Chris MehlChris has extensive communications and public policy experience on issues facing towns, cities, and counties across the country. In addition to being the Policy Director at Headwaters Economics, Chris also serves as the elected Deputy Mayor of Bozeman. He previously worked as Press Secretary for several Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Chris holds a B.A. from Dartmouth College and greatly enjoys the hiking, cross country skiing, and outdoor opportunities available in the northern Rockies.
— 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.
read moreof City Trails: Improving Equitable Access— 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.
read moreof Newsletter: June 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.
read moreof Newsletter: May 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.
read moreof Newsletter: April 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.
read moreof Newsletter: February 2018— 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.
read moreof Newsletter: December 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.
read moreof Newsletter: November 2017
— Understanding your local economy and how it compares to peers is a crucial part of community and economic development.
read moreof Know Your Economy: Tools for Every Community— Our latest research on best practices to fund state outdoor recreation, Montana's economy, Taos and wildfire, and blog commentary from staff.
read moreof Newsletter: September 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.
read moreof Newsletter: August 2017
— 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.
read moreof The Economic Importance of National Monuments to Communities— 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.
read moreof Newsletter: July 2017
— 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.
read moreof Rural Economic Development in Lincoln, Montana— 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.
read moreof Newsletter: June 2017
— Assess the UPDATED trends and performance of four key economic indicators in communities adjacent to national monuments: population, employment, personal income, and per capita income.
read moreof National Monuments: Economic Performance Before and After Designation— 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.
read moreof Newsletter: April 2017
— 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.
read moreof Why the Rural West Matters— Our latest research on the value of federal public lands, manufacturing in the West, economic data and trends for communities, and government employment's role in local economies.
read moreof Newsletter: February 2017— Our latest research on oil & natural gas taxes, the value of public and protected lands, communities utilizing land use planning to reduce wildfire risks and costs, trail use in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and migration patterns across the American West.
read moreof Newsletter: December 2016— Our latest research on dam removal benefits, Taos trails and access, socioeconomic data for every National Forest community, commercial activities on National Forests, and our newest staffer Kelly Pohl.
read moreof Newsletter: November 2016 — Many people talk about trails and quality of life, but how do we measure and obtain it?
read moreof Trails and the Elusive Quality of Life— Our latest research on dam removal benefits, Taos trails and access, socioeconomic data for every National Forest community, commercial activities on National Forests, and our newest staffer Kelly Pohl.
read moreof Newsletter: August and November 2016— Our latest research showing the economic impact of every National Park Service unit, ways to reform wildlife refuge payments to local governments, an improved trails library, and a survey of the value of trails in Bonner County, Idaho.
read moreof Newsletter: May 2016 — Updated tools, research, and studies on the benefit of trails to communities and local citizens.
read moreof Measuring the Benefit of Trails to Communities— Our latest research showing the new tool: Populations at Risk (PAR); the Economic Profile System (EPS); and our new Associate Director, Patty Gude.
read moreof Newsletter: April 2016— Our latest research on communities threatened by wildfire, the West's economy, trail and pathway use in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and a report on planning for Montana's energy transition.
read moreof Newsletter: March 2016
— Explore the West’s economy, regional performance, and what is driving economic growth.
read moreof West’s Economy Outperforming Rest of United States— Our latest research on federal lands in the rural West, land use planning to reduce wildfire risk, and a paper from ten wildfire experts to inform future policy decisions.
read moreof Newsletter: February 2016— Our latest research on the Three Wests, the impacts of federal royalty rate reforms on coal and natural gas, home construction in Montana, and our newest staffer: Janet Clark.
read moreof Newsletter: December 2015 — Understanding the local economy, and how it compares to peers, is a crucial part of smart community and economic development. Several new tools, utilizing the latest data (through 2014), now are available for every county in the nation.
read moreof Know Your Economy: Economic Tools Updated for Every County — Understanding what drives the local economy is crucial to smart community and economic development. This map provides detailed socioeconomic reports for every county.
read moreof One Click: Socioeconomic Reports for Every County — In the West today, what economic sectors are driving the economy and make up the growing workforce?
read moreof The West Today: What Sectors Drive the Economy?— Our latest research on the benefits of LWCF, home construction in the High Divide region, commercial activities on National Forests, and our newest staffer: Kimiko Barrett.
read moreof Newsletter: September 2015— Our latest research on the updated EPS, economic impacts of National Park Service units, better planning to reduce wildfire risk, the latest county payments and projections, and the new website.
read moreof Newsletter: June 2015— Our latest research on federal coal royalty reform, reducing wildfire threats, trail user surveys, and Bonner County, Idaho's resilient economy.
