New Hampshire’s outdoor economy is active and evolving, but the systems that support it have not kept pace, according to a new report by the Granite Outdoor Alliance.
“Grounded Growth” was culled from three roundtables around the state where 62 stakeholders from business, manufacturing, conservation, workforce and the public sector discussed challenges and opportunities shaping New Hampshire’s outdoor economy.
“This report is not a final strategy, but a synthesis intended to clarify where stronger connections across industry, workforce, and policy can unlock progress. What comes next is how we build on it,” GOA Director Tyler Ray said in the report’s introduction. The Conway attorney founded the industry trade group five years ago.
Sessions were held over the past several months at Adventure Ready Brands in Littleton, Badger in Gilsum and Life is Good in Hudson. NH Business Review was the media sponsor for the series, which was supported by the Nature Conservancy.
Bill Whyte, founder of W.S. Badger body-care products, talks about the company at Badger in Gilsum on Feb. 18 at a Grounded Growth forum. From left: Molly Taflas, deputy director, Northern Border Regional Commission; Janelle Lawton, director, NH Outdoor Recreation Industry Development; Mike Cote, editor, NH Business Review; and Jada Lindblom, economic development state specialist, UNH Cooperative Extension. (Photo John Koziol)
Outdoor recreation contributes more than $4.2 billion annually to New Hampshire’s economy and supports more than 33,000 jobs statewide, the GOA notes, citing the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account data.
“Outdoor access, landscapes, and quality of life set New Hampshire apart and are central to its future,” the report says.
While some of the themes that arose during the roundtables were specific to the industry, among the major concerns were those that affect all businesses in the Granite State: workforce, housing, child care, transportation.
“Gaps in infrastructure and housing limit growth, strain communities, and restrain opportunity,” the report says.
Taylor Caswell, the former commissioner of the state Department of Business and Economic Affairs, participated in the roundtables and moderated one of the sessions.
“One of the clearest messages from Grounded Growth is that New Hampshire has the assets, talent, and entrepreneurial spirit to lead, but stronger awareness and coordination are needed to unlock the full potential of our outdoor economy,” said Caswell, who now works as a consultant for Bernstein Schur.
Among the four themes in the report is that “fragmentation is the central constraint,” leaving businesses to navigate resources on their own.
“The report provides a roadmap for how employers, government, academic institutions, and community partners can work together to better utilize our outdoor assets in support of the state’s economy,” Caswell said.
The report notes that it does not present a final strategy but outlines where “alignment can unlock meaningful progress.”
“The opportunity is not to build entirely new systems, but to better connect the ones that already exist,” the report says.
“Grounded Growth” will be formally released Wednesday when the Granite Outdoor Alliance hosts Outdoor Industry Day 2026: The Barn Raiser from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at The Barn on the Pemi in Plymouth.
To learn more and RSVP for the event, visit https://www.graniteoutdooralliance.org/nh-outdoor-industry-day.
