about visitor use management, desired conditions, and how to more effectively understand different perspectives! I hope anyone who wants to do a deeper dive on these topics can join us June 2-5 in Vancouver, WA, for the Visitor Use Management Training and Symposium where we’ll explore foundational concepts for VUM as well as how we need to evolve recreation planning to be more equitable and inclusive particularly in regards to tribal engagement and treaty rights.
Trip 3: SORP Board Retreat and Great Lakes Outdoor Summit, Duluth, MN
The moment I arrived in Duluth, it was obvious that this city is an Outdoor Recreation Destination. But that hasn’t always been the case. Duluth is the westernmost shipping port on the Great Lakes and has a long industrial history from transportation and mining that continues to be an important part of the region’s identity. However, this history left a lot of scars on the landscape and polluted the waters of Lake Superior and particularly the Saint Louis River estuary to a point it was unsafe for human and non-human species. The area also has a rich indigenous culture anchored by the Fond du Lac band of Ojibwe. In 2024, outdoor recreation on the lands and waters around Duluth are the result of decades of work by the tribe, citizens, and conservation groups to remediate and restore sites impacted by the early to mid-20th century industrial boom.
I knew this place was special before we chose it as the location for the 2026 National Outdoor Recreation Conference. And what makes it so special in the outdoor community that has come together to promote, protect, and provide year-round recreation opportunities.
We held the board retreat in Duluth so SORP leadership could better understand the importance of this place for hosting a conference for our outdoor recreation professional community that highlights an integrated approach to inland coastal management. How the outdoor recreation community in Duluth and the Great Lakes region are responding to challenges such as extreme weather events and years with little to no snow (in an area known for very cold winters) will be key themes for the 2026 NORC.
These and other themes were showcased at the 2024 Great Lakes Outdoor Summit which brought together over 300 outdoor recreation businesses, nonprofits, volunteers, land managers, and interred community members from around the region. The Summit started off with an inspiring keynote from Connor Ryan who is an indigenous activist and professional skier. Connor talked about how he found shared purpose in these two worlds that had previously felt at odds with each other and how anyone - indigenous or not - can honor and connect with place while they are recreating. I encourage you to follow Connor on Instagram @sacredstoke and check out his films!
The rest of the Summit featured breakout sessions, including one featuring myself and SORP board members Dr. Micheal Bradley and Lisa Luokkala (a Duluthian). We got to share our enthusiasm for being a part of professional associations such as SORP. At the end of the Summit, we announced that the Great Lakes Outdoor Summit will partner with SORP for the 2026 National Outdoor Recreation Conference. I couldn’t be more excited to be joining together with such a great group of folks and they are excited to host a well-known event in their community! Conference planning will start in early 2025 so reach out to me if you want to join the planning team.
What’s Next?
Staying at home for a while for sure! Except I already have a road trip planned with my family over Thanksgiving, this time to another outdoor recreation destination, Bentonville, AR, on the way to see family in Little Rock. I spent my teenage years in Ft. Smith, AR, and there was no indication in the 90s that Bentonville would become the mountain bike capital of the world. For SORP, what’s next is continuing to support outdoor recreation professionals from across the U.S. and Canada.
After three weeks of travel, I am inspired by the passion, commitment and adaptability of our community. People want to learn and share so they can make sure all people can get outside and use relevant data and tools to do their best work. They want to be inspired by connecting with others. And I am honored to lead an organization that values the people who plan, manage, and provide outdoor recreation as a public service.