Appalachian Trail Conservancy funds InCompass Council in support of outdoor recreation equity and inclusion

May 12, 2021 - Jackson City, Tenn. - The Northeast Tennessee Regional Economic Partnership (NETREP) has received $5,000 from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Tag Grant to support diversity, equity, and inclusion in outdoor recreation.

“The InCompass Council seeks to remove barriers to entry into outdoor recreation for people who identify as underserved and underrepresented in Northeast Tennessee,” said Kayla Carter, NETREP Outdoor Development Manager.

The InCompass Council is part of NETREP”s Outdoor Coalition, which is a component of the organization’s Outdoor Development Program.

“We have hired a summer part-time coordinator, Robel Scott-Poe, and will purchase supplies for community-based inquiries and listening sessions,” said Carter. “The sessions will be designed as listening sessions in order to identify any barriers people in the community face with regard to outdoor recreation access and safety.”

The goal of the InCompass Council is to create a safe space for underserved and underrepresented individuals to come together in solidarity and advocacy for equity in outdoor recreation access and experiences in Northeast Tennessee. The InCompass Council seeks input from historically underserved and underrepresented populations in Northeast Tennessee, which may include, but are not limited to: LGBTQ+, BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of color), veterans, at-risk youth, and persons with physical and mental disabilities.

“The positive impact that the InCompass Council will have is that more people will feel welcome, safe, and confident in experiencing the great outdoors in our region,” said Poe. “We currently have 15 Council members.”

This summer, Poe will oversee the organizing of a series of in-person and virtual meetings.

“These meetings will facilitate much needed conversations and build awareness about barriers in which some people face in accessing outdoor recreation opportunities,” Carter said. “The value will be in building meaningful relationships between people, who may not know one another, through a commonality of shared love for the outdoors and welcoming others into those spaces.”

NETREP is a regional economic development organization committed to increasing the tax base and generating job growth for Washington, Carter, and Unicoi counties. NETREP formed an Outdoor Development Program in 2017 to encourage more investments in the region’s outdoor recreation industry and economy. The organization conducts activities related to traditional economic development efforts such as business expansion and recruitment, as well as community development efforts as related to talent attraction and retention.

NETREP is also responsible for the annual Meet the Mountains Festival. This event aims to bring more awareness of our region's natural capital, ways to get involved in giving back, and to boost the economy of our local outdoor recreation industry cluster.

The report generated by the InCompass Council Coordinator will help inform the Meet the Mountains Festival Planning Crew about how to make programming more equitable.

“We want everyone to feel safe and welcome on public lands and while participating in outdoor recreation activities,” said Kayla Carter, Outdoor Development Manager. “This funding not only helps us achieve that vision but builds a strong network of partners through which we can make a difference.”

You can follow progress online by following the InCompass Council at @InCompassNETN on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. For more information, please contact Robel Scott-Poe at InCompass@gmail.com.