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Protected Lands

  • Economic Impact of National Parks

    Economic Impact of National Parks

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    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. Read more

  • Public land ownership in the United States

    Public land ownership in the United States

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    Public lands influence the economy, demographics, and fiscal policies of communities. Explore maps and county-level data for the 828 million acres of federal, state, and municipal land in the U.S. 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • The Economic Value of Public Lands in Grand County, Utah

    The Economic Value of Public Lands in Grand County, Utah

    Chris Mehl

    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 more

  • Baby Boomers Move Near Protected Lands, Help Drive Economies

    Baby Boomers Move Near Protected Lands, Help Drive Economies

    Megan Lawson, Ph.D.

    Protected federal lands (such as Wilderness or National Parks) not only preserve unique landscapes, but have the potential to attract in-migrants such as baby boomers, which in turn help support a robust local economy. Read more

  • Protected Federal Lands in Non-Metro West Increase Per Capita Income

    Protected Federal Lands in Non-Metro West Increase Per Capita Income

    Ray Rasker, Ph.D.

    Headwaters Economics research and accompanying interactive map show the amount of per capita income explained by protected federal lands for each county in the non-metropolitan western U.S. Read more

  • West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Jobs and Higher Incomes

    West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Jobs and Higher Incomes

    Ray Rasker, Ph.D.

    This report finds that the West’s popular national parks, monuments, wilderness areas and other public lands offer its growing high-tech and services industries a competitive advantage. Read more

  • West Is Best Reports: News Release

    West Is Best Reports: News Release

    Ray Rasker, Ph.D.

    News release for report that shows how the western United States is outperforming the rest of the country and the role protected federal lands in providing western states a competitive economic advantage. Read more

  • West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Washington Jobs and Higher Incomes

    West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Washington Jobs and Higher Incomes

    Ray Rasker, Ph.D.

    This fact sheet summarizes Washington’s recent economic growth and the role of protected public lands in supporting faster job creation and higher per-capita income. Read more

  • West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote New Mexico Jobs and Higher Incomes

    West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote New Mexico Jobs and Higher Incomes

    Ray Rasker, Ph.D.

    This New Mexico fact sheet summarizes the state’s recent economic growth and the role protected public lands play in supporting faster job creation and higher per-capita income. Read more

  • West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Nevada Jobs and Higher Incomes

    West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Nevada Jobs and Higher Incomes

    Ray Rasker, Ph.D.

    During the past decade Nevada and the West outperformed the nation, and the competitive advantage offered by its protected lands supported job growth and higher per-capita incomes. Read more

  • West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Montana Jobs and Higher Incomes

    West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Montana Jobs and Higher Incomes

    Ray Rasker, Ph.D.

    Montana’s recent economic growth and the role of protected public lands in supporting employment creation and higher per-capita income are explored in this report. Read more

  • West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Idaho Jobs and Higher Incomes

    West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Idaho Jobs and Higher Incomes

    Ray Rasker, Ph.D.

    Helped by its high quality of life and protected public lands, Idaho’s economy and population grew rapidly in the past decade. The majority of growth coming from health care and administrative services. Read more

  • West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Colorado Jobs and Higher Incomes

    West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote Colorado Jobs and Higher Incomes

    Ray Rasker, Ph.D.

    Colorado’s rate of population, employment, and real personal income growth has outpaced the nation and this fact sheet looks at the role of protected public lands in supporting jobs and higher incomes. Read more

  • West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote California Jobs and Higher Incomes

    West Is Best: Protected Lands Promote California Jobs and Higher Incomes

    Ray Rasker, Ph.D.

    This California report is part of a series that analyzes how and why the West is outperforming the nation, and the competitive advantage offered by its protected lands. Read more

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