Strategic-plan update: report finds Utah leads on funding but recommends stronger coordination and local planning support

Dr. Smith, the commission's strategic-planning presenter, delivered a comparative analysis showing where Utah stands relative to 10 other Western states on outdoor recreation funding, administration and economic impact.

"Utah has about 2.7% of our state GDP generated by outdoor recreation activity," Dr. Smith said, and the presenter noted that roughly 4% of state employment is tied to recreation. The analysis showed Utah has one of the highest shares of federal land in the West (about 66%) and the third-highest proportion of state-owned land. That land-distribution mix, the presenter said, underscores the need to coordinate state funding priorities with federal land managers.

The report highlighted activity-specific economic patterns: snow sports account for approximately 30% of Utah's outdoor recreation economy, with boating, fishing and RVing each contributing roughly 20% of that sector. Dr. Smith said those distributions partly explain why motorized and snow-related activities dominate revenue figures: high-ticket purchases and per-trip expenditures drive larger economic shares.

Recommendations in the analysis focused on governance and capacity: the report encourages aligning administrative homes for outdoor recreation programs where possible, continuing and formalizing coordination with the Utah League of Cities and Towns and Association of Counties, and inviting federal agencies (National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service) into the commission as ex officio participants to inform decisions on multi-million-dollar infrastructure spending.

Dr. Smith also recommended creating technical-assistance programs to help local governments develop long-range recreation plans and suggested states consider diversified revenue options for state park operations (increasing user fees, license fees, or exploring nonresident/resident pricing differentials) when maintenance backlogs emerge.

Commissioners asked for additional state-by-state registration and per-capita data for OHV and boat registrations and suggested staff follow up with updated tables. Dr. Smith said the team will finalize spring regional workshops in May and June, present fall-workshop follow-ups at the next meeting, and aims to produce a draft strategic plan by June or July for further public review and commission consideration.

The commission agreed to work with staff on workshop scheduling and outreach to local stakeholders and professional organizations to ensure the plan incorporates local priorities and is practical for project evaluation and prioritization.