In July, President Trump proclaimed it “Made in America Week.” While that might not sound very important, it was an opportunity for Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke to promote the administration’s goal of strengthening “America’s tradition of outdoor recreation on public lands.”

 

During “Made in America Week,” the Department of the Interior hosted a roundtable with outdoor recreation leaders to brainstorm ideas for joint public-private efforts to improve and strengthen the outdoor experience in National Parks and other public properties. The efforts generated ideas that included energy-efficient cabins and more fishing access points.

 

Via our website, you can read an article written by Zinke that Fox News originally published on July 17. This is the best example that I have read to date on the Trump administration’s vision to use the resources of both the public and private sectors together to improve the access to outdoor recreation on public lands. In the article, Zinke offers his support to improve the experience Americans can expect when visiting our national parks, whether they are on land or in the water.  

 

The previous administration’s disinterest in working with the private sector is well known. The Trump administration welcomes the private sector’s ideas, input and involvement, and brings hope and promise to many outdoor retailers and anglers alike. This is especially important in areas like Florida’s Key Biscayne National Park and North Carolina’s Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National seashores, to name a few. Secretary Zinke and this administration are saying and beginning to do all the right things for our industry. Let’s hope this public-private joint effort continues for many years to come.