A forester and arborist from Chesterfield County is the state’s first director of outdoor recreation.
Gov. Abigail Spanberger introduced Heather Barrar at a Tuesday event in Danville, where the governor spent her day at numerous events.
The position is focused on growing Virginia’s outdoor recreation economy, Spanberger said at the event at Riverfront Park, which opened in May.
“We are fortunate as a commonwealth to have incredible outdoor spaces,” she said. “It’s not just important to our quality of life. Outdoor recreation is a significant and growing sector of our economy.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, outdoor recreation is a $14.4 billion industry, supporting more than 126,000 jobs, Spanberger said at the announcement. Outdoor recreation also plays a role in conservation, public health and community resilience.