Growing up in Northeast Tennessee, sometimes it’s easy to get spoiled by the surroundings.

I’m guilty of it, especially growing up. I was always the fan of going outside and taking in fresh air, but why should I do it all the time? I had video games and movies to binge, Mother Nature wasn’t going anywhere, right?

As the years go on, the appreciation of all the assets available in Northeast Tennessee, including Elizabethton and Carter County communities, continues to grow and it is a great sight to see that local leaders are noticing the importance of capitalizing on the resources right in the region.

I didn’t really think much of the outdoors from an economic/tourism perspective until roughly 2015-16 during my time with the Erwin Record.

It all started with a quick phone interview with Matt Moses from Erwin-based USA Raft. I had an interest about the Nolichucky River, but there was rarely a moment to go out and enjoy it. So when the opportunity came up to discuss the Nolichucky and an upcoming festival at the USA Raft location, I couldn’t pass it up.

Arriving at the location, it was easy to see that the river was just more than a piece of side-road scenery. What was supposed to be a quick preview interview for a festival turned into a 30-minute escapade to find parking because of the turnout at Moses’ property. And any shred of doubt I had, thinking it could be just a one-time fluke, was quickly washed away when I showed up for the festival and countless amounts of vendors, kayakers and attendees were quick to sing the praises of the event and discuss the importance of the river.

While they opened my eyes to the economic benefits “adventure tourism” could bring to the area, my time with the Elizabethton Star has continually solidified the fact that Northeast Tennessee is sitting on a goldmine thanks to Mother Nature. (We may curse her during the winter months, but she isn’t that bad.)

Look across Carter County and the benefits are always showing. Roan Mountain is flexing its economic muscle with the recent designation as an Appalachian Trail Community. From Roan Mountain State Park from hiker hostels to home-grown restaurants, the area serves as a key resource for the region.

And once you come off the mountain, the showcase continues. Watauga Lake is well-renowned for its beauty and now an initiative is underway to turn it into an outdoor sports tourism location for fishing and other types of tournaments. The model has worked for Rhea County and now the county is looking to partner with their economic development group to pursue the project locally.

A river access is now available across from Hampton High School for the Doe, thanks to the Elizabethton IDEAS Group and other leaders. Not to leave out the city, the idea of a whitewater park is continuing to pick up traction and the case hasn’t been more apparent following a standing-room-only crowd at the Bonnie Kate to discuss the possibility of a park at a location within the city. Behind Joe O’Brien Field is one of the possible locations.

Then you toss in the Tweetsie Trail, Sycamore Shoals State Park and the future Overmountain Men Victory Trail … you’re looking at resources for residents and visitors alike to enjoy.

A tip-of-the-cap is deserved for leaders for looking at different ways to help bolster the local economy. While industry is being sought after, there are constraints that seem to always pop up. Instead of sitting on the laurels, leaders are starting to look at other options when it comes to attracting people to the region.

But like any other initiative, support needs to come from residents. County and city officials are in office from your vote, and when opportunities like these start circulating to utilize outdoor resources, the voice of the public can pay dividends to help spearhead these projects.

While projects are being tossed around, one of the biggest tools for Carter County and Elizabethton is the upcoming Meet the Mountain Festival — created by Northeast Tennessee Regional Economic Partnership (NeTREP) and sponsored by Ballad Health. With an abundance of individuals expected to make their way to the region for the August event, and with the support from locals, creating events during the event to showcase resources can prove to be the step in the right direction, and maybe lead to even more economic opportunities for Elizabethton, Carter County and Northeast Tennessee as a whole.