HADLEY — Two canoes circling Lake Warner in North Hadley on a mild and sunny Wednesday morning provided a chance for those on board to paddle the 70-acre pond and appreciate the sights and sounds of the area, from fish swimming through the water to birds flying overhead, and even a large snake briefly coming onto the lawn next to the boat launch.

Adventure East, a Sunderland business owned and founded by Brian Pearson of Hadley, coordinated the journey on the pond, illustrating to state and local officials how outdoor recreation gets people in touch with nature and wildlife, and serves as a year-round economic driver, from spring boating and summer outdoor yoga to fall hiking and winter snowshoeing.

“The real opportunity was doing something local,” Pearson said of creating the five-year-old outdoor recreation business. “The idea was to expose people to what’s in their backyard, and tap into the large tourism economy.”

Just as important for Pearson is that several of the 30 employees on staff are graduates of or students in the Adventure Education program at Greenfield Community College, and other guides are trained through state workforce training funds.

Among those on one of the canoes, and seeing firsthand economic development beyond manufacturing, education and health care, was the state’s Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Lauren Jones, beginning her day at Lake Warner as part of the ongoing MassHire 250 Workforce Innovation Tour.

“This is a unique experience to see what it takes to grow an industry,” Jones said, pointing to the critical relationships with the MassHire Franklin Hampshire Workforce Board, local chambers of commerce, the regional tourism councils, businesses and the community college.

“For me to be able to do my job, and do it well, it takes collaboration,” Jones said.

Jones said there are longstanding opportunities for outdoor recreation to help build the workforce, observing that in celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States, and the role Massachusetts played in the founding of the country, she is looking to revolutionize innovation to grow the workforce.

Vince Jackson, the executive director of the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce and the Hampshire Regional Tourism Council, appreciated Jones participating in the event.

“Secretary Jones being here, it’s good for the chamber members and businesses in the community,” Jackson said. “It reflects on how well we’re doing with workforce development, where the challenges are and where the opportunities are. It’s a really different kind of experience for her to come here.”

Jackson points out that the region benefits from $330 million in tourism, $30 million in earnings and over 3,800 jobs tied to it. “It’s huge and important to economic vitality in the region,” Jackson said.

Understanding this, Jackson and Jessye Deane, executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and Regional Tourism Council, put together an outdoors-focused website for the region, wmassoutdoors.com.

Pearson said the support he has received, including putting together a film for Tom Richardson at “Explore New England” and also being part of the Boston Outdoor Expo, are happening because Adventure East is seen as important to economic development.

Deane said economic development momentum takes partnerships, strategic investment and planning and that outdoor recreation can be a full economic strategy on its own. She pointed to Berkshire East ski area in Charlemont being busier than ever during the pandemic.

Outdoor recreation and associated tourism has tremendous growth potential, said Sarah Wilson, executive director of the MassHire Franklin Hampshire Workforce Board, “It’s an area we’ve really wanted to focus on,” Wilson said.

Alex Carley, dean of Workforce Development at Greenfield Community College, said a microcosm of partnerships is prioritizing outdoor recreation and leadership as growth opportunities for jobs.

The message the college wants to get out is that professionals are ready to enter the field after getting their education there, said Bob Tremblay, who chairs Greenfield Community College’s Outdoor Leadership department. “Our graduates are as qualified to work in the outdoor industry as anyone,” Tremblay said.

Before going out onto the water, which Pearson noted is one of oldest mill ponds in Massachusetts and predates the country’s founding by another century, participants gathered in a circle. Ami Jean Aubin, director of education and wellness for Adventure East, spoke of the health, wellness and community, and joy in nature, before each person introduced themselves. She called the circle “the perfect shape for human communication.”

This was followed by instructions on using the paddles and properly wearing life jackets to keep everyone safe while out on the 30-minute paddle tour.

Nick Ruggiero, spokesman for Labor and Workforce Development, said that since Gov. Maura Healey asked each of her secretaries to develop ideas for highlighting the 250th anniversary, with Jones and her team planning tours across the state. Jones is spotlighting “workforce innovation in the spirit of revolution.”

Jones was expected to be at the Picknelly Adult & Family Education Center in Holyoke and also at Holyoke Media later in the day.

Earlier in May, Jones was in Lowell to announce $22.68 million for the YouthWorks program across the state for this summer, with $500,000 going to engage 170 youths in Hampshire and Franklin counties and close to $3 mil lion to engage 903 youths in Hampden County.