State parks and the White Mountain National Forest are at the heart of New Hampshire’s tourism industry. In 2021, the state saw a 38% increase in visitors coming to see fall foliage, with a record 4.3 million visitors. This followed a record summer as well.

During the height of the pandemic in 2020, the White Mountain National Forest saw summer visitation jump more than 60%, according to research by Michael Ferguson, UNH assistant professor of recreation management and policy.

“While it was great to see so many people rediscovering the outdoors and taking advantage of recreation opportunities, it also raised questions and concerns about these already overwhelmed natural resources,” Ferguson says. During the stop, he demonstrated a new mobile phone app that encourages people to learn about natural resource protection at Echo Lake with quizzes and a treasure hunt challenge.

UNH leaders say they're looking forward to helping  tourism-dependent communities strike a healthy, sustainable balance.

"The university can provide data and guidance that can help these communities find the line between natural resource conservation, tourism and building a sustainable tax base," McCord says. "I'm really excited about the opportunity to convene groups and have these conversations."