Outdoor Economy Academy

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The UNH Extension Outdoor Economy Academy is a three‑session, place‑based learning program designed for municipal leaders and staff, local businesses, planners, economic development professionals, and community volunteers who want to deepen their understanding of New Hampshire’s growing outdoor economy. The Academy brings together a statewide cohort to explore how outdoor recreation, natural assets, and community design intersect with economic development, public access, and long‑term resilience. 

Register for Outdoor Economy Academy

What the Academy Covers

Participants learn core concepts that shape outdoor‑economy planning and investment, including:

  • Access to trails, open spaces, and blue‑green infrastructure
  • Downtown revitalization and riverfront redevelopment
  • Hazard mitigation and climate‑resilient community design
  • Economic opportunities tied to recreation, tourism, and quality of life
  • Strategies for cross‑sector collaboration among municipalities, nonprofits, and businesses

Each session blends technical learning with real‑world examples, highlighting how communities across New Hampshire are leveraging outdoor assets to support local economies and community well‑being.

Activities and Learning Approach

Every session runs from 9:00 AM–3:00 PM and includes:

  • A local walking field trip showcasing trails, riverwalks, parks, or redevelopment sites
  • Guest speakers and panel discussions featuring municipal leaders, planners, and practitioners
  • Hands‑on activities that help participants apply concepts to their own communities
  • Networking and cohort-building, including lunch with peers from across the state

The Academy’s cohort model emphasizes relationship‑building, shared learning, and practical takeaways that participants can bring back to their municipalities and organizations.

Pilot Program Communities

The 2026 Academy is hosted by three New Hampshire communities actively shaping their outdoor economies:

  • Nashua – featuring trails, open space access, and the city’s new riverwalk
  • Penacook – highlighting downtown revitalization, riverfront redevelopment, and reclamation projects
  • Plymouth – addressing hazard mitigation planning and riverside community design
Hexagonal badge graphic representing participation in Outdoor Economy Academy, featuring a navy blue center with white text and a shield logo marked "NH." Outer hexagon border is gray with the word "PARTICIPATION" in white along the top edge, emphasizing achievement or involvement.

Each location serves as a living classroom, offering participants a firsthand look at local strategies, challenges, and successes.

A UNH Microcredential via a digital badge from the University of New Hampshire is awarded to participants upon completion of all three sessions. 

  • A small urban river with a low dam and waterfall flowing through a town with buildings and a church steeple in the background. The scene includes greenery along the riverbanks, a pedestrian walkway on the left, and a bridge crossing the river near the center.

    Nashua River in Nashua, New Hampshire. Credit: Barrows

Session 1 – May 14, Nashua, NH

The first session of the Academy, hosted by the City of Nashua, New Hampshire, focuses on access to trails and open spaces, and includes a tour of the new riverwalk in Nashua. 

Nashua City Hall Auditorium 
229 Main Street
Nashua, NH 03060
https://maps.app.goo.gl/9uUENwKAs9XX2Nhx6

Key agenda items:

  • Outdoor Economy Academy overview
  • Outdoor Economy in NH introduction
  • Panel discussion: Accessible trails & open spaces support a vibrant economy
  • Facilitated group discussion
  • Tour – Nashua riverwalk and mills

Jim Donchess, City of Nashua Mayor
Matt Frye, UNH Associate Clinical Professor Recreation Management and Policy
Joanne Globe, Nature Conservancy Great Bay Program Manager
Liz Hannum, City of Nashua Economic Development Director
Jay Minkarah, Nashua Regional Planning Commission Executive Director
Sue Cagle, UNH Extension Field Specialist Community & Economic Development Grafton County
John Christ, UNH Extension State Specialist Community & Economic Development Merrimack County
Jada Lindblom, UNH Extension State Specialist Community & Economic Development 
Emma Tutein, UNH Extension Field Specialist Natural Resources and Land Conservation

  • A paved walking path in a park area with a stone bench on the left and a black metal fence on the right. Background includes residential buildings, a church steeple, and a gazebo under a partly cloudy sky.

    Canal Street Riverfront Park along the Contoocook River in Penacook, New Hampshire. Credit: Shannon Rogers

Session 2 - May 21, Penacook, NH

The second session of the Academy, hosted by the Village of Penacook explores downtowns, rivers, and redevelopment/reclamation, with a tour of a new riverside park and development. 

United Church of Penacook
21 Merrimack Street
Penacook, NH 03303
https://maps.app.goo.gl/SgGYXFPAYqu6uk6b6

Key agenda items: 

  • Welcome to Penacook
  • Plan for the day
  • Panel discussion: Revitalization of downtown and the outdoors
  • Facilitated group discussion
  • Walking tour of riverside park and development

Tom Aspell, Concord City Manager
Kellee Jo Easler, Boscawen Planning & Community Development Director
Beth Fensternmacher, Concord Director of Special Projects & Strategic Initiatives
David Gill, Concord Parks & Recreation Director
Jonathan Hutchins, Owner, Williams & Sons Coffee
Janel Lawton, NH BEA Director Outdoor Recreation Industry Development
Michael Tardiff, Executive Director, Central NH Regional Planning Commission
Brent Todd, Concord City Councilor/Penacook Village Association President
Sue Cagle, UNH Extension Field Specialist Community & Economic Development Grafton County
John Christ, UNH Extension State Specialist Community & Economic Development Merrimack County

  • A calm river flowing through a forested area under a partly cloudy sky. Green trees line both banks, with power lines crossing above the river and hills visible in the background.

    Pemigewasset River in Plymouth, New Hampshire. Credit: Weik

Session 3 - June 4, Plymouth, NH

The third session of the Academy, hosted by the Town of Plymouth focuses on hazard mitigation and resilience with a downtown and riverside tour. 

Center Lodge, Granite Room
Plymouth State University
10 Merril Street
Plymouth, NH 03264
https://maps.app.goo.gl/e4Xpp3tCiGTcwVLJA

Key agenda items:

  • Welcome to Plymouth
  • Panel presentation: Hazard mitigation and resilience
  • Facilitated group discussion
  • Riverside tour
  • Resource panel
  • Table discussion

Janel Lawton, NH BEA Director Outdoor Recreation Industry Development
Joseph Perez, Plymouth Director of Planning & Development
Tyler Ray, Founder/Director Granite Outdoor Alliance
Maddie Smith, UNH Adjunct Faculty Recreation Management and Policy
Lisa Wise, NH Sea Grant & UNH Extension State Specialist Coastal Resilience
Presenter TBD, NH Small Business Development Center 
Presenter TBD, Northern Borders Regional Commission
Sue Cagle, UNH Extension Field Specialist Community & Economic Development Grafton County
Scott Slattery, UNH Extension Field Specialist Community & Economic Development Hillsborough County

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