Natural resources are still the foundation of the Rockies region economy even as it has shifted from extraction-based activities to recreation and tourism.
Archives for 2019
Non-Labor Income in the Rural West
Non-labor income can have an outsized effect on communities in the rural West with a large share of public lands.
Public Lands, Place, and Quality of Life
To assess the value of public lands, we must analyze the full array of what matters to people and consider the activities they pursue.
Demographic Dynamics in Public Lands Counties, 1990-2016
Counties with public lands today tend to have larger, more diverse, and slightly older populations.
Shopping for Wolves: Using Nonmarket Valuation to Inform Conservation Decisions
Nonmarket valuation tools have evolved over time and are now relied upon for important policy decisions and litigation.
Valuing Protected Public Lands
As we work to protect wildlands, we must also ensure that amenity-led growth benefits a wide range of people and builds community.
The Evolution of Economic Analysis of Public Land Management
Advances in economic valuation methods have improved public lands management.
The Original Purpose of Federal Lands
Federally managed public lands were originally intended to provide and protect public goods and services while constraining commercial activities.
Community Resilience and the Third West in Transition
In the face of overwhelming transition, local institutions can make a critical difference in rural community resilience.
Getting Real About Rural Resilience
Rural and isolated communities face wrenching economic and demographic transitions. A solution to uncertainty is to focus on resilience.
Newsletter: April 2019
Our latest newsletter contains research on Bandelier National Monument, the benefits of trails, timber statistics, and GDP by county. Subscribe to our newsletter.
Trails Research and Searchable Benefits Library
Updated: Headwaters Economics compiled 144 trails research studies on the impacts of trails in a single library, searchable by type of benefit, use, year, and region.
Commercial Activities on National Forests
Updated: Headwaters Economics produced two interactive maps to show the range of commercial activities on National Forests at the Forest, state and forest region levels.
High County GDP No Guarantee of Growth
High worker productivity occurs across diverse counties and sectors but is not always connected with population growth and opportunity.
Redesignating Bandelier National Monument as a National Park
Study on the economic impacts of redesignating Bandelier National Monument as a National Park with case studies of other Monuments converted to National Parks.
Coal Transition in Montrose County, Colorado
New fiscal and policy assessments help local leaders understand their exposure to declining revenue and policy barriers during a coal transition.
How Outdoor Recreation Supports Rural Economic Development
Investing in outdoor recreation is one of several strategies that can help rural communities thrive in a changing economy.
Newsletter: February 2019
Our latest research, Newsletter: February 2019, contains research on neighborhoods at risk from climate change, how recreation counties outperform their peers economically, detailed socioeconomic profiles for counties near BLM units, and a blog on land use planning being more effective than logging to reduce wildfire disasters. Subscribe to our newsletter.
Land Use Planning More Effective Than Logging to Reduce Wildfire Risk
Updated: For communities land use planning is more effective than logging on federal lands to reduce future wildfire disasters.
Recreation Counties Attract New Residents and Higher Incomes
Recreation counties, especially in non-metro places, draw new residents and have higher incomes and faster earnings growth than places without recreation.