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VOREC and FPR describe expanding outdoor-recreation grants, statewide support and business impacts
Summary
Rebecca Washburn presented the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation's recreation and lands administration work, described VOREC's steering committee and summarized recent grant investments, federal funding sources and community projects that support trails, inclusive access and local economies.
Rebecca Washburn, director of lands administration and recreation at the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, told the same committee that the department administers land leases, licenses and conservation programs and plays a long-term role in recreation planning and grants.
Washburn described the department's role as a landowner and administrator: boundary management, leases (including maple-sugaring licenses), long-range management planning and conservation easement monitoring. She noted Vermont is nationally recognized for administering Forest Legacy funds and cited example public acquisitions such as Molly's Falls Pond State Park and Green River Reservoir.
On recreation, Washburn described the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC), established by the governor in 2017, and the group's steering committee of public and private partners. She said VOREC and the department provide grant support, data and technical assistance to communities and local trail groups, and fund statewide services such as Trailfinder, a nonprofit trail-mapping service.
Washburn outlined the department's grant programs: annual Land and Water Conservation Fund grants (federally funded through offshore lease receipts), the Recreation Trails Program (a Federal Highway Administration program), and a state-funded Recreation Grants program launched in 2019. The department has added project-development and equity-focused tracks and, following flood events, a flood-recovery track to allow retroactive financing of emergency repairs and resilient redesigns.
Washburn highlighted recent outcomes: about $6.5 million in grants made from one-time allocations two years ago; distribution of grants across the state; and projects such as fully accessible playgrounds and visitor-center materials to promote local recreation economies. She noted the department is using mapping tools to spot grant gaps and perform targeted outreach.
Washburn said VOREC's steering committee includes state agencies and private-sector partners and named several representatives serving on the panel. She described partnerships that helped move businesses to Vermont (for example, a bike company locating to Waterbury) and cited adaptive-recreation impacts that have led some people to relocate for access to outdoor activities.
On implementation, Washburn said the department is launching an implementation phase of its Move Forward Together Vermont plan and planned a press event for Outdoor Recreation Day on Feb. 12. She also noted the department provides grant funding to a wide set of partners including VAST and VASA (motorized trail organizations) and nonprofit trail maintenance groups; the department has prioritized equity, climate resilience and stewardship in its grant work.
Committee members asked about data on economic impact, program distribution and the department's ability to support underserved communities; Washburn said the department is collecting data, using mapping tools and conducting outreach to fill gaps and has pilot projects and communications work underway.
No legislative action or vote occurred during the presentation; Washburn offered to return with additional detail on economic valuation and implementation as requested.
