The federal government has recognized outdoor recreation as an official industry.

In early February, the Commerce Department announced that outdoor rec contributed more than $373 billion toward the gross domestic product in 2016, about 2 percent of the total. It’s the first time that the GDP report included separate figures on the industry’s value. "This further validates our broad and growing economic impact," said Amy Roberts, executive director of the Outdoor Industry Association.

Jodi Peterson

Latest: Outdoor recreation recognized as economic contributor