The Economic Impacts of Protecting Rivers, Trails, and Greenway Corridors: A Resource Book
National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance and National Park Service. 1995. The Economic Impacts of Protecting Rivers, Trails, and Greenway Corridors: A Resource Book. Washington, D.C.
Rivers, trails, and greenway corridors (linear open spaces connecting recreational, cultural and natural areas) are traditionally recognized for their environmental protection, recreation values, and aesthetic appearance. These corridors also have the potential to create jobs, enhance property values, expand local businesses, attract new or relocating businesses, increase local tax revenues, decrease local government expenditures, and promote a local community. The aims of the Resource Book are specific and are as follows: 1) encourage local professionals and citizens to use economic concepts as part of their effort to protect and promote greenways, 2) provide examples of how greenways and parks have benefited local and regional economies, 3) demonstrate how to determine the potential economic impacts of river, trail, and greenway projects, and 4) suggest other sources of information. Many of the examples, and case studies, and information available focus on more traditional parks, rather than linear parks, trails, and river corridors. However, greenways and traditional parks often provide many of the same amenities. The growing interest in applying economic rationales to support greenway protection efforts will likely result in more economic analyses and studies. Rivers, trails, and greenway corridors (linear open spaces connecting recreational, cultural and natural areas) are traditionally recognized for their environmental protection, recreation values, and aesthetic appearance. These corridors also have the potential to create jobs, enhance property values, expand local businesses, attract new or relocating businesses, increase local tax revenues, decrease local government expenditures, and promote a local community. An example which illustrates the range of possible economic benefits is the Delaware and Raritan Multi-Use Trail, built along an abandoned railroad and canal in Central New Jersey.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance; National Park Service
- Date of Issue
- 1995
- Units
- BIBE , HIST
- Keywords
- Business, Commercial, Community, Economic, Economic aspects, Economics, Economists, ehistory, expenditures, greenways, History, Management, Natural Resources, Preservation, property, property value, residents, Resource, support, Tax Revenue, taxes, Use, Uses, Value