Nathan Reigner, Pennsylvania’s first director of outdoor recreation, will be the keynote speaker at an Hourglass Foundation community forum next month about Lancaster County’s outdoor economy and its potential for growth.

“Trailblazers: Unlocking the Potential of Outdoor Recreation” will be held Tuesday, Sept. 10, at the Ware Center, 42 N. Prince St., Lancaster. There will be a reception at 5 p.m., followed by Reigner’s presentation and a panel discussion with local leaders at 6 p.m.

Tickets cost $40. To purchase them, Click here.

Outdoor recreation is receiving new attention as a strategy for economic development, health, quality of life and environmental sustainability. Pennsylvania has the sixth-largest outdoor recreation economy in the U.S., accounting for nearly $17 billion in economic output and more than 160,000 jobs in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

In Lancaster County, businesses and nonprofits seek to promote conservation and recreation in the lower Susquehanna River corridor, the core of the Susquehanna National Heritage Area.

Meanwhile, the City of Lancaster’s new comprehensive plan calls for reimagining the Conestoga River corridor as an outdoor recreation resource and establishing a nature preserve on the Sunnyside Peninsula.

Reigner, a former Penn State professor and recreation consultant, was appointed to his position in state government in 2022. The Office of Outdoor Recreation is part of the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources and is tasked with growing the state’s outdoor sector and ensuring that all Pennsylvania residents have equal opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities.

His work aligns with Pennsylvania’s comprehensive outdoor recreation plan, which includes 20 recommendations in five focus areas: health and wellness, recreation for all, sustainable systems, financing and economic development, and technology.