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Public Lands

  • Public Lands, Place, and Quality of Life

    Public Lands, Place, and Quality of Life

    Gundars Rudzitis

    To assess the value of public lands, we must analyze the full array of what matters to people and consider the activities they pursue. Read more

  • Demographic Dynamics in Public Lands Counties, 1990-2016

    Demographic Dynamics in Public Lands Counties, 1990-2016

    Pete Nelson

    Counties with public lands today tend to have larger, more diverse, and slightly older populations. Read more

  • Shopping for Wolves: Using Nonmarket Valuation to Inform Conservation Decisions

    Shopping for Wolves: Using Nonmarket Valuation to Inform Conservation Decisions

    John Duffield

    Nonmarket valuation tools have evolved over time and are now relied upon for important policy decisions and litigation. Read more

  • Valuing Protected Public Lands

    Valuing Protected Public Lands

    Paul Lorah

    As we work to protect wildlands, we must also ensure that amenity-led growth benefits a wide range of people and builds community. Read more

  • The Evolution of Economic Analysis of Public Land Management

    The Evolution of Economic Analysis of Public Land Management

    John Loomis

    Advances in economic valuation methods have improved public lands management. Read more

  • The Original Purpose of Federal Lands

    The Original Purpose of Federal Lands

    Ross Gorte

    Federally managed public lands were originally intended to provide and protect public goods and services while constraining commercial activities. Read more

  • Community Resilience and the Third West in Transition

    Community Resilience and the Third West in Transition

    Julia Haggerty

    In the face of overwhelming transition, local institutions can make a critical difference in rural community resilience. Read more

  • Commercial Activities on National Forests

    Commercial Activities on National Forests

    Mark Haggerty

    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. Read more

  • Redesignating Bandelier National Monument as a National Park

    Redesignating Bandelier National Monument as a National Park

    Ray Rasker, Ph.D.

    Study on the economic impacts of redesignating Bandelier National Monument as a National Park with case studies of other Monuments converted to National Parks. Read more

  • Bureau of Land Management Socioeconomic Profiles

    Bureau of Land Management Socioeconomic Profiles

    Patricia Hernandez

    Download socioeconomic reports for states and counties near Bureau of Land Management units. Read more

  • Impact of National Monuments Redesignated National Parks

    Impact of National Monuments Redesignated National Parks

    Ray Rasker, Ph.D.

    Investigating the economic effects of National Monuments redesignated National Parks, and the potential impact of converting the White Sands National Monument to a National Park. Read more

  • Endowing Federal Public Land Counties

    Endowing Federal Public Land Counties

    Mark Haggerty

    Reforming county payments by establishing a permanent Trust to fund Secure Rural Schools (SRS). Read more

  • Montana’s Economy, Public Lands, and Competitive Advantage

    Montana’s Economy, Public Lands, and Competitive Advantage

    Ray Rasker, Ph.D.

    This report summarizes Montana’s economy analyzing recent growth and what is driving its performance, including a description of how federal lands help attract people, investment, and businesses. Read more

  • The Economic Importance of National Monuments to Communities

    The Economic Importance of National Monuments to Communities

    Chris Mehl

    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 more

  • President’s Budget Proposal Cuts County Payments

    President’s Budget Proposal Cuts County Payments

    Mark Haggerty

    New analysis and interactive map show how the President’s budget proposal cuts county payments and the impact for every county in the nation. Read more

  • The Value of Public Lands

    The Value of Public Lands

    Ray Rasker, Ph.D.

    Headwaters Economics compiled a number of regional reports, case studies, tools, research library, and related news articles on the value of public lands to nearby communities. Read more

  • The Economic Value of Federal Public Lands (slides)

    The Economic Value of Federal Public Lands (slides)

    Ray Rasker, Ph.D.

    Slide show: The role of federal lands in rural development. Read more

  • Rural Communities, School Kids, and Federal Lands in the West

    Rural Communities, School Kids, and Federal Lands in the West

    Ray Rasker, Ph.D.

    While most western rural counties are aging and losing young families, the loss of school kids in rural western counties with protected lands such as National Monuments was, on average, less than half the rate of loss for similar counties without protected lands. Read more

  • Time to Create a Natural Resources Trust

    Time to Create a Natural Resources Trust

    Mark Haggerty

    Unlike most countries and state governments, the U.S. has not created a natural resources trust which could help meet volatility and spending challenges facing local and county governments. Read more

  • Federal Lands in the West: Liability or Asset?

    Federal Lands in the West: Liability or Asset?

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    Update: Rural counties in the West with more federal lands performed better on average than their peers with less federal lands in four key economic measures. Read more

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