Our Approach
Outdoor recreation is the foundation.
In the destinations where TIS works, trails, public lands, waterways, and scenic corridors are the economic engine, the cultural identity, and the reason people choose to live, visit, and invest.
The relationship between outdoor assets and community outcomes is not automatic. Some destinations need to manage growth. Others need to build toward it. Both require the same discipline: investing in the connections between assets, communities, and economies.
Outdoor Economy Development
From outdoor asset to community value
Most communities invest in outdoor recreation infrastructure. Fewer invest in the systems that convert it into lasting economic benefit. TIS evaluates readiness across the full chain and builds strategies that move communities from asset investment to economic return.
Destination Stewardship
The systems that sustain
Does the destination have the systems to sustain what it is building? TIS designs stewardship frameworks, conducts evaluations against internationally recognized standards, and develops programming that embeds stewardship into how destinations operate and make decisions.
TIS Impact Modeling
Every TIS engagement, regardless of scope or subject, moves through a five-phase process grounded in community intelligence. The model is designed to produce systems that partners can operate, adapt, and build on after the engagement concludes.
1 Set the
Vision
Define a shared understanding of purpose and align partners around priorities, responsibilities, and outcomes.
2 Assess the Destination
Map infrastructure, visitor behavior, resource pressures, assets, and community conditions to identify risks, gaps, and opportunities.
3 Build the Playbook
Develop action plans, governance structures, and decision frameworks tailored to the destination's capacity, assets, and goals.
4 Activate and Implement
Support partners with tools, training, messaging, and step-by-step guidance to put plans into daily practice.
5 Measure and Improve
Track what is working, revisit what is not, and create a process for ongoing learning, adaptation, and accountability.