Outdoor recreation has shifted from a cherished local pastime into an absolute economic engine for the state of Arkansas. Today, the sector adds $5 billion in value to the state’s GDP, driving rural prosperity, small business success, and tourism.
To sustain this momentum, a team of graduate student researchers from the Clinton School of Public Service spent the 2025-26 academic year evaluating the industry’s landscape to build a robust, well-prepared workforce for the future.
The student team – comprised of Nick Cartwright (Rose Bud, Arkansas), Abby Swartz (Winchester, Virginia), and Gino Obaseki (Nigeria) – partnered with the Arkansas Office of Outdoor Recreation (AOOR). Their intensive fieldwork culminated in a comprehensive academic report and a strategic executive summary detailing short-term, intermediate, and long-term recommendations.
The finalized research assesses direct employer workforce needs, evaluates existing educational and training pipelines, analyzes alignment gaps, and compiles national best practices from states with well-known outdoor recreation programs like Colorado, Maine, and Maryland.
Mapping the Human Side of a Vital Economy
To ground their data in real-world perspectives, the team conducted focus groups and evaluated survey data. An early site visit to Petit Jean State Park allowed the researchers to converse directly with park staff, local climbing guides, and business owners, transforming how they viewed the project’s core challenge.
“Our team carpooled together to Petit Jean State Park in Morrilton for our first site visit with the AOOR team,” Swartz said. “We met with stakeholders such as park staff, climbing guides, and local business leaders who were able to tell us their perspective on the outdoor recreation economy and the work that they do to support it.”
During their field excursions, the team noted that the industry’s economic impact is deeply tied to a collective passion for the natural environment.
“Our approach evolved after our initial site visit by hearing how much outdoor recreation meant to the participants, businesses, and state government,” Cartwright said. “Outdoor activities are enjoyed by family, friends, and neighbors alike which gives them a chance to build community and grow the reach that the outdoor economy has.”
This deep-rooted commitment was echoed by industry operators on the ground. For many business leaders, the outdoor economy serves as a vehicle for community development and localized career mentorship.
Data Analysis and Strategic Frameworks
Translating these local needs into data-driven guidelines required the student researchers to master advanced institutional evaluation methodologies.
“Our project really allowed us to focus on the major research skills such as reviewing literature, quantitative and qualitative data collection, and data analysis,” Obaseki said. “Specifically, we learned how to facilitate focus groups and analyze survey data to answer our research questions.”
According to the report’s executive summary, the research explicitly targets expanding employment opportunities while promoting responsible stewardship of the state’s natural assets. By aligning the needs of private business owners with the strategic goals of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’s Natural State Initiative, the report establishes a structured grid of recommendations.
In the short term, the report outlines pathways to address immediate operational gaps and baseline credentials for outdoor guiding. Intermediate recommendations include expanding specialized curriculum alignment within Arkansas higher education institutions, drawing from successful tourism models implemented in states like Colorado. Long term, the plan emphasizes securing stable capital funding mechanisms to scale career pipelines in outdoor retail manufacturing and resource management.
The project provided AOOR with an empirical blueprint to help make decisions on future policy investments, secure critical grant funding, and guide long-term educational alignment across Arkansas.
“Working with the Clinton School of Public Service practicum team was an outstanding experience,” said Becky Flynn, Deputy Director of the Arkansas Office of Outdoor Recreation. “From the beginning, they embraced the challenge of advancing the outdoor recreation workforce in Arkansas by taking our initial ideas and running with them. The team delivered thoughtful, accurate research and recommendations that exceeded our expectations.”
Their work didn’t just confirm what was suspected; it produced meaningful, actionable results that will help shape the future of outdoor recreation in The Natural State. This project is just the beginning, and we’re excited to build on the recommendations and next steps that emerged from their work. We sincerely appreciate the team’s professionalism, dedication, and commitment to advancing Arkansas’ outdoor economy.”
The full academic report and workforce development insights are available to the public and industry stakeholders on the Arkansas Office of Outdoor Recreation website.