Name
Aiding Rural Communities' Recreation and Tourism Economic Development Efforts via Asset Mapping and Dashboard Development
Date & Time
Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 3:00 PM - 3:15 PM
Location Name
Salon A
Description

Rural communities, grappling with traditional agriculture and natural resource industry decline and increasing rural visitation due to post-pandemic realizations of the benefits of nature and the outdoors, are turning to recreation and tourism for economic growth. Those with complementary amenities to their natural resource base are best situated to benefit from new development, but often lack resources and capacity to effectively develop and implement plans for sustainable recreation economies. This project focuses on the Monongahela National Forest region within WV, compiling spatial and descriptive inventories of recreation and tourism assets/amenities. The goal is to create interactive dashboards that can facilitate informed decision-making, marketing, and development planning, and serve as vital tools for local stakeholders by aiding them in leveraging natural and cultural assets for sustainable economic growth within their unique communities and the MNF region as a collaborative.