economic impacts

The Economics of the War on Weeds on Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front

Sep 28, 2010

Weeds cost Montana economically by reducing farm and ranch productivity, degrading water quality, depressing wildlife numbers, and threatening outdoor recreation.

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Recreation Economic Impact Tool (REIT)

Dec 23, 2009

The majority of individuals that visit our national forests participate in quiet, nature based forms of recreation such as hiking, camping, bird watching, and fishing. These same quiet recreationists provide a significant source of revenue for local businesses when they spend money during their visit. It’s important that land managers consider the economic consequences of decisions that they make — such as approving a timber harvest or constructing a dirt bike trail — may result in the displacement of quiet recreationists.

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The economics of protecting wilderness

Aug 5, 2010

Peter Metcalf, CEO of the outdoor gear vendor Black Diamond Equipment, wrote an op-ed in the Salt Lake Tribune explaining the connection between public lands and economic opportunity. Metcalf provides evidence that far from preventing job growth, protecting wilderness actually helps spur and sustain it.

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Take care when underestimating the value of forests

Jan 13, 2010

A troubling recent report from the National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO) claims that private forestland contributes more to state economies than public land. NAFO draws this conclusion by ignoring most of the diverse economic values derived from public forestland.

For Montana, the NAFO report claims that each acre of private forestland adds $570 to annual gross domestic product compared to $190 for a public acre. The NAFO claim should be troubling to Montanans because of the high profile Montana Legacy Project.

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