For the next few weekends in Front Royal, Virginia, there will be lines of out-of-state license plates packing two lane roads with faded lines and small shoulders. The tourists have taken over the sleepy little town to see “the leaves”. A once in a year event where the Skyline Drive, a stretch of 100 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, sheds its dense green foliage for only a few weeks to be replaced by autumnal shades of yellows, oranges, and reds. One last burst of color from the place John Denver called “Almost Heaven” before it enters dormancy for the winter.
In the houses that dot the picturesque landscape, longtime residents largely disparage the incoming tidal wave of foreign vehicles and “yuppies” inside them that have overrun their home as “the leafers”. What normally is a 5 minute trip to the only grocery store in town can become an hours-long fiasco. Restaurants aren’t a viable option either, as they are packed with out-of-towners requesting dietary preferences the locals would never think of.
The culture clash is overstated, but in today’s political environment more taught than ever. For many residents, it feels like an invasion. For many of the leafers, it feels like an unwelcome adventure into a completely different country.
Real Impacts of Mass Tourism
In truth, the invasion of the leafers is a known annual event that has as many positives as negatives for the town. Front Royal is a town of 40,000 people, but the Skyline Drive (which begins in Front Royal) attracts 1.2 million visitors each year. Small businesses rely on the tourist traffic for their livelihoods and tourism is a strong sector of the local economy. Local property owners rent out their spaces for tourists at a premium. Even the local governments’ benefit, as the sales tax return more than triples in October – all from increased spending from tourism to see the fall foliage. That funding helps build parks, pave roads, and keep up resident services.
However, this doesn’t completely offset the unfortunate consequences leafers create. While current property owners can rent their spaces to tourists, home buyers in the region have been priced out because investors have taken prime real estate for short term tourist rentals. The locals, who would also love to see the beautiful fall foliage, have to compete with others to see their own local wonder. Traffic results in headaches. Infrastructure is damaged without direct funding to offset or improve it for the few times it’s needed. And while law enforcement and other local agencies do their best to direct traffic and manage the onslaught of tourists – no one is truly “in charge” of making sure everyone is safe, secure, and able to live their basic lives.
But, maybe that’s changing. Recently the State of Massachusetts introduced a new department to their mix – the Department of Outdoor Recreation. Their website states their mission is to “promote Massachusetts as a great place to come play outside! We further seek to make Massachusetts one of the most welcoming, inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible places to recreate outside. “ And Massachusetts isn’t alone, the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable cites that 22 states have an Office of Outdoor Recreation or equivalent. One of the states amongst that list – Virginia.
Should Government Get Involved?
I can hear my father’s voice in the back of my head already, “Doesn’t the government have better things to do than spend taxpayer dollars to get people outside?” Sure, I’m not going to argue that out of the many needs our society has that outdoor recreation tops the list. But, I am interested in how governments of all sizes can provide services to those that are in need. While we think of things such as food stamps for the impoverished or border patrol agents for southern Texans, even an executive office in control of outdoor tourism can be vital for residents of beautiful places.
It is estimated that outdoor recreation is a $1.1 trillion economy annually across the United States. While it pales in comparison to say the $4.4 trillion in healthcare services, it is also severely under-regulated in comparison. Every presidential debate features talking points on the cost of insulin, Obamacare, and other health-related regulations that the government has found necessary to ensure citizen health. But if outdoor recreation also provides mental and physical health and is worth over $1 trillion annually, should it not have at least some government oversight too?
The sheer economy of outdoor recreation is what you will mostly see advertised across the state agencies I have researched. There are many vision and mission statements to “Make our state the #1 destination for outdoor enthusiasts” and “Growing the industry to provide economic relief”. The first thing you will see on Arkansas’s website is their mission to “leverage the state’s assets to grow the the outdoor recreation economy”.
More Than the Economic Impact
While the endless economic incentives and opportunities are highly mentioned throughout Office of Outdoor Recreation literature, other states are taking a prominent position on conservation as well. Virginia, for instance, titles their office the “Department of Conservation and Recreation”, acknowledging the somewhat contradictory duality of selling your state’s natural assets. Highlights are grant programs to farmers to improve their acreage, sharing the “Outdoors Plan” which navigates growth with sustainability, and advertising that Virginia will not only be the best place to recreate, but the best stewards of their resources as well.
Pennsylvania, meanwhile, has acknowledged the lack of inclusivity and diversity in outdoor recreation. Amongst their five pillars for future growth includes “Inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility for all Pennsylvanians to the outdoors and outdoor economy.” Governor Shapiro cited this even further, arguing outdoor recreation can depolarize society: “Outdoor recreation is an opportunity to depolarize our society –
Not only are our outdoors important in creating jobs and economic opportunity, and health and wellbeing, they are a great way to get people to talk again, engage again, work together again, and I want more Pennsylvanians to have that opportunity.
Conclusion
Understanding the true impact or benefit these new agencies will create is mostly yet to be seen. Of the cited 22 state agencies, the oldest has been existence for 7 years. A quick review of their websites and funding will show they are, at this point, still in their infancy. What opportunities these offices hold, programs they can complete, and outcomes they will provide is still largely unknown. I have reached out to some state organizations for data to show positive outcomes, and will report back when that is provided.
But I believe the words of Governor Shapiro state a fact that doesn’t need data to measure. We need to begin talking to each other again and working collaboratively to enjoy the outdoors. Whether you are a hard lined conservative who loves outdoors sports like hunting and fishing, or you’re a tree-hugging liberal who loves to meditate with nature – we all have reason to support outdoor recreation. Let’s use this opportunity to build a bridge.
I started this article by illustrating the broader picture of Front Royal, Virginia. But what that misses are the small interactions between leafers and natives that go unnoticed. The leafer who stops at a local business and share stories both won’t forget. The waitress who gets her best tips from the tourists who appreciate her southern drawl and elite service despite their cultural differences. The residents who wake up early to direct traffic, clean roads, and provide access of their beautiful homes to the masses with a smile and appreciation. Those are the things we can build on that outdoor recreation provides – and why it’s so powerful as we move forward.