Millions of national park visitors generate economic opportunities for gateway communities, spending money that creates jobs and income. See the trends for every national park service unit.
West South Central
Association Between User-Generated Commuting Data and Population-Representative Active Commuting Surveillance Data—Four Cities, 2014-2015
One of the primary concerns about data from GPS tracking apps is that the users tend to be more frequent recreators or commuters and therefore do not accurately represent the actual population. This paper shows that there is a strong correlation between the reported share of people in a neighborhood commuting by active transportation between the American Community Survey (a nationally representative survey) and Strava (a GPS tracking app).
Economic and Health Benefits of Bicycling in Northwest Arkansas
In northwest Arkansas, a substantial investment in paved and unpaved trails has contributed substantially to the region’s well-being (measured in improved health) and economic performance (measured in visitor spending and employee retention). Evidenced by residents’ interest in living close to trails and willingness to pay more for homes near trails, cycling is an essential part of life in this region.
Austin Wildfire and Vulnerable Populations Tool
Identify neighborhoods where overlapping wildfire threats and socioeconomic vulnerabilities may make people disproportionately susceptible to wildfire.
The Relative Impacts of Trails and Greenbelts on Home Price
This study found that trails and greenbelts in a San Antonio, Texas neighborhood are associated with higher home values, particularly if the trails are incorporated into a greenbelt. This effect is not just for homes immediately adjacent to the trail, but for all homes in the neighborhood.
The Impact of Greenways on Property Values: Evidence from Austin, Texas; An Assessment of Tax Revenues Generated by Homes Proximate to a Greenway
The study found that neighborhoods with access to and views of the trail command higher property values, and that these higher property values generate additional tax revenue for municipal and county governments. Trails may not pay for themselves based solely on higher property tax revenue, but the likely additional revenue would offset some of the expense.
A Community-Based Approach to Promoting Walking in Rural Areas
This study found that in southeastern Missouri, public health interventions to increase residents’ trail use, such as newsletters and fun walks, had no statistically-observable effect on residents’ walking habits or physical activity. A third of those who use the trail report increased overall physical activity levels since they began using the trail, suggesting while that trails can increase community physical activity, a primary challenge is getting residents to begin using them.
Oklahoma on Oil: Big Tax Breaks and Low Returns to Local Governments
This report compares how Oklahoma provides local governments with production tax revenue from unconventional fossil fuel extraction compared to other major energy-producing states.
Texas Oil Policy: Low Taxes, No Permanent Savings to Offset Volatility
This report compares how Texas provides local governments with production tax revenue from unconventional fossil fuel extraction compared to other major energy-producing states.