Sources for Brochure Statistics
Sources for the Statistics Referenced in the Brochure: “Investing In Nature: The Economic Benefits of Protecting Our Lands and Waters”
- The urban trail system in Jefferson County, Alabama, will save residents $21 million–$43 million in medical costs annually.1
- Source: Sen, B. 2010. Survey: Assessing the Impact of Green Spaces on Physical Activity (PA) & Healthcare Costs in Jefferson County, AL. University of Alabama School of Public Health.
- [Note: The amount of $42 million is also featured in accredited Freshwater Land Trust (AL) publications]
- New York City saves about $7 billion in water treatment infrastructure costs by drawing its drinking water from protected watersheds.2
- Source: Elliman, K. and Berry, N. (2007) Protecting And Restoring Natural Capital In New York City's Watersheds To Safeguard Water, in Aronson, J.; Milton, S.J.; Blignaut, J.N. (eds.). Restoring Natural Capital: Science, Business and Practice. Island Press, Washington D.C.: 208-215.
- Spending on sport fishing supports as many as 1,900 jobs and generates as much as $64 million in income for workers in the Mat-Su Borough.3
- Source: Colt, S. and Schwoerer, T. (2009). Economic Importance of Sportfishing in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Retrieved from Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage
- A similar type of dam removed in Taunton, MA, saved an estimated $1.5 million in emergency response costs caused by flooding.4
- Source: Industrial Economics, Incorporated. (2015). Community Benefits of Stream Barrier Removal Projects in Massachusetts: Costs and Benefits at Six Sites. Retrieved from Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game Division of Ecological Restoration
- Coral reef ecosystems in Hawai'i generate an estimated $360 million a year for the local economy, which includes recreation and fisheries.5
- Source: Cesar, H., P. van Beukering, S. Pintz, and J.Dierking, 2002. Economic valuation of Coral Reefs of Hawai’i. Hawai’I Coral Reef Initiative, University of Hawai’I, Honolulu.
- People who engage in moderate exercise outdoors can save an average of $1,100 in medical costs annually.6
- Source: The Trust for Public Land. (2016). The Economic Benefits of the Park & Recreation System in San José, California. Retrieved from The Trust for Public Land
- In the city, trees can make you feel 7 years younger and $10,000 richer.7
- Source: Neighborhood greenspace and health in a large urban center. Omid Kardan, Peter Gozdyra, Bratislav Misic, Faisal Moola, Lyle J. Palmer, Tomáš Paus & Marc G. Berman. Nