WILDERNESS AND OTHER PROTECTED LANDS AN ECONOMIC PLUS FOR RURAL AREAS

Study refutes claims that protected lands hurt local economies

The prosperity of rural Western communities is directly tied to designated wilderness areas, national parks and other protected public lands, according to a report released this week by the Sonoran Institute.
The report, Prosperity in the 21st Century West, analyzed federal economic statistics from 400 western counties and found that new businesses, investments and residents tend to locate near public lands. The better protected those public lands are, the more they contribute to the economic well being of local families and businesses.
“The West’s pristine open spaces are among the region’s greatest economic assets,” said economist Ray Rasker, author of the study and director of the Sonoran Institute’s Socioeconomics Program. “Communities near protected lands are beautiful places to live and work; and with access to airports and an educated workforce, they have a huge competitive advantage in the global economy.”
The report findings contradict the conventional criticism that wilderness designations hurt rural western communities by “locking up” natural resources that can be mined, logged or drilled. In fact, the West’s traditional sources of income, while important for economic diversity, have only a minor role in the West’s overall cash flow. Meanwhile, public lands attract and retain well-educated, dynamic residents who demand a growing range of job-producing services. What follows are vibrant economies and thriving communities....

Go here for the full report.