The Impact of Wilderness and Other Wildlands on Local Economies and Regional Development Trends

There have been few economic studies of the impact of wilderness on nearby communities. The few studies that have been carried out find relatively modest economic impacts on the surrounding communities by people who come to recreate in federally wilderness areas. However, studies find that people are moving to areas near federally designated wilderness and other wildlands because of the environmental amenities associated with such areas. These rapid population increases are having dramatic impacts on the ongoing changing structure of local and regional economies. Wilderness areas around the world exist within the context of the ecological and social systems that surround them. Some are very remote, with surrounding ecological and social characteristics similar to those within the wilderness area. In other areas, demand for commodities has brought extractive uses right up to the borders of wilderness. Some are near major population centers and experience the influence of human use, both within the wilderness and in the surrounding lands. While much of wilderness science has investigated how human influences have affected wilderness, there is a growing literature on the ways that wilderness areas are affecting surrounding communities. This paper focuses on the socioeconomic impacts of wilderness on local economies and regional development trends. We use the term “wilderness” to denote both officially designated wilderness areas and other wildland areas. Wilderness affects surrounding communities in a number of ways. Perhaps the most obvious is that wilderness visitors often spend money in the local economy, which generates jobs and income for local residents. The economic impact of tourism spending is easily recognized by local economic development officials. However, wilderness contributes to economic development of an area in other ways. The amenities offered by wilderness contribute to the quality of life of nearby residents and often attract new residents. New businesses are also attracted, including tourism-related businesses and other businesses that are interested in providing amenities to employees. New residents (who are also consumers) and businesses increase employment and income in the community, as well as provide additional taxes for social services. Whether the positive economic impacts of wilderness are a net benefit to local residents is a matter of debate. Along with new residents and businesses come new values, customs and cultures. Increased population can lead to more congestion, crime and housing shortages. Traditional industries may suffer, either through losses in raw materials from newly designated wilderness areas or through less acceptance by new residents. These types of changes in a community will be welcomed by some and lamented by others, but they should be recognized as part of the impact of a growing desire to live near amenities provided by wilderness. While social changes within local communities are very important, this paper concentrates on the economic impacts of wilderness. Some of these impacts are beneficial to local economic development, while others, such as reduction in traditional industries, are costly. Because most of our experience is in the American West, our examples rely heavily on communities near Western wilderness areas. Wilderness Communities _________ The economic influence of wilderness areas on surrounding communities can extend quite far, geographically. Wilderness visitors who live in metropolitan areas purchase much of their equipment, and even their trip-related products (such as groceries and gasoline), in their residence location. Major suppliers of outdoor recreation equipment are usually located in metropolitan areas, providing jobs and income to urban residents. However, most of the research on the economic impacts of wilderness has concentrated on rural communities. Many of these communities have been going through economic transition over the past 15-20 years, and the role that wilderness plays in that transition has been the topic of a number of studies. Rudzitis and others (1996) provided an overview of how demographic variables were changing in Pacific Northwest communities near protected areas. They state that “among the fastest growing counties in the nation are those adjacent to federally designated wilderness areas” (p. 7). They note that the population of wilderness counties increased six times faster than the national average for other nonurban counties in the 1980’s, and nearly twice as fast as other nonurban counties in the West. They found a similar trend in population for counties near national parks (table 1). Along with a growing population, there has been a changing economic base throughout much of the Pacific Northwest. As in other parts of the country, manufacturing as a