Talk about Southern Ohio and its natural beauty and the first thing that comes up is always Wayne National Forest and the Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area.

The Wayne in Southern Ohio celebrated its 75th anniversary last week, marking a significant milestone for Ohio’s only national forest and a true gem for the region.

The Wayne truly adds to the appeal of Lawrence County and Southern Ohio, attracting visitors from across the East Coast and beyond.

Developing this natural asset will be key to Southern Ohio’s potential for a tourism industry.

Much has been done in recent years at Vesuvius including a variety of improvements to the campgrounds, the boat ramp, the boardwalk and the recreation area’s facilities.

Still, we would like to see the Wayne and area business development agencies do more to promote what the national forest has to offer.

A strong marketing campaign combined with spinoff growth in business development could inject significant life into the regional tourism industry.

The Wayne National Forest has come a long way in the past 7 1/2 decades and the future looks bright for many years to come.