[OMS_MANAGERS] EPA - new pilot program to grow recreation economy

[STUART Sheri * OPRD]

FYI - this info is being distributed over the OMS listserv. All responses will be over the listserv.
Recreation Economy for Rural Communities: EPA is now providing technical assistance to rural communities focused on growing the recreation economy. It's a pilot program, based on successful similar programs delivered by EPA over the last few years. The EPA will select 8-10 communities to receive technical assistance that will help small towns capitalize on natural assets. The EPA is particularly interested in applications from communities where working conserved forests are important recreation and tourism resources. Applicants can find materials here.<https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/recreation-economy-rural-communities>  Additionally, community representatives interested in applying for planning assistance can join a webinar presentation and Q&A on Tuesday, May 7, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. EST. To register for the webinar, click here.<https://epawebconferencing.acms.com/ec93eh7zih6m/event/event_info.html> The deadline to apply is May 31st.
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Background
Outdoor activities are increasingly popular across the United States. Communities can take advantage of this trend to revitalize Main Streets. By conserving forests and other natural lands and making them available for outdoor recreation, small towns can boost air quality and water quality and focus development downtown. Promoting outdoor recreation can also create jobs and offer new opportunities for people to connect with the natural world. For more information on the outdoor economy, read the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2016 report Federal Outdoor Recreation Trends: Effects on Economic Opportunities<https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/53247>.
With Recreation Economy for Rural Communities<https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/recreation-economy-rural-communities> assistance, a planning team will help communities bring together local residents and other stakeholders to decide on strategies and an action plan to grow the local outdoor recreation economy. The planning assistance process will take place over a period of four to six months, with a focal point being a two-day, facilitated community workshop. Participants will work together to identify a vision, goals, and specific actions to realize the locally set goals.
Partner communities are encouraged to pursue activities that foster environmentally friendly community development and Main Street revitalization through the conservation and sustainable use of public or private forests or other natural resources. Examples could include:

  *   Ensuring local residents, including young people, have connections and opportunities related to nearby outdoor assets to foster community pride, good stewardship, and local economic benefits.
  *   Developing or expanding trail networks to attract overnight visitors and new businesses and foster use by local residents.
  *   Developing in-town amenities, such as broadband service; housing; or shops, restaurants, or breweries, to serve residents and attract new visitors and residents with an interest in nearby outdoor assets.
  *   Marketing Main Street as a gateway to nearby natural lands to capture and amplify outdoor recreation dollars.
  *   Developing a community consensus on the management of outdoor assets to reduce potential conflicts and ensure sustainable use of resources.

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Eligibility and Special Considerations
Eligible applicants include local governments, Indian tribes, and nonprofit institutions and organizations representing any community in the United States.
Special consideration will be given to communities that are:

  *   Small towns,
  *   Economically disadvantaged, such as those in Opportunity Zones, and/or
  *   In the Northern Border region of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York (see the Northern Border Regional Commission's website<http://www.nbrc.gov/> for a list of counties in this region).

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