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.
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Newsletter: December 2018
Our latest research, Newsletter: December 2018, contains research on building wildfire-resistant homes, a trails toolkit, helping communities reduce wildfire risk through land use planning, and Montana’s outdoor recreation economy. Subscribe to our newsletter.
Newsletter: October 2018
Our latest research, Newsletter: October 2018, contains research on Austin wildfires and vulnerable populations, watershed and recreation best practices, San Luis Valley and wildfire, and diversifying Bonner County, Idaho’s economy.
City Trails: Improving Equitable Access
Urban trail efforts increasingly are focusing on providing equitable access to trails. Trails and parks can create substantial benefits for public health, property values, and quality of life.
Newsletter: June 2018
Our latest research on the economic impact of National Parks, homes in high-risk wildfire areas in Montana, updated socioeconomic reports by sector, and downloadable economic profiles for communities near National Forests.
Newsletter: May 2018
Our latest research on the full local cost of wildfires, National Monuments redesignated as National Parks, transition plans for coal communities, Gallatin County’s economy and open space, and measuring the economic impact of proposed trails.
Newsletter: April 2018
Our latest research on communities threatened by wildfires, Montana losing open space to home construction, the economic impact of trails in Whitefish, Montana, and an update to our Populations at Risk reports for any community, county, or state.
Newsletter: February 2018
Our latest research on the benefits of trails to communities, creating an endowment to provide stable federal county payments, the Taos County economy, and mapping vulnerable populations whether in Great Lakes cities or with wildfire risk in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Newsletter: December 2017
Our latest research on timber transitions, improving coal fiscal policies, planning for wildfire risk in Montana, and staff commentary on county poverty rates and youth migration in the West.
Newsletter: November 2017
Our latest research on helping communities reduce wildfire risk, the latest data and updated tools to help users better understand their economy, the West-Wide Atlas, and the Economic Profile System.
Know Your Economy: Tools for Every Community
Understanding your local economy and how it compares to peers is a crucial part of community and economic development.
Strengthening Rural Communities (slides)
Slide show: A theory of economic development in the rural West.
Newsletter: September 2017
Our latest research on best practices to fund state outdoor recreation, Montana’s economy, Taos and wildfire, and blog commentary from staff.
Newsletter: August 2017
Our latest research on the importance of non-labor income, minority populations in the rural West, assistance to communities to reduce wildfire risk, and new data showing commercial activities on National Forests.
The Economic Importance of National Monuments to Communities
This research and interactive charts show that the local economies adjacent to all 17 national monuments studied in the West expanded following the monument’s creation.
Newsletter: July 2017
Our latest research on proposed budget cuts to county payments, identifying populations at risk, comparing socioeconomic trends in Gunnison County, Colorado to adjacent counties, and rural economic development in Lincoln, Montana.
Rural Economic Development in Lincoln, Montana
Many rural western towns face economic uncertainty. This report—informed by interviews and public meetings with residents—compares Lincoln to peer communities and outlines rural economic development options building on the town’s strengths.
Newsletter: June 2017
Our latest research on the local economic importance of National Monuments, the impact of every National Park Service unit to gateway communities, and details for public lands in every county and state in the nation.
Newsletter: April 2017
Our latest research on the rural West, communities at risk from closing coal plants, improving wildfire policy to reduce risks and costs, and using the latest data to better understand the characteristics of your community—whether age, housing costs, race, poverty, or education.
Why the Rural West Matters
The rural West matters for at least three important reasons: the vitality of the region’s landscape; its impact on local, state, and national politics; and the future of the area’s people and communities.