Government encourage to measure economic impacts to the economy from public parks and waters.

The following is an excerpt from The Center for American Progress article encouraging government to better measure the economic impact of the nations parks and waterways.. For the complete article.. cut and paste the following …. 

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2015/01/21/103062/the-government-should-begin-to-measure-americas-powerful-outdoor-economy/#.VO3de4KfnrQ.mailto

The business of the outdoors

The economic arguments for protecting public lands and waters are so deeply rooted in history and society that they are second nature to most Americans today. Public opinion research commissioned by The Colorado College in 2013 found that more than 9 in 10 Westerners see national parks, national forests, wildlife refuges, and other public lands as essential to the economic prosperity of their state. A growing body of research shows that proximity to parks, trails, and outdoor spaces is among the most prominent factors that businesses and workers consider when choosing where to locate. Consumers are bombarded with ads from health insurance companies that encourage them to get outdoors to improve their health and to cut medical costs. The evolving uses of the outdoors have even affected American fashion, with outdoor gear now so ubiquitous that companies such as The North Face and Patagonia have become global brands. Indeed, the outdoor recreation industry currently supports 6.1 million jobs in the United States. According to reports commissioned and published by the industries themselves, U.S. outdoor recreation accounts for more direct jobs than oil, natural gas, and mining combined. (see Figure 1)