Local Outdoor Business Leaders Applaud New Report Showing Positive Impacts of Quiet Recreation on Northern California’s Economy
Leaders in the outdoor business and recreation community are applauding a new report about the economic contribution that quiet recreation has on Northern California’s economy. Non-motorized (quiet) recreation activities like camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, hunting and mountain biking on public lands are a significant economic driver in local communities near where the recreation activities take place according to a new study by the independent firm ECONorthwest.
The report titled “Quiet Recreation on BLM-Managed Lands in Northwest California” shows that in 2015 the just over 1 million quiet recreation visits to Northern California’s BLM lands generated $41.2 million in direct spending within 50 miles of the recreation sites. These dollars then circulated through the state economy, resulting in $50.2 million in employees’ salaries, wages and benefits. The study shows 570 California jobs are supported locally as a result of quiet recreation visits to BLM Land.
The report comes as the BLM’s Redding and Arcata Field Offices are developing a combined draft resources management plan, which includes 396,000 acres of public land. This report is the first ever to quantify both the amount of quiet recreation and the spending associated with quiet recreation specifically on BLM lands in this region of California. Outdoor industry leaders have taken notice and are emphasizing the importance of striking the right balance within the resource management plan when it comes to quiet recreation.
“People flock to Northern California for our pristine rivers, spectacular views, and endless recreational opportunities. Our public lands provide something for everyone, and this study demonstrates what my family has known for a long time — that our recreation economy is key to the survival of our local communities,” said Aaron Ostrom, co-owner of outdoor recreation store Pacific Outfitters, “Over a million visits a year for quiet recreation on Northern California’s BLM lands shows just how important these places are for camping, hunting, fishing, biking and boating. In order to foster this key part of our local economy, we need to care for these places and see the connection that stewardship of these places has on our local businesses.”
“These numbers of visits on Northern California’s BLM lands per year and the resulting positive impact on our local economies is testament to the critical economic benefit these lands provide” said Jim Mullins, Executive Director / CEO, Mt. Shasta Chamber of Commerce and Visitors’ Bureau and Board Member of the Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association. “Without a recreation economy, the town of Mt. Shasta quite literally could not exist and these BLM lands are a key component of that.”
Researchers calculated the local economic contribution (jobs and income) generated by spending visitors who engaged in “quiet” recreation on BLM lands managed by the Arcata and Redding Field Offices. They based their calculations on 2015 visitation data from the BLM and spending data from the National Visitor Use Monitoring program. The study was commissioned by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
