Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) has just hired Nathan Reigner, a former Penn State assistant professor to be its first-ever director of outdoor recreation. Reigner, who has a background of recreation and tourism expertise, is going to assist the Department in drawing in more diverse park and forest users, writes Frank Kummer for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The pandemic lockdowns caused millions of Pennsylvanians and out-of-state visitors to rush to the outdoors. State parks and forests saw record numbers for hiking, biking, camping, and other activities.

According to Cindy Adams Dunn, a secretary for the DCNR, the pandemic helped reveal the need for a leader to focus on outdoor activities.

“We concluded that we need a director of outdoor recreation,” Dunn said, “so we’ve hired an incredible asset for outdoor recreation in Pennsylvania. He is a leader in outdoor recreation in the state, nationally, and internationally.”

Reigner graduated from Upper Perkiomen School District. He has a bachelor’s degree from Gettysburg College in sociology and anthropology, a master’s in forestry at Virginia Tech, and holds a doctorate in natural resources from the University of Vermont.

In the past, Reigner has managed and planned recreation and tourism for parks, protected areas, and natural and cultural heritage settings both in the U.S. and abroad.

With the DCNR, it’s hoped he will help identify outdoor recreation needs and coordinate between the Department, private service providers, nonprofits, government agencies, recreation groups, and business leaders.

“People want to move places where recreation is accessible, where recreation is diverse, where recreation is high quality,” Reigner said. “I think outdoor recreation opportunities, in their ability to attract both residents and visitors can help small communities punch above their weight.”

Reigner also views his new job as a way to expand and make public the benefits of outdoor recreation to everyone.

“There are also issues with race, ethnicity, age, ability,” Reigner said. “I’ll call it social or societal access that we really need to be investing in, and these are investments in people as well as in infrastructure.”

Read more about Nathan Reigner’s recent appointment to the DCNR’s Director of Outdoor Recreation in The Philadelphia Inquirer.