HARRISBURG (TNS) — Outdoor recreation, from biking and snow sports to camping and hiking to hunting and fishing, generated almost $59 billion in economic activity in Pennsylvania in 2020, according to research contracted by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP).

Up 26 percent from four years earlier, that total included $20 billion in salaries and wages for more than 430,000 jobs, an employment level in outdoor pursuits that was up 10 percent from 2016.

Taxes on outdoor spending added more than $6.5 to federal, state and local government revenues, noted researchers at Southwick Associates, a market research and economics firm, specializing in the hunting, shooting, sportfishing and outdoor recreation markets.

“The power of outdoor recreation spending in Pennsylvania is undeniable, particularly since hunting, fishing and boating provided a real lifeline to so many during the pandemic,” said Alexandra Kozak, Pennsylvania field manager for the TRCP.

“Conservation of our natural resources is critical for this to continue. That’s why our decision-makers should prioritize legislation that helps to invest in better habitat, cleaner water and stronger outdoor recreation businesses.”

The TRCP and its partners plan to point to the strength of the outdoor recreation economy when advocating for investments in Pennsylvania’s Growing Greener III program, a Clean Streams Fund and other dedicated funding for conservation.

By category, the economic impact was trail sports, $15,205,278,000; camping, $14,033,823,000; water sports, $7,142,105,000; biking, $6,104,078,000; snow sports, $5,260,280,000; motorcycle riding, $3,939,614,000; off-roading, $2,962,860,000; hunting, $2,125,611,000 (including $1,319,241,000 in deer hunting); fishing, $1,043,934,000; and wildlife watching, $1,042,109,000.

Jobs supported by that economic activity are biking, 45,969; trail sports, 114,708; camping, 104,960; water sports, 53,747; snow sports, 41,939; motorcycle riding, 26,540; off-roading, 20,085; hunting, 13,335; fishing, 8,215; and wildlife watching, 8,030.

For more information about the report, visit the Estimating the Economic Contributions of Outdoor Recreation in Pennsylvania webpages.

Founded in 2002, the TRCP is the largest coalition of conservation organizations in the country, uniting and amplifying the voices of sportsmen and women by convening hunting and fishing groups, conservation organizations, and outdoor businesses to a common purpose.