Outdoor Recreation Summit recap

Pete CodellaArticles

The Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation held its fifth annual Outdoor Recreation Summit Sept. 4-6, 2018, at the Zermatt Resort in Heber Valley. More than 450 attendees gathered for educational workshops and to discuss growth in the outdoor industry, including the balance between preservation and business.

A highlight of the event was the many service projects and volunteer hours given to help protect and preserve Utah’s great outdoors. Projects included tree planting and trail enhancement at Huber Grove Trail and bike track improvements at Wasatch Mountain State Park.

Speakers included Gov. Gary. R Herbert, Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, Rick May, U.S. Department of Interior, author Florence Williams, Tom Adams, director of the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation and many more. Speakers touched on Utah’s growing economy and how outdoor recreation plays a large part in the state’s growth. Attendees were reminded about the impact outdoor recreation has on our physical and mental health, and how important it is to stay active and be outside, especially for the younger generation.

GOED and the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation thank all the Summit participants including speakers, attendees and sponsors. The Summit would not be possible without you. If you didn’t have a chance to attend the Utah Outdoor Recreation Summit this year, be sure to watch for information about the 2019 Summit. We hope to see you there.