North Central Region In the North Central region, eight LGUs responded to the survey. Within Extension, three LGUs are either already working with their National Forest Gateway communities, have current expertise and capacity to engage in Extension’s role directly, or would be willing to reallocate existing resources to support this work. An additional four LGUs are interested but would need external funding to support increasing capacity to engage. One LGU indicated that this does not fit into their current Extension priorities (see figure 5). Regarding recreation economy research in the North Central region, one LGU is already conducting research in National Forest Gateway communities, six LGUs have Extension or academic faculty with research expertise that could be
“Great work! This is an area that is ripe for expansion and Extension should be a major player!”
applied to forest gateway communities but would need external funding to support this work, and one LGU needs more recreation economy research expertise or capacity. Still, it would be willing to increase its capacity and knowledge if external funding was available (see figure 6).
Extension
FIGURE 5: Extension and Recreation Economies in the North Centrral
FREQUENCY
1
No thanks, this does not fit into our current Extension priorities
4
We are interested in being more involved but would need external funding to support increasing our capacity in order to engage
2
Yes, Extension is already working with our National Forest Gateway communities
1
Yes, we either have current capacity to begin engaging in Extension programming to support the development of recreation economies in National Forest gateway communities or would be willing to reallocate existing resources to support this
0
8
In the North Central region one Extension program identified a lack of staff as the biggest barrier they face in being more effective in leveraging their National Forests to grow its recreational economy noting that Extension would use additional funding to prioritize hiring statewide specialists in recreation economies who would work with existing municipalities and economic development organizations and leverage their relationships with other local partners and also be able to coordinate their statewide specialists and response teams and coordinate efforts with external partners including state agency partners and regional planning commissions and regional economic development organizations. A barrier identified in being able to be fully mobilized was that teams require the presence of a strong local Extension staff partner who can convene, organize, and implement response. The response teams and statewide specialists that could be mobilized by a dedicated specialist include: the Community Vitality & Placemaking Team, and statewide specialists in 1) community design & planning, 2) downtown development, 3) community marketing, 4) economics, 5) economic geography, and 6) entrepreneurship.
Research
FIGURE 6: Research and Recreation Economies in the North Central FREQUENCY
Yes, we have expertise and capacity in Extension and/or Academic faculty and are already conducting research in National Forest gateway communities We have either Extension or academic faculty with research expertise that could be applied to forest gateway communities but would need external funding to support this work
6
1 1
No thanks. This is not a current priority for our university.
0
8
Research opportunities identified in the North Central region that could be applied to recreation economies include community design & planning, downtown development, community marketing, economics, economic geography, community development, entrepreneurship, forestry, parks rec and tourism, natural resources and conservation, and natural resources/sustainability.
Land-Grant University Capacity to Support Recreation Economies in National Forest Gateway Communities
5
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