Welcome to Our Virtual Issue Preview

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January 29, 2026

4:00 - 5:00 pm

Agenda

• Welcome & Intro - Jill Sudhoff-Guerin, Maidstone PR
• MFTV - Jackie Dagger, VOREC
• 4 Big Themes
• Stable, consistent funding for outdoor recreation - Ray Coffey, VRPA Board
• Workforce development programs - Kelly Ault, VOBA
• Efficient and effective regulation - Molly Mahar, Ski VT
• Smart land use - Nick Bennette, VTGC
• Prep for ORD
• Advocacy Tips & Contacting Your Lawmakers - Jill
• Schedule & Wayfinding Support - Cate Starmer, VOBA
• Q&A

Move Forward Together Vermont

A Vision for our outdoor recreation Future

People. Place. Commerce.

bit.ly/MoveTogetherVT

https://fpr.vermont.gov/VOREC

Stable, Consistent Funding for Outdoor Recreation

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Proposal: VOREC Community Grant Program

Support $500,000 for the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC) Community Grant Program in FY27

• Proposed in the Governor’s Recommend within Dept of Forest, Parks and Recreation for one time General Fund dollars
• Grants strengthen communities, grow local economies, and inspire stewardship of natural resources

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Talking Point: Strong return on investment from $11.2 million in 84 grants to businesses, organizations, and municipalities across all 14 counties since 2019

• Increased demand evident in the 2024 grant round:
• 51 projects were awarded $6.3 million out of 127 applications with requests totaling $21 m.
• Average grant of $134,000 leveraged additional funding

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Stories

• GMHA Flood Mitigation Plan (2023)
• Milton Outdoor Equity Project (2023)
• Mad River Valley Recreation Hub (2022)

US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2023

Workforce Development / Training Programs

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Talking Points: CTE is a critical pathway connecting education to employment, furthering education or entering service while addressing existing workforce shortages, skills gaps, and declining postsecondary enrollment. CTE offers a valuable option that supports Vermont student success and helps employers.

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Proposal: S.313 - An act relating to transforming Vermont’s career technical education system; Senate Committee on Education

Talking Points: Investment in climate-resilient jobs, skills and career pathways enables Vermont's outdoor sector to attract job seekers, support the skills and leadership of the current workforce, leading to the stability of sector & communities.

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Proposal: Climate Outdoor Workforce Initiative (COWI), Vermont Resilience Implementation Strategy, Economic and Environmental Sustainability; Partnership w/ VOBA, Climate Action Office, Department of Labor, Office of Workforce Strategy and Development, VOREC

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Stories

• Lyndon Institute (Outdoor Rec and Env. Sustainability)
• VOBA Resilient Outdoor Assessment and Management (Lamoille Valley Bike Tours, Woodstock Inn Outdoor Center, The Boot Pro Ski & Bike)
• Vermont Climate Outdoor Workforce Survey

Efficient and Effective Regulation

Talking Points

• OR is a gateway to appreciation and understanding the environment
• Healthy environment supports capacity for OR
• Regulation/permitting balances economic development AND healthy environment - we need both!
• VFP Survey Results: reg/permitting is a top 5 business challenge

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Proposal - The process should help advance projects; protect the environment:

• Streamlined: Concurrent Review; Avoid Redundancies
• Consistent Act 250 Process Statewide
• Efficient: Clear Timelines and Requirements
• Transparency and Accountability
• Resources for Timely Review and Approval
• Governor’s EO 06-25 and Permitting Task Force Bill

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Benefits

• More housing to allow workforce growth
• Businesses stay competitive, thrive, provide good jobs
• More tax revenue > support services, programs, clean environment

Smart Land Use - Act 250 Tier 3 Designations

Talking Points

• Act 250 reform, driven by Act 181, is could shape the landscape for outdoor recreation for decades, specifically through the designation of Tier 3 areas
• Most projects in Tier 3 areas will automatically require an Act 250 permit
• Public-access trails (in the Vermont Trail System) currently do not require an Act 250 permit unless they disturb more than 10 acres of earth or are on a parcel with an existing Act 250 Permit (Rule 71)
• The scoping for Tier 3 rulemaking originally proposed to keep status quo for trails, and no trail representatives have been involved in the process
• The current draft (v2) of the Tier 3 rules exempts existing trails, but would require any new trails in Tier 3 areas obtain an Act 250 permit
• Many existing trails are located in the Tier 3 areas proposed to auto- matically trigger Act 250, as these are often places people want to go

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Proposal

• Uphold Rule 71 and retain the status quo in terms of Act 250 permitting for public-access trails

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Stories

• Private landowners have repeatedly withdrawn from allowing trail-based recreation on their property when Act 250 permitting is on the table
• Act 250 is a poor-fitting tool for trails in the first place; applications can cost thousands of dollars and largely apply irrelevant questioning

Smart Land Use - The Vermont Conservation Plan

Talking Points

• As laid out by Act 59 (2024) The Vermont Conservation Plan (VCP) will define how Vermont achieves its 30 X 30 and 50 X 50 conservation goals
• Vermont has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to weave public-access recreation into our conservation planning, ensuring equitable access and economic vitality accompany the VCP’s biodiversity protection goals
• Public-access recreation is already a recognized purpose for conservation in Vermont statute
• Recreation is how people connect with protected lands, often providing vital, sustainable, and accessible infrastructure
• Recreation also serves as a compelling driver to conserve new spaces, bringing critical resources to the table

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Proposal

• The current draft framework for the Plan includes “Support Outdoor Recreation” as a pathway; the final plan must also leverage outdoor recreation access as a driver for conservation and integrate trails as a public access tool to be considered in all conservation projects

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Stories

• Wolcott Community Forest
• Woodstock Aqueduct
• The Land and Water Conservation Fund

2/5 Advocacy Tips

• Introduction: Introduce yourself, and why you came to Outdoor Rec Day

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• You are the Expert: You have valuable expertise to share

Practice the "Hook, Line and Sinker" method...

The Hook: The Problem Describe the problem as it exists today and how your proposed solution could alleviate the problem in the future.

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The Line: Your Story Provide a personal story or experience to better illustrate why your solution is critically necessary to address the problem.

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The Sinker: Your Ask What do you want your listener to do when you are finished delivering your message? Craft a specific "ask" and don't be afraid to ask for a commitment from a legislator.

Invite Your Lawmaker to Lunch

Invite Your Legislator!

Find your legislators and email them to let them know you will be attending VT Outdoor Rec Day in Pavilion Rm 110 and that they are invited to lunch to participate in constituent conversations

https://legislature.vermont.gov/people/search/2026

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Get ready for your day under the golden dome!

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1. Invite your lawmakers

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• Follow committee conversations (link)

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• Sign up for tabling (form link)

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• Prepare your story

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• What do you need to know? Ask me now

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• Check webpage for logistics and talking points

https://www.vermontoutdoorbusinessalliance.org/post/outdoor-recreation-day-at-the-statehouse

2/5 Schedule

Jill Sudhoff Guerin, Maidstone PR, jill@maidstonepr.com

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Kelly Ault, Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance

kelly@vermontoutdoorbusinessalliance.org

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Cate Starmer, Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance, cate@starmerworks.com

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Nick Bennette, Vermont Mountain Bike Association & Vermont Trails and Greenways Council, nick@vmba.org

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Sharon Plumb, Vermont Trails and Greenways Council

sharon@vermonttgc.org

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Molly Mahar, Ski Vermont, molly@skivermont.com

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Jessica Brodie, Vermont Recreation and Parks Association

Jessica@vrpa.org

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Jackie Dagger, Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative

Jackie.Dagger@vermont.gov

Wayfinding Support