Captina Watershed Grant Presents Unique Opportunities
Did you know that Ohio is the third most visited state in the country? It is, ranking third behind New York and California according to the online source Daily Passport.
“Ohio’s central location and classic Midwestern charm attracted a huge amount of visitors in 2023. The capital, Columbus, is known for the lush and bountiful Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, while Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame welcomes over 500,000 music fans every year. Both Cleveland and Cincinnati have MLB teams (the Guardians and the Reds, respectively), and the state is home to several beautiful parks, such as Hocking Hills and Cuyahoga Valley National Park,” the site notes.
In 2024, that figures out to be about 240 million visitors who contributed $57 billion to the state’s economy.
Last week, it was announced that the Belmont County Captina watershed was selected to receive one of 25 grants, from a pool of over 200 applications, awarded by the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (RERC) program.
The program – jointly administered through an interagency partnership – helps rural communities leverage outdoor recreation to revitalize their main streets, leading to economic growth, improved environmental protection and public health outcomes. Communities are encouraged to pursue activities that foster development and revitalization and support conservation efforts.
The local planning team, led by Crystal Lorimor, executive director of the of the Belmont Community Improvement Corporation, incudes the villages of Barnesville and Powhatan Point, Belmont County Soil and Water Conservation District, Belmont County Tourism Council and The Captina Conservancy among others.
Outdoor activities are increasingly popular across the United States, and many communities are seeking to grow their outdoor recreation and tourism economy, while investing in their main streets and conserving forests and natural lands.
In 2023, outdoor recreation activities generated 5 million paying jobs across a variety of industries, accounting for 3.1% of all employment in the United States. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis calculated the economic output of outdoor recreation in 2023 to be $1.2 trillion.
- According to the 2025 Outdoor Participation Trends Report, over 181 million Americans over the age of six participated in outdoor recreation in 2024. Sales figures across the industry continue to grow as Americans spend time on outdoor activities – such as hiking, fishing, bicycling, boating, swimming, and skiing, among many others. These activities can bring new investment and jobs to local economies, benefit health and wellness, raise awareness of the importance of conservation of forests and other natural resources, and improve the quality of life for residents and visitors.
“Outdoor recreation is a unique opportunity to create jobs and grow economies in rural communities while Powering the Great American Comeback,” said EPA Office of Land and Emergency Management Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator Steven Cook. “This program is further proof that we can drive economic growth while protecting and honoring America’s beautiful natural resources.”
Chris Saunders, Federal Co-Chair of the Northern Border Regional Commission, said, “Outdoor recreation represents a tremendous economic opportunity for rural communities. By strengthening the ties between local businesses and recreational assets, this collaboration will elevate the economies of rural places across the NBRC region.”
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