Lee, TDEC Announce Office of Outdoor Recreation in Tennessee

Gov. Bill Lee and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) today announced the creation of the Office of Outdoor Recreation to further the state's conservation efforts and to help residents and visitors have more access to Tennessee's great outdoors.

Lee made the announcement at the second annual Tennessee Conservation Summit in Nashville, where key stakeholders gathered to align priorities and develop further strategies around conservation. Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly have made record investments in Tennessee's great outdoors. This new office will help to ensure the state delivers meaningful returns on those investments. Brian Clifford has been appointed director to lead the office, headquartered at TDEC in Nashville.

"This office will help us leverage Tennessee's unparallelled natural resources and beauty to improve our quality of life and create lasting memories for Tennessee families and visitors," Lee said.

"The governor and the legislature have given us the means and leadership to make conservation a priority across the state," said TDEC Commissioner David Salyers. "We want this office to be as effective as it can be, and we're excited about what this means for Tennessee. The office will play a vital role in our mission."

"Conservation is a team sport, including federal, state, local, and private partners," Clifford said. "We're already making great strides to protect and share Tennessee's great outdoors, and this new office will capitalize on that momentum. The office is one of, if not the most, comprehensive offices of outdoor recreation in the nation, with a strong focus on actually getting things done on the ground."

The office was created with existing resources to further state conservation efforts without expanding government.

High on the agenda for the Office of Outdoor Recreation is the governor's Tennessee Blueways initiative - focusing on developing high-quality water trails across the state. The plan is to ensure that Tennessee has the cleanest and most accessible system of recreation waterways in the nation.

"Tennessee is blessed with world-class rivers and fisheries, and our communities across this state, particularly rural areas, want better access to these unique waterways," Clifford said.

Lee has spearheaded a Conservation Strategy to create new parks, improve state waterways, and welcome more Tennesseans to enjoy the state's beautiful natural resources. Conservation is a driver of economic prosperity, especially in rural communities. The strategy protects natural resources, improves health, and enhances quality of life.

"Governor Lee and the agency leads from the Tennessee Outdoor Partnership who helped generate today's announcement are showing the nation what the $1.1 trillion outdoor recreation economy means for states and communities," said Jessica Wahl Turner, president of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. "The new office will take Tennessee's $11.9 billion outdoor recreation economy to the next level and help promote strong relationships between agencies and with communities of all sizes to connect Tennessee's residents to the great outdoors. We can't wait to support their future work and watch the economic, health, and community benefits this new office will create."

To learn more about the new Office of Outdoor Recreation visit this link.

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