read moreof Newsletter: May 2015— Our latest research on trails, the economic value of public lands in Grand County, Utah, economic development opportunities in Wheeler County, Oregon, and climate impacts in the Great Lakes region.
read moreof Newsletter: April 2015
— This updated report analyzes the economic value of public lands in Grand County, Utah and the important role that these lands play for local businesses and the well-being of the region’s economy.
read moreof The Economic Value of Public Lands in Grand County, Utah— Our latest research on county payments, federal coal royalties, Montana's economy and its public lands, and the economic opportunities in the Blackfoot River watershed.
read moreof Newsletter: March 2015 — A sample of research and free tools available to help communities better understand the potential socioeconomic impacts of climate change.
read moreof Understanding Climate Change Impacts on Cities, Counties, and National Forest Regions— Our latest research on migration and population trends in the West, the Tongass Transition Framework, the need for a Natural Resources Trust, and the impact of the federal budget on county payments.
read moreof Newsletter: December 2014 — Getting the economics right is important for communities to compete in a modern economy. We've created a number of tools to help rural, western communities better understand current trends as well as the role of the nearby National Forest or other public lands.
read moreof Getting the Economics Right: Communities, National Forests, and Local Development Decisions— Our latest research on reducing wildfire risk to communities, monitoring the impact of fracking on communities, lessons for wildfire from the federal flood programs, and how renewable energy tax benefits vary widely among rural counties.
read moreof Newsletter: November 2014— Our latest research on National Monuments, commercial activities on National Forests, the economic impact of National Parks, and using an index to target county payments.
read moreof Newsletter: July 2014— Our latest research on Firewise and suppression costs, case studies of how western communities respond to wildfire risk, the economic impact of National Park Service units, and measuring the restoration economy.
read moreof Newsletter: April 2014
— This study reviews how western communities are addressing wildfire risk, how they have responded to recent major fires, and useful lessons and public policy insights for the future.
read moreof Local Responses to Wildfire Risks Are Limited— Our latest research on the importance of non-labor income in the West, unconventional oil revenues, and free socioeconomic reports with details on every U.S. county.
read moreof Newsletter: March 2014— Our latest research on our Economic Profile System and recent updates.
read moreof Newsletter: January 2014— Our latest research on the economic impact of long-term energy development, an interactive atlas of the West's economy, winners and losers from proposed county payments reforms, North Dakota's oil revenue sharing program, and the economic potential of the Owyhee Canyonlands in Malheur County, Oregon.
read moreof Newsletter: December 2013— Our latest research on climate impacts in the Great Lakes region, using tools to determine vulnerability to climate change, understanding income from National Forests, and why state tax policy matters.
read moreof Newsletter: Fall 2013— Our latest research on the rising cost of wildfires, an interactive atlas on the climate and economy of the Great Northern Landscape region, testimony before the U.S. Senate on county payments, and updated timber cut and sold reports.
read moreof Newsletter: June 2013
— This interactive website was created to help inform conservation goals and actions with knowledge of the geography and people in this unique region. Visit the Great Northern Landscape Conservation Cooperative website for more information.
read moreof Atlas of the Great Northern Landscape Conservation Cooperative— Our latest research on the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), an interactive map on how protected public lands impact per capita income, policy on energy transmission, and the economic potential for a new Maine National Park.
read moreof Newsletter: Winter 2013
— Map-Based Navigation of Employment, Income, and Industry Charts for the Eleven Western States
read moreof West Is Best: Interactive
— This report analyzes the Front’s land, people, and economy, how the region has changed in important ways during the past several decades, and the potential impact of the proposed Rocky Mountain Heritage Act on the Front.
read moreof Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front— Our newsletter on how the price of fighting forest fires has been increasing substantially, costing taxpayers billions every year.
read moreof Wildland Fire: Climate Change and Housing Growth Could Double the Cost of Protecting Homes from Wildfires
— This report examines how investments in conservation and restoration provide both an immediate return through employment and revenue and help promote long-term economic growth that extends far beyond tourism.
read moreof The Economic Benefits of Southern New Mexico’s Natural Assets— Newsletter on updates to the Economic Profile System is a free, easy-to-use software application that produces detailed socioeconomic profiles.
read moreof Economic Profile System: Making Better Economic and Land Management Decisions
— This report, a first step toward understanding how paving rural roads impacts land use, reviewed eight projects in western Montana
read moreof Land Use Effects of Paving Rural Roads
— This report examines how residential development adds to the costs of fighting wildfires, using Montana as a case study.
read moreof Montana Wildfire Cost Study- Technical Report
— Our newsletter on how more and more people are building homes in the western "wildland urban interface," the forested areas where housing borders undeveloped public lands.
read moreof Home Development on Fire-Prone Lands