--- title: Blog insights from the Outdoor Recreation Economy | Lee Davis description: Lee Davis is Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy's executive director. --- [![site-logo](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Oregon_State_University_Theme2019/Images/site-logo.png?width=190&name=site-logo.png "site-logo")](https://oregonstate.edu/) Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy [![Request Info](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/451937/cb0e82ac-cca7-42a5-8f7a-7d38664d3f6b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/451937/cb0e82ac-cca7-42a5-8f7a-7d38664d3f6b) ![](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/hubfs/Oregon_State_University_Theme2019/Images/Search.png) ![](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/hubfs/Oregon_State_University_Theme2019/Images/search-close.png) ## Lee Davis ![Lee Davis](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/hubfs/Staff_Photos/Lee-Davis.jpeg) Lee Davis is Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy's executive director. Find me on: ### Recent Posts [![](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/hubfs/james-wheeler-HJhGcU_IbsQ-unsplash.jpg) ](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/opinion-the-outdoor-industrys-moment-of-opportunity) ## [OPINION: The outdoor industry’s moment of opportunity](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/opinion-the-outdoor-industrys-moment-of-opportunity) July 21, 2021 The demand for both close-to-home and regional outdoor recreation opportunities has never been higher. While that’s good news for the outdoor economy, it’s also putting pressure on an industry workforce that is already struggling with chronic skill-gaps and a retirement wave. By uniting around a new vision of workforce development, the outdoor recreation industry can capture the full opportunity. [![Mountain bike on a wooded trail](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/hubfs/Low%20section%20of%20female%20mountain%20biker%20riding%20bicycle%20in%20forest.jpeg) ](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/opinion-the-outdoor-industrys-moment-of-opportunity-1) ## [OPINION: The outdoor industry’s moment of opportunity](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/opinion-the-outdoor-industrys-moment-of-opportunity-1) June 7, 2021 The demand for both close-to-home and regional outdoor recreation opportunities has never been greater. While that’s good news for the outdoor economy, it’s also putting pressure on an industry workforce that is already struggling with chronic skill-gaps and a retirement wave. By uniting around a new vision of workforce development, the outdoor recreation industry can capture the full opportunity. [![](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/hubfs/Staff_Photos/Lee-Davis.jpeg) ](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/opinion-the-future-of-the-industry) ## [Opinion: The Outdoor Industry at a Crossroads](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/opinion-the-future-of-the-industry) May 6, 2020 By Lee Davis, Executive Director The outdoor recreation economy has been devastated in unique ways by the layered impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a huge problem for the people whose livelihoods are directly tied to outdoor recreation, and a blow to the rural communities that have been buoyed by recreation dollars. This is a crisis, to be sure, but it’s also an opportunity ### Media inquiries If your publication would like to feature a CORE program, student or instructor, please contact [Antony Vorobyov](mailto:antony.vorobyov@oregonstate.edu). ### Have a story idea? We'd love to hear about it. Help us highlight the work of CORE students, alumni, faculty, staff, or industry partners. [Send an email](mailto:meredith.morrice@oregonstate.edu) with story suggestions or any questions. ### Recent Posts ### Recent Posts ### View by Tag - [Outdoor Recreation Industry (22)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/outdoor-recreation-industry) - [Inclusive Outdoors (13)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/inclusive-outdoors) - [Research (8)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/research) - [Outdoor Leadership Series (7)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/outdoor-leadership-series) - [Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (7)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/outdoor-recreation-roundtable) - [Business (5)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/business) - [In the news (4)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/in-the-news) - [Economy (3)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/economy) - [Outdoor Roundtable (3)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/outdoor-roundtable) - [COVID-19 (2)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/covid-19) - [Event (2)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/event) - [Opinion (2)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/opinion) - [Professional Development (2)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/professional-development) - [non-credit education (2)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/non-credit-education) - [rural economies (2)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/rural-economies) - [2020 (1)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/2020) - [Outdoor Recreation Industyr (1)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/outdoor-recreation-industyr) - [Pilot Year (1)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/pilot-year) - [Wildfire (1)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/wildfire) - [Workforce Development (1)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/tag/workforce-development) [See all](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/author/lee-davis#) ### View by Author - [Sarah Costello (7)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/author/sarah-costello) - [Meredith Morrice (7)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/author/meredith-morrice) - [Ben Peterson (7)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/author/ben-peterson) - [Lee Davis (3)](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/author/lee-davis) ![OSU_CtrOutdoorRecEconomy_horizontal_1C_W](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/hubfs/OSU_CtrOutdoorRecEconomy_horizontal_1C_W.png "OSU_CtrOutdoorRecEconomy_horizontal_1C_W") #### Who We Are The Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy is dedicated to advancing research and curriculum development, technical skills training and leadership programming for the U.S. outdoor industry. **[Learn more about our team](https://outdooreconomy.oregonstate.edu/orei-about-us-2).** **[Follow us on LinkedIn.](https://www.linkedin.com/company/osu-orei/)** #### Contact Us We'd love to hear from you. Contact us at [outdooreconomy@oregonstate.edu](mailto:outdooreconomy@oregonstate.edu). #### Privacy Policy [View OSU’s Division of Educational Ventures Privacy Policy](https://oregonstate.edu/official-web-disclaimer) © Oregon State University | All Rights Reserved