Children (and adults!) thrive when their communities support healthy lifestyles. Outside play not only positively impacts our physical health, it improves concentration and stress levels. Regular exercise increases endorphin levels, relieves the symptoms of mild depression, and helps children develop resiliency skills that will serve them throughout their lives. Taking healthy risks during outdoor play helps children learn from their mistakes, try again, and improve.

Getting outside, and the infrastructure that supports those activities, is also a job creator. According to the Outdoor Industry Association, the out-door recreation economy directly generates 152,000 jobs in North Carolina and adds nearly six billion dollars in wages to our state.

Additionally, with the increase in teleworking and remote employment opportunities, we have a chance to attract new wage earners to our community, keeping more money circulating locally. Local amenities, the natural beauty of the outdoors, and ease of accessing both are important draws for re-mote workers. “If people can work from anywhere, they want to live somewhere nice,” commented Executive Director Heather Murphy. 

In 2019, The Health Foundation brought together a group of representatives from the towns, the county, and other agencies in Wilkes to attend a two-day workshop where they learned about the benefits of building on the natural assets in Wilkes.

We’re happy to report the Outdoor Economy Workgroup is now collaborating on the development of a county-wide plan that will map existing recreation spots and identify opportunities for future development. The cost of the comprehensive planning process is being shared between The Health Foundation, the Healthy Wilkes Action Team, the governments of the County and both Towns, the Health Department, Wilkesboro Tourism Authority, and the Economic Development Corporation.

Working with Destination by Design of Boone, the team  presented the Outdoor Action Plan to our community in April 2022. The plan has been formally adopted by the County of Wilkes and the Towns of Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro. Thanks to the comprehensive planning done during this process, Wilkes County was selected as one of five “Accelerator” communities by Made x Mtns. Focused on building outdoor communities, growing outdoor businesses, and amplifying outdoor culture, the program is designed to support Western North Carolina community leaders in better leveraging their natural assets to advance outdoor community and economic development goals.