Gov. Reynolds releases final report from Iowa Outdoor Recreation Task Force

“Iowa has tremendous outdoor recreation assets, and we have an opportunity to put them to work in even bigger ways for our communities, businesses and families,” Gov. Reynolds said. “The task force looked beyond recreation alone and identified ways these assets can support economic development, tourism, workforce attraction and quality of life. The recommendations give the new Office of Outdoor Recreation a practical roadmap for bringing partners together, building on what Iowa already does well and unlocking new opportunities for growth.”

The task force included representatives from Iowa businesses, local government, conservation, parks and recreation, outfitters and outdoor recreation organizations, with staff from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa Economic Development Authority.

The report identifies opportunities to advance Iowa’s outdoor recreation economy and better connect existing assets with tourism and economic development. Among the recommendations, the task force calls for:

• Developing a five-year statewide outdoor recreation plan to establish shared priorities, assess Iowa’s assets and competitive position and provide measurable goals for the Office of Outdoor Recreation.

• Strengthening public-private partnerships and outdoor recreation businesses, including the creation of a statewide business network that can connect manufacturers, retailers, outfitters and other private-sector partners with communities and economic development opportunities.

• Elevating Iowa’s outdoor recreation brand through greater coordination among state agencies and public and private partners, collaborative marketing, and campaigns focused on the outdoor recreation experiences where Iowa can compete most effectively.

• Exploring Iowa-specific opportunities for growth, including the intersection of agritourism and outdoor recreation and a more strategic approach to attracting regional and national outdoor recreation events.

• Connecting outdoor recreation to health, education and workforce development, including resources designed to help communities address barriers to participation and increase access to outdoor recreation experiences for Iowa students.

   

“Iowa already has the landscapes, businesses, communities and people to build a nationally competitive outdoor recreation economy,” Chad Reece, Chair of the Iowa Outdoor Recreation Task Force and Vice President of Government & Industry Relations at Winnebago Industries, said. “Our task was to look at how we can better connect those strengths and turn them into greater opportunities for Iowa. These recommendations recognize that success will require collaboration across the public, private and nonprofit sectors, and they give the Office of Outdoor Recreation a strong foundation for moving that work forward.”

Nationally, outdoor recreation supported more than 5.2 million jobs and generated $1.3 trillion in gross domestic output in 2024, according to the report. The task force identified an opportunity for Iowa to compete for a greater share of that growing industry by more deliberately connecting outdoor recreation with economic development, tourism and rural communities.

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