Nemo Hosts New Hampshire Outdoor Recreation Economy Roundtable With Congressman Pappas

NEMO, the award-winning, independent designer of outdoor gear and accessories built to improve the adventure experience, hosted a New Hampshire Outdoor Recreation Economy Roundtable at its Dover, NH headquarters with Congressman Pappas and key members connected to New Hampshire’s growing outdoor recreation economy. NEMO also announced a new collaboration with the University of New Hampshire, Granite Outdoor Alliance, and New Hampshire Office of Recreation Industry Development to sponsor an Outdoor Recreation Public Policy Fellow.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the outdoor recreation economy generates $862 billion annually, accounts for 1.9% of U.S. GDP, and creates 4.5 million American jobs. In 2021, outdoor recreation had a higher economic output than oil and gas, mining, or agriculture. In New Hampshire, outdoor recreation drives $2.7 billion in annual GDP, and supports 28,000 jobs.

“The outdoor industry is a vital economic engine in this country,” said Cam Brensinger, CEO and Founder of NEMO. “We wanted to host this roundtable to highlight the importance of outdoor recreation in New Hampshire.”

NEMO invited key players from the state for a tour of its headquarters, followed by a roundtable with Congressman Chris Pappas. Attendees included Janel Lawton, Director of the New Hampshire Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry Development; Tyler Ray, Founder and Outdoor Director of Granite Outdoor Alliance; Jayson Seaman, Chair of the University of New Hampshire Department of Recreation Management and Policy; Jada Lindblom, Community and Economic Development Field Specialist for UNH Cooperative Extension; and Jessyca Keeler, President of Ski NH.

During the roundtable, NEMO shared its priorities from the Outdoor Industry Association’s 2023 Policy Agenda, including:

• Passing America’s Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA), which invests in recreation and green infrastructure to enhance access to public lands
• Establishing a Federal Office of Outdoor Recreation
• Modernizing the Farm Bill to support outdoor recreation through updates to the Rural Development, Conservation, and Forestry Titles
• Supporting the expansion of state-based outdoor equity funds to improve public lands access for all Americans

“NEMO has invested heavily in our own sustainability efforts, but we need to collaborate with our industry partners and elected officials to enact lasting change,” said Theresa McKenney, Director of Sustainability at NEMO.

“New Hampshire’s outdoor recreation industry is a critical part of our state’s economy, generating billions in revenue and employing tens of thousands of Granite Staters,” said Congressman Pappas. “I was pleased to be able to visit NEMO Equipment to learn more about their operation and join business leaders and stakeholders to discuss how we can continue supporting New Hampshire’s outdoor economy. I remain committed to protecting New Hampshire’s natural environment and bringing the voices of our small business community to Washington.”

Along with reviewing their priorities, NEMO also shared details of the newly founded New Hampshire Outdoor Recreation Public Policy Fellowship. The graduate student Fellow will provide policy project support to elevate the outdoor economy in New Hampshire.

“It’s challenging to navigate the outdoor economy’s changing policy landscape while simultaneously trying to bring actionable ideas to the local level,” said Shannon Rogers, UNH Cooperative Extension. “We’re thrilled to have this fellowship focused on policy and grateful for this partnership among the University, State, and a socially minded New Hampshire business.” Jayson Seaman from UNH added, “The fellowship will help expand our capacity for tracking emerging funding opportunities at the federal and regional levels, which is essential for making research-informed development decisions.”

“As New Hampshire’s statewide outdoor business alliance, it’s critical to have brands like NEMO champion a sustainable and responsible outdoor economy because it directly impacts our own backyard,” said Tyler Ray, Granite Outdoor Alliance. “We’re thrilled to work with NEMO, ORID, and UNH to support a public policy fellowship dedicated to navigating the economic, environmental, and social landscapes that shape the policies guiding New Hampshire’s outdoor industry. We hope the research will drive actionable steps toward a greater focus on outdoor recreation investments at the local and state level.”

NEMO will partially fund the Fellow with a match from the Carsey School of Public Policy. A Carsey graduate student has accepted the Fellowship position for the ’23-24 academic year.