Spring is finally
here and, for a lot of us, that means spending time outdoors -- fishing, hiking,
hunting, paddling, birding, or simply enjoying nature. Here at PennFuture, we work hard to safeguard
the natural world, not just because we enjoy spending time in Penn’s Woods but
because the natural world provides us with valuable economic activity and
ecosystem services.
Almost 50 percent of American adults participated in
some type of outdoor recreation in 2011, spending $645.6 billion and generating $1.6
trillion of economic activity. These monies are spent on gear, equipment, trips, and travel-related expenses. Outdoor recreation, on a national scale, also
generates 6.1 million direct jobs and $39.9 billion in federal tax revenue. In Pennsylvania, the numbers are just as
impressive, with at least 53 percent of the state's residents participating in outdoor
activities, spending $21.5 billion and generating 219,000 direct jobs, $7.2
billion in wages and salaries, and $1.6 billion in state and local tax revenue. And this is just the value of fun!
The natural world
also supplies manufacturing companies with 9 trillion gallons of fresh water
every year, and the beverage industry uses more than 12 billion gallons of water
annually to produce $58 billion worth of products. Equally impressive is the fact that the wetlands on which we recreate have the ability to reduce
flooding, filter pollution, provide habitat for wildlife, and recharge
groundwater. It's worth noting that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) values the average per acre benefit of wetlands to be $193,000.
So, next time the weather’s nice, lace up that
new pair of boots and take a hike, or head down to the river for some fishing,
and do your part to bolster economic activity.
Jennifer Quinn is the central Pennsylvania outreach coordinator for PennFuture. She specializes in water quality issues.
