Nature Hour: Pennsylvania's Outdoor Recreation Economy

Every year outdoor recreation generates $29 billion of economic activity in Pennsylvania and sustains more than 250,000 jobs, but this remarkable impact typically goes under the radar. This presentation will reveal the significant economic contributions of outdoor recreation in Pennsylvania, with a focus on the ways in which the economy and the outdoors intersect here in our region through parks, trails, open space, and the businesses who engage with them. We’ll also consider how we could do even more to ensure the outdoor economy continues to flourish in the Susquehanna Riverlands and across the state.

Your Presenter

Silas Chamberlin is vice president of economic and community development at the York County Economic Alliance, a position in which he serves as executive director of the Redevelopment Authority of the County of York and oversees a variety of economic financing, business attraction, entrepreneurship, and workforce development initiatives throughout York County. Silas oversees implementation of the County’s 10-year economic development plan, which has intentionally pivoted towards people-focused and place-based economic development. He founded and oversees the York County Trail Towns program—now active in 7 communities—and is leading development of the $75 million Codorus Greenway, the largest green infrastructure project in the City of York’s history. Also, on behalf of the York County Commissioners, Silas leads the YoCo Strong Recovery Task Force.

Silas previously served as CEO of Downtown Inc, executive director of the Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area and in regional leadership roles with the PA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources and the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor. He is adjunct professor of economics and urban revitalization at York College, serves on the executive committee of the PA Downtown Center, and is a Governor’s appointee to DCNR’s Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council. In 2016, Yale University Press published Silas’s first book On the Trail: A History of American Hiking.

About Nature Hour

Nature Hour is a virtual lecture series by Lancaster Conservancy, taking place on Wednesdays throughout fall, winter, and spring. To find out about other events in the series please follow this link: www.lancasterconservancy.org/events/

The Conservancy is excited to expand our educational outreach online to feature presentations and lectures from some of our favorite local and regional experts.

How to Participate

Registration is required. Attendees will receive an e-mail with a link to access the presentation via Zoom the day of the event. Conservancy staff will be on hand starting at 5:50pm prior to each lecture to answer your questions and help you familiarize yourself with how Zoom works.