STATE WE’RE IN: Green parks bring in the ‘green’

by Michele Byers
Most park benefits are obvious.
   Glorious green spaces for playing and relaxing outdoors boost our physical and mental health. They provide shelter for wildlife and places where we can connect with nature, and they teach us about our history and heritage.
   Parks can serve as large swaths of open space that safeguard drinking water and mitigate flooding from storms.
   /But parks — noncommercial by their very nature — also are powerful economic engines, contributing millions of dollars to local economies.
   According to a new study by the National Park Service, national parks across the country drew more than 280 million visitors in 2012, generating $26 billion in economic activity in “gateway” communities and supporting 243,000 jobs. If you’ve visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park and stopped in Gatlinburg, you get the picture!
   More than 5 million visitors flocked to national parks in New Jersey in 2012, spending $153 million at nearby businesses and supporting 2,275 jobs.
   National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis said the study shows that for every dollar invested by taxpayers in national parks, $10 is returned to the economy.
   ”That’s a successful formula we can all embrace,” he said.
   New Jersey national parks include the Sandy Hook unit of Gateway National Recreation Area, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Morristown National Historical Park, Paterson Great Falls National Historic Park, Thomas Edison National Historic Park and the Statue of Liberty National Monument.
   ”Our national parks help propel our nation’s economy, drawing hundreds of millions of visitors every year who are the lifeblood of the hotels, restaurants, outfitters and other local businesses that depend on a vibrant and reliable tourism and outdoor recreation industry supported by our public lands,” said Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell.
   Although the economic study covered only national parks, its implications are far broader. In addition to national parks, New Jersey’s public lands include five national wildlife refuges, 39 state parks and recreation areas, 12 state forests, 50 state historic sites and countless county and local parks — and they all provide similar economic benefits.
   Oh, and don’t forget the Crossroads of the American Revolution Natural Heritage Area, 57 National Historic Landmarks, 11 National Natural Landmarks and 1,657 sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places and dozens of nature preserves operated by nonprofit groups.
   Visitors to all these sites need food, drinks, gasoline and, often, overnight lodging. They buy hiking boots, fishing equipment, bicycles, kayaks, surfboards, binoculars and other gear. They take home T-shirts and souvenirs.
   According to the National Park Service’s economic analysis, 39 percent of visitor spending supports jobs in restaurants, grocery and convenience stores; 27 percent supports hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts; and 20 percent goes to other amusement and recreation.
   Without national parks, these business sectors would suffer as demonstrated by the federal government shutdown last October.
   Jewell and Jarvis said the 16-day shutdown resulted in 7.88 million fewer national park visitors in October 2013 compared to a three-year average (October 2010, 2011 and 2012). This led to an estimated loss of $414 million in visitor spending in gateway and local communities across the country, using the same three-year comparison.
   Take some time to visit the parks in and around your community, and support local businesses at the same time! In addition to keeping the landscape green, our parks are doing their part to power the Garden State’s economy.
   As New Jersey moves closer to full build-out — the point when all land within our borders will be either preserved or developed — it’s critical we continue programs to expand our parks and preserve natural areas and farmland. Urge state representatives to renew funding for open space preservation.
   To find out more about national parks in New Jersey, visit www.nps.gov/newjersey.
   To read the National Park Service economic report, go to www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/economics.cfm.
    Michele Byers is executive director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation. For more information, contact her at [email protected] or visit NJCF’s website at www.njconservation.org.