Research
Your outdoor industry research partner
The Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy empowers professional associations and outdoor companies to make data-driven decisions that impact the biggest workforce trends and issues facing the outdoor recreation economy today.
By collaborating with our research teams — including OSU faculty, researchers and graduate students — you’ll gain valuable insights that can help you identify new business opportunities and elevate your customer experience.
Collaborate with us on research
Research Projects
In 2022, the Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy led the Outdoor Industry Workforce Assessment Survey to better understand workforce dynamics and inclusion efforts within the outdoor industry.
In collaboration with industry and university partners, the center developed and administered a nationwide employer survey to examine hiring and retention trends, skill gaps, professional development priorities, and workplace practices that support equity and belonging.
The study found that while most outdoor businesses plan to hire—particularly for entry-level and skilled roles—they face challenges such as a shortage of qualified applicants and limited housing options. Over half of the surveyed organizations are taking steps to build more inclusive workplaces, but the findings highlight the need for continued, expanded efforts to strengthen the outdoor industry workforce and create a welcoming environment for all.
The Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy has partnered with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) to coordinate the Oregon Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP). Oregon's SCORP provides a strategic vision for local, regional, state, and federal agencies, together with tribal governments, and private and non-profit partners, to effectively and adequately provide outdoor recreation and conservation to meet the needs of Oregon State residents. The SCORP is foundational in helping to guide local and state decisions, as well as assisting in the investment of limited funding on the most important recreation and conservation needs.
Oregon State's contributions to this work include:
The National Governor Associations’ Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and Oregon State University’s (OSU) Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy (CORE) have partnered to complete a 2-year research project assessing the effectiveness of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) American Rescue Plan Act’s (ARP) Travel, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation recovery grants.
NGA Center’s goal is to expand the impact of successful EDA/ARP recovery projects by sharing successful strategies with Governors’ tourism, outdoor recreation, workforce, and economic development advisors. By assisting Governors and their staff in adopting ARP best practices, policies, and strategies, the NGA and CORE aims to increase economic development through the expansion and diversification of local outdoor recreation economies, making them more inclusive, and increasing higher skilled, higher wage job opportunities.
*The primary work completed by Oregon State University for this project was the Data Survey Summary
The Oregon State University Recreation Use Values Database is a compilation of all published research studies and their estimates of the use values for outdoor recreation activities in the U.S. and Canada. The primary research team is Dr. Randall S. Rosenberger. The RUVD is currently being updated to 2025. Funding was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station through a cooperative agreement.