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Commentary

Trails and the Benefits to Your Community

Authored by Megan Lawson, Ph.D. on January 5, 2016

Increasingly communities are recognizing that trails have value that extends far beyond recreation and public health.

To help local leaders, elected officials, trail users, and others better understand the benefits of trails, Headwaters Economics has updated its Trails Library with additional research on the impacts of trails, searchable by type of benefit, use, year, and region.

The goal of the Library is to help community leaders, elected officials, trail users, and others find existing research conducted in similar communities for similar trail projects, and provide credible answers to questions regarding the benefits they can anticipate from new trails.

trails research

Trails can bring a wide range of benefits to communities, including increased business, enhanced quality of life, higher property values, and improved public health.

These and other potential benefits from trails can help to justify investment in a trail project and determine whether a project meets community priorities.

Related trails research is linked to directly in the Resources box on the right side of this blog.

For the Trails Library, the 105 studies–each summarized in a two-page template–include high-quality research from across the U.S., mostly in smaller cities and rural areas.

The Library includes some of the earliest research on trails as well as the most recent. It also provides a detailed explanation of the types of benefits and methods used to calculate them.

Summary: Trails and Communities

  • Trails can generate business impacts and create new jobs by attracting visitors, especially overnight visitors.
  • Local trail users often use community trails multiple times per week, and trails are a valuable part of residents’ quality of life.
  • Trails are often associated with higher property value, especially when a trail is designed to provide neighborhood access and maintain residents’ privacy.
  • Trails are associated with increased physical activity and improved public health, especially in rural places without other safe places to exercise.

Resources

Trails Benefits Library

Trails Benefits Library Description & Summary

Teton County, WY Trails and Pathways Survey

Bonner County, Idaho’s Resilient Economy

Published on January 5, 2016Posted under Outdoor RecreationTags: Trails & Pathways

Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

  megan@headwaterseconomics.org       406.570.7475

Megan leads Headwaters Economics’ research in outdoor recreation, economic development, and demographics. She has more than 20 years’ experience as a quantitative economist analyzing policies and trends for communities, governments, and nonprofit organizations.

Related Research

Kelly Pohl Understanding the Recreation Economy on Nearby Public Lands
Teton County Trails & Pathways Survey Shows Extensive Local Use
scenic vista of Bonner County, Idaho Bonner County, Idaho’s Resilient Economy
Panoramic image of the Triple Tree Trail in Bozeman, MT Trails Research and Searchable Benefits Library

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