Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke turned to a mix of motorized recreation leaders, angling companies, and lodging interests Monday in announcing members of his “Made in America” Outdoor Recreation Advisory Committee.

The committee, which he said back in November that he would form, is tasked with being a sounding board for how to improve access to national parks and other public lands. It also is expected to suggest how best to attack the National Park System's $11.6 billion maintenance backlog.

“​The Made in America Outdoor Recreation Advisory Committee is made up of the private sector’s best and brightest​ to tackle some of our biggest public lands infrastructure and access challenges​,” said Secretary Zinke in a release. “​Dating back to the early days of the National Park Service, American businesses have been helping improve the public's public land experience by doing everything from building iconic lodges like the Grand Canyon's El Tovar to the historic 'red jammers' in Glacier National Park.

"This committee will ​help build on that legacy and ​provide valuable insight into addressing the maintenance backlog on our public lands," he said. "The committee’s collective experience as entrepreneurs and business leaders provides unique insight that is often lost in the federal government. As we rebuild our nation’s infrastructure, we can continue the exponential growth of the American recreation sector, which supports millions of American jobs and bears a significant impact on our economy.”

The Interior Department release said the "members of the committee were selected for their diverse backgrounds and experiences with the recreational industry. Members will have knowledge utilizing public-private partnerships, providing recreational visitor experiences, developing and deploying infrastructure improvements, or a thorough understanding of recreational equipment."

Among the companies represented on the committee is Vista Outdoor, a Utah-based business that holds such brands as Camelbak, Blackburn, Bushnell, Bell, and Camp Chef. Other brands in its portfolio, such as GunMate, Force N Force, Savage Range Systems, M-Pro7 and other gun-related companies, prompted REI earlier this month to announce it would stop placing orders with Vista Outdoor unless it shed those brands.

"REI does not sell guns. We believe that it is the job of companies that manufacture and sell guns and ammunition to work towards common sense solutions that prevent the type of violence that happened in Florida last month. In the last few days, we’ve seen such action from companies like Dick’s Sporting Goods and Walmart and we applaud their leadership," read the REI statement issued in the wake of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting. "Companies are showing they can contribute if they are willing to lead. We encourage Vista to do just that."

Also represented on the committee is RA Outdoors, which does business as Reserve America; recreational vehicle manufacturers Newmar and TAXA Outdoors; fishing interests Bass Pro Shops, Simms Fishing Products, and the American Fly Fishing Trade Association; concessionaires Aramark Leisure and Delaware North; Kampgrounds Of America; the National Parks Hospitality Association; Choice Hotels; Yamaha Motor Corp.; Shimano American Corporation/Shimano Canada Ltd., and; the assistant secretary of parks and tourism for the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism.

The duties of the Committee are strictly advisory and will consist of, but not be limited to, providing recommendations including:

· Expand and improve visitor infrastructure developed through public-private partnerships;

· Implement sustainable operations embracing fair, efficient and convenient fee collection and strategic use of the collected fees;

· Improve interpretation using technology;

· Create better tools and/or opportunities for Americans to discover their lands and waters.