Lawmakers hear push to recognize private landowners and invest in Vermont's outdoor recreation economy

Representatives of Vermont's outdoor businesses, trail stewards and ski areas told the House Commerce & Economic Development Committee on Jan. 17 that the state's outdoor recreation economy generates billions in activity but depends on access to privately owned land and additional state support.

"For the record, I'm Kelly Alt, the executive director of the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance," said Kelly Alt, who briefed the committee on data and the trade group's policy priorities. Alt said U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis figures put Vermont's outdoor-recreation contribution at about $2.1 billion in 2023, equal to roughly 4.8% of the state economy, and identified more than 16,000 workers in the sector.

The industry witnesses urged three broad strategies: (1) targeted state investments to help businesses adapt to climate impacts and innovate, (2) expanded workforce development and career-pathway supports, and (3) measures to secure public access to recreational trails that are predominantly on private land.

Alt told the committee the alliance's surveys and a Move Forward Together Vermont business survey shaped the group's 2025 priorities. She said respondents flagged climate events (58% reported impacts), the need for technical assistance (grants, planning, marketing), and a hiring outlook in which about 65% of firms planned to add one to five employees in the next 12 months.

Small business testimony illustrated the points. Sam Hooper, owner of Vermont Glove, described investing to run a century-old factory on renewable energy and converting a defunct care facility into a 10-unit apartment building for employees and community members. Hooper said energy-efficiency and weatherization work was supported by an Efficiency Vermont/Capstone 3E program and about $150,000 in assistance; he said half the units are income-verified to HUD-level limits.

Trail stewardship organizations urged lawmakers to address a specific vulnerability: most public-access trails in Vermont cross private land and depend on landowner permission. Nick Bennett, executive director of the Vermont Mountain Bike Association and chair of the Vermont Trails and Greenways Council, said roughly three-quarters of Vermont's public-access trails are hosted by private landowners and that landowner withdrawals can sever regional trail networks.

Bennett described a draft bill the committee will consider that would commission a study of incentives and a parallel economic-impact analysis to quantify the value of hosted trails to local economies. The bill also directs the modernization of the state's trail-designation system to ensure standards for trail construction and stewardship.

Abby Long, executive director of Kingdom Trails Association, told the committee Kingdom Trails' privately hosted network of about 100 miles in the Northeast Kingdom generates roughly $100 million in annual direct spending for that region and depends on 106 private landowners. Long recounted a 2019 incident when a landowner closed trails and said the withdrawal had severe consequences for trail continuity and local businesses.

Ski industry testimony underlined the sector's economic scale and workforce needs. Molly Mehar, president of the Vermont Ski Areas Association (Ski Vermont), told lawmakers alpine, cross-country and related snow-sports activities produce substantial direct spending (Mehar cited about $975 million) and employ approximately 13,000 people during the season, with roughly a quarter of those roles year-round. Ski areas described apprenticeship programs (including a three-year, registered tramway/lift-maintenance apprenticeship), partnerships with higher-education programs and reliance in some cases on international seasonal workers.

Business groups including the Vermont Chamber of Commerce and regional chambers echoed calls for workforce, housing and data investments. Amy Spear, president of the Vermont Chamber, and Megan Sullivan, the chamber's vice president for government affairs, emphasized affordability, housing supply and education-finance questions tied to broader economic competitiveness. Austin Davis of the Lake Champlain Chamber reviewed relocation, accelerator and recruitment programs that chambers use to attract and retain workers.

Committee business and next steps: sponsors said they will finalize a draft of the landowner-recognition/study bill with committee counsel and invited stakeholders to testify when it is scheduled. Witnesses also invited members to Outdoor Recreation Day at the Statehouse on Feb. 12 and region-specific events such as Northeast Kingdom Day on Feb. 20.

Why it matters: speakers portrayed outdoor recreation as an established driver of rural and statewide economic activity, while underscoring that increasing visitation, climate effects and deferred maintenance are straining volunteer stewardship groups and private landowners. Multiple presenters told the committee that any state program should first identify incentives and quantify local economic returns before establishing payments or other mechanisms.