Stronger together: How collaboration is fueling Maine’s outdoor economy
A backpacker on the Appalachian Trail between Caratunk and Monson. PHOTO: BRIAN THRELKELD
By Saisie Moore
Photos by Jo Sorrell Photography, unless otherwise noted.
IN E.B. WHITE’S 1941 essay Once More to the Lake, the writer and Brooklin resident evoked a timeless picture of Maine: “Summertime, oh summertime, pattern of life indelible, the fade proof lake, the woods unshatterable, the pasture with the sweet fern and the juniper forever and ever.” The woods and waters that inspired White still define Maine’s identity as a place of rugged adventure and escape.
The team behind Maine Outdoor Brands, “MOB” for short, inherently understands the power of this identity. Founded in 2017, the non-profit alliance comprises a collective of outdoor-focused product, service and retail brands. More than just a trade group, MOB exists to champion the state’s buoyant outdoor recreation industry. Through strategic marketing efforts, education and targeted advocacy at state and federal levels, MOB strives to center Maine’s outdoor industry at the heart of policy and public interest. The rising tide elevates its 200 members.
The idea that would become MOB first sparked among a group of Maine business owners one evening during the biannual Outdoor Retailer trade show in 2017, then hosted in Salt Lake City. That initial gathering included representatives from L.L.Bean, Flowfold and Blaze Partners. Inspired to forge strong connections in their industry upon their return, the ragtag team convened with other outdoor brands and Maine’s Department of Economic and Community Development to turn MOB from an idea into reality. By the end of the year, the organization totalled 50 members.
Jenny Kordick, executive director since 2019, recalls that time as an exciting period of actualization in the outdoor industry. “States around the country started forming Offices of Outdoor Recreation,” she recalls. Maine launched its own department in 2018, supported by advocacy from MOB. “At that same time, the Bureau of Economic Analysis started measuring the outdoor sector’s economic contributions. We learned Maine was one of the top states in the country in the value that outdoor recreation adds to our state’s economy!”
MOB Collaboration of the Year winners, Outdoor Access Solutions & Maine Coast Heritage Trust.
Vacationland has long traded in its outdoor appeal to attract visitors from far and wide. Since the “Rusticators” of the late 1800s and the stratospheric rise of Leon Leonwood Bean’s original boot store in 1912, Maine’s identity is inexorably tied to its rugged landscape.
“While we had a strong cluster of outdoor companies and world-class outdoor recreation experiences here, we didn’t have the recognition and intention at the state level to really think about the future of this important sector,” Kordick says. “We knew we needed to band together and tell the stories of not only the economic impact but also the innovation happening in the industry and how our sector could help the state attract and retain a younger workforce.”
Maine’s outdoor recreation industry supports more than 32,000 jobs, approximately 5% of the state’s workforce. MOB’s website hosts a job board of outdoor-specific vacancies, ranging from outdoor expedition leaders to island caretakers.
The MOB team will hit the road this summer to showcase both Maine brands and the “brand” of Maine itself at B2B trade shows across the nation. To connect directly with consumers, the group launched the MOB Web Shop in 2025, a one-stop shop for everything from apparel and technical gear to outdoorsinspired art. With products from 25 member brands, shoppers can discover new names in cutting-edge outdoor gear while supporting local entrepreneurs and makers. Browse items as diverse as a hickory-handled “Belt Axe” by Brant & Cochran, a sailcloth card holder from Flowfold, and dark chocolate granola from Grandy Organics. A portion of every sale supports the work of Maine Outdoor Brands.
MOB members touring Brant & Cochran ax makers in South Portland.
An engineer at Sterling Rope teaches MOB members part of the process of making some of the best climbing ropes in the world.
In less than a decade, MOB has gone from 50 members to a collective of 200 industry-leading brand names. In the coming decade, it has its sights set on a wider goal. In 2024, the organization helped spearhead a 10-year plan to bolster Maine’s $3.4 billion outdoor recreation economy, in partnership with Maine’s Office of Outdoor Recreation, the University of Maine, Maine’s Bureau of Parks and Lands, Maine Technology Institute, and the Maine Marine Trades Association.
MOES attendees at a Maine Outdoor Film Festival screening of Maine-based outdoor film makers.
“The roadmap, aligned with the visions and goals of various statewide initiatives, underscores two essential themes: Collaboration and Assurance,” said Jeff McCabe, director of the Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation. “By working in partnership and strategically aligning our efforts, we can preserve, enhance and expand Maine’s assets and amplify the benefits of outdoor recreation.”
Since the launch, MOB has already charted promising signs of development. Among them: Grants for multi-use trail projects in all 16 counties across Maine; the expansion of BIPOC-led outdoorfocused organizations, supported by the Outdoor Equity Fund; and the creation of First Tracks, a brand new “snow show” at Thompson’s Point to promote winter-focused brands and experiences (launching December 2026). And just this spring, the Maine Legislature passed further funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
This upward momentum has even been captured at a federal level. Recent reports by the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis reveal that Maine’s outdoor recreation industry generated $3.9 billion in 2024, accounting for 4% of the state’s GDP. According to the report, the sector’s value has almost doubled since 2012, with the pandemic years contributing significant momentum. Economic growth leaped more than 19% between 2020 and 2021.
These figures indicate the future is rosy for Maine’s outdoor industries and, by extension, the people who get to benefit from a wealth of outdoor guides, activity outfitters and innovations in Maine-made products. While more people enjoying Maine’s great outdoors is a net-positive outcome, the pandemic years exposed the impacts of unsupported growth on our public lands. “During the pandemic, we saw a huge surge in people spending time outdoors,” Kordick says. “As that participation spiked, we also had challenges. We saw crowded trailheads and an increased need for basic amenities like bathrooms and signage or information on how to recreate responsibly.” To grow the industry sustainably, without overburdening its natural resources and infrastructure, Kordick emphasizes the need for continued investment and education efforts.
A portion of the product showcase at this year's Maine Outdoor Economy Summit.
Maine Outdoor Economy Summit (MOES) attendee heading into the last day of the conference.
Naturally, a stronger outdoor industry demands a larger outdoor workforce. In the race to attract and develop talent, Maine will have to remain competitive with states like California, Montana and Florida. A 2021 MOB member survey revealed that 70% of respondents had struggled to fill open positions. The research also indicates that half of all new hires to the industry are under the age of 35. In 2025 MOB launched an advisory board with the mission to support its members’ workforce needs. “The work [it] will tackle is important not only for our industry, but also the entire state, as we look to attract and retain a younger workforce,” Kordick announced in a press release. She recognizes the importance of developing a passion for outdoor pursuits among Gen Z and Gen Alpha that could translate into future professional engagement.
Maine Outdoor Brands operates at the intersection of identity and industry, leveraging what makes Maine unique—its landscapes, heritage and craftsmanship—and translating that into opportunity. As Kordick asserts: “Outdoor recreation is not just a cornerstone of our economy, it is the heart of Maine’s economy.”
