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, 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.
Photos courtesy of Jessica Wahl Turner
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EPISODE NOTES
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
Information Referenced:
- Montana Governor’s Office of Outdoor Recreation
- Business of Outdoor Recreation Summit
- Jessica Wahl Turner on LinkedIn
- Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR)
- Outdoor Industry Association (OIA)
- Patagonia
- Harley Davidson
- Great American Outdoors Act
- Land and Water Conservation Fund
- Leave No Trace
- US Department of Interior (DOI)
- US Forest Service (USFS)
- Ken Salazar
- Sally Jewell
- Anne Krcik
- The North Face
- Camber Outdoors
- New York Times
- Young Men and Fire by Norman Maclean
- Bowling Alone by Robert B Putnam
- Tribe by Sebastian Junger
- Adirondacks Park
- Adirondack 46er
- Colorado’s 14ers
- Dare to Prepare by Ronald Shapiro
Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these as well:
- Rachel VandeVoort – Harnessing the Power of Outdoor Recreation
- Gabe Vasquez – Advocate for Equity in the Outdoors
- Hal Herring – A Man of Words & Wild Places
- Chris Burkard – The Art of Suffering
- Heather Hansman – Demystifying Water in the West
- Sara Dant – A Deep Dive Into the History of the West
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