Andy Davis of NRGRDA Representing Region at First-Ever National Leadership Forum on Rural Development on October 1-2

BECKLEY W.Va. (WVDN) – The New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) was invited to participate in the Outdoor Reaction Roundtable’s (ORR) first-ever National Leadership Forum on Rural Development in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Oct. 1-2.

Andy Davis, Director of Strategic Redevelopment at NRGRDA, is representing West Virginia and the New River Gorge region.

Davis said, “In recent years, we have seen a shift within the federal government in the prioritization of rural development roadblocks. This has opened new doors for outdoor recreation to be an integral component of rural economic revitalization strategies. Many of the organizations attending the ORR event have already been involved in West Virginia either directly through the work of NRGRDA or through our local partner network. I look forward to learning more about their development successes and struggles in rural areas across the country.”

With the support of the Richard King Mellon Foundation, ORR is convening leaders (recreation businesses, NGOs, CDFIs, federal and state agencies, rural practitioners, academics, and industry partners) from across the country to identify funding priorities, organizing principles, and local strategies for rural economic development through outdoor recreation.

Speakers at the forum include leaders from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Appalachian Community Capital, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Economic Recovery Corps, American Sportfishing Association, Rails to Trails Conservancy, Center on Rural Innovation, Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group, Housing Assistance Council, International Economic Development Council, Brookings Institution, Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia, The Conservation Fund, Northern Forest Center, Foundation for America’s Public Lands, KOA, and REI.

This is part of ORR’s ongoing efforts to convene industry leaders and government officials to provide a space for thought leadership and cross-sector inspiration. The event is invite-only with sessions at the Richard King Mellon Foundation’s Auction House followed by a reception and dinner at The Art Room. On October 2, the event includes an optional field tour to Johnstown, Pa.

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