The Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, in conjunction with nine other member states of the Coalition of States, today announced the launch of the Confluence of States website dedicated to the bipartisan stewardship of natural resources.
The Coalition of States began in January 2018, when eight member states signed the original Confluence of Accords. The eight original states are: Colorado, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming. Maine and Michigan are slated to join the accords in 2019. The Coalition is committed to four shared principles and the responsible cultivation of a shared $62 billion outdoor recreation industry.
These four guiding principles are:
- Conservation and Stewardship
- Education and Workforce Training
- Economic Development
- Public Health and Wellness
By promoting the practice of these four pillars, member organizations and states can protect and sustain our water, air, land, and wildlife for current and future generations and for the betterment of the economy. These accords are based on the belief that the more nurturing states can be now of their great outdoors, the more they will get in return in the future.
“The outdoor recreation industry in Colorado employs 511,000 people and generates $37 billion in consumer spending. Nationwide, that number grows to 7.6 million people and $887 billion in consumer spending,” said Luis Benitez, Director of the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office. “Our goal in spearheading the Confluence of States is to expand on the original signatures and involve all fifty states in nurturing and building a stronger, more sustainable outdoor recreation economy.”