OVER 150 RECREATION LEADERS ATTEND 7TH ANNUAL VERMONT OUTDOOR ECONOMY SUMMIT AT BURKE MOUNTAIN RESORT Donna Carpenter and the Carpenter Family of Burton Snowboards Honored with Sen. Patrick Leahy Trailblazer Legacy Award   East Burke, VT (Dec. 1, 2025) The Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance (VOBA) hosted the 7th Annual Vermont Outdoor Economy Summit in November at Burke Mountain Resort last month, convening 155 outdoor industry businesses, organizations, and policymakers fo

Many Vermonters are aware that Vermont has a legal mandate to conserve 30% of the state by 2030, a requirement set in place in 2023 as part of Act 59, otherwise known as the Community Resilience and Biodiversity Protection Act (CRBPA). Act 59 also set a more ambitious long-term goal of conserving 50% of the landscape by 2050, and tasked the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB) to work with the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) in the preparation of a statewide conserva

Act 59 Vermont Conservation Plan Summary of the VCP process, role of outdoor recreation, and opportunitites for outdoor business and organization engagement Resilience Implementation Strategy Tier 1 activities Act 181 and Tier 3 Rulemaking Process VEDA VEDA Disaster Recovery Loan Fund BEGAP VOREC community grant program

8:00 - 9:00 Guided Walk - Patio in front of Willoughby’s restaurant Jon Schaefer, COO and Co-Owner, Bear Den Partners' Burke Mountain Resort & Brandon Sauer, Marketing Project Manager, Darn Tough Vermont   8:30 - 9:15 Networking Coffee & Sponsor Exhibits 9:15 - 9:25 - Ballroom Opening & Elections , Kelly Ault, Executive Director, VOBA Land Acknowledgement , Miguel Reda, Director of Communications, Unlikely Riders Welcome , Jon Schaefer, COO and Co-Owner, Bear Den Partne

The Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance (VOBA) is pleased to announce that the 2025 Sen. Patrick Leahy Trailblazer Legacy Award will go to Burton Snowboards owner Donna Carpenter and her family. The award presentation will be held on Nov. 13 at the Burke Mountain Resort & Conference Center during VOBA’s seventh annual Vermont Outdoor Economy Summit.

Vermont’s outdoor industry is more than recreation—it’s a leader in innovation, climate adaptation, and sustainable business models. This year, the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance (VOBA) is hosting a series of events and opportunities under the theme Resilient by Nature, designed to help businesses prepare for uncertainty, embrace circular systems, and thrive in a changing economy.

The Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance (VOBA) is excited to announce a new series of free professional skills trainings designed to help outdoor industry professionals sharpen their expertise and advance their careers.

Nominations for the Fifth Annual Patrick Leahy Trailblazer Legacy Award are being accepted here  until 5:00 pm on September 12. VOBA...

On Thursday, August 21st at 3pm, the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance (VOBA) will partner with the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic...

Register now for a fall training hosted by VOBA! Further your career and your skills.

From innovation and equity to climate resilience and career development—VOBA’s upcoming events are shaping the future of Vermont’s outdoor sector

Last spring, VOBA administered 10 professional development trainings thanks to Economic Development Authority - Travel, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation funding through the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing.

VOBA and the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development hosted a booth at the June Switchback Spring show in Nashville, TN.

As stated in our mission, VOBA is dedicated to the conservation of the natural landscape, stewardship of recreation infrastructure, and diversity, equity and inclusion in work spaces and outdoor places.

On May 14, the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance (VOBA) hosted 50 small business leaders and service providers from across the State at...

Over the first 100 days of the Trump Administration, Vermont outdoor businesses and organizations have been assessing impacts from changes related to tariffs, reduced Canadian and international visitation, consumer spending, federal grant cuts, reduced access to recreation places, and workforce reductions within the federal government and AmeriCorps.

Trail clearing and storm damage cleanup presents a very dangerous situation that is compounded by the increasing frequency and severity of climate-related weather events.

Are you a mechanic or paid staff member of a Vermont bicycle retailer offering suspension service to customers?

With the increasing frequency and severity of climate-related hydrological events in Vermont, designing and maintaining trails with adequate drainage structures is key to the resiliency of trail networks and communities.

Over 100 non-profit trail stewards, outdoor business owners, ski area managers,  and municipal leaders traveled to the Statehouse in Montpelier on Wednesday for the second annual Vermont Outdoor Recreation Day to share the success of the sector and to urge strategic investment in our outdoor businesses that foster the healthy, resilient communities we want to live and play in.  compounded by the increasing frequency and severity of climate-related weather events.