July 7, 2026

“It's important for government to recognize outdoor recreation and access to nature as an economic driver,” said Barlow, Executive Director of Hike Nova Scotia. “Because it is.”

It’s an economy that often goes unnoticed because it doesn’t leave a pile of lumber behind. Instead, it quietly supports rural businesses, tourism operators, outdoor retailers, restaurants, and accommodations across the province – all because our unharvested forests are a part of the Nova Scotia experience.

And its economy is growing.

Barlow said Hike Nova Scotia has seen interest in hiking surge since the COVID-19 pandemic, a trend that has remained strong as more people seek out nature for recreation, fitness, and mental health. 

“When there wasn't a whole lot to do during COVID, people went outside in droves,” she said. “I actually think it's still growing.”

The numbers back her up. 

Tourism generated $3.7 billion in Nova Scotia in 2025, supporting more than 50,000 jobs across the province. Nature-based recreation plays a major role in attracting those visitors, with hiking consistently ranking among the province’s most popular outdoor activities. 

“When you've got a tourism market that looks to outdoor recreation as a key audience, hiking is in the top three activities,” Barlow said. “Outdoor tourists spend more and stay longer than other types of tourists.”

Those visitors don’t just spend money in Halifax. They travel to places like Economy Falls, Cape Chignecto, Kejimkujik, the Cape Breton Highlands, and countless community-managed trails that bring visitors into rural Nova Scotia. 

“The economic benefits behind outdoor tourism are huge,” said Barlow. “People buy the gear. They'll travel overnight to visit a beautiful trail system. You've got food, transportation, accommodation. All of that really adds up.”

For many rural communities, a healthy forest creates economic activity year after year without being harvested. 

“I think especially for rural communities, the benefits are tremendous,” she said. “Whether it's a local tour company or the local store or restaurant having more people drop by because they're visiting a local trail.”

In 2024 protected areas produced $143 million in labour income, and generated 4,000 jobs, demonstrating that conservation itself is an economic investment – not simply a cost. 

Meanwhile, the employment picture in the traditional forest sector tells a different story: direct forestry jobs have fallen from approximately 11,100 in 2004 to roughly 2,700 today. As rural communities look toward the future, standing forests are increasingly being recognized not only for what they provide ecologically, but for the diverse economic opportunities they support.

But Barlow argues the value of forests goes even deeper. 

Healthy forests encourage people to get outside, reduce stress, improve physical health and strengthen mental-well being. 

Those benefits ripple outward. People who spend time in nature are more likely to become lifelong stewards of the environment, and healthier communities place less strain on healthcare systems. 

“Studies have shown that people who spent a lot of time in nature as children grow up to engage in more environmentally positive behaviours,” Barlow said. “They also tend to want to protect and conserve natural areas more than people who didn't spend as much time in nature.”

Read more about the benefits of nature exposure

That creates a powerful cycle. Standing forests provide places for people to connect with nature. Those experiences foster appreciation and stewardship. That stewardship helps ensure forests remain healthy for future generations. 

For Barlow, the conclusion is simple: forests shouldn’t only be measured by what they produce after they’re cut down. 

“They're already producing something,” she said. 

They’re producing healthier people, thriving communities, and an outdoor economy that depends on one thing above all else: a forest that remains standing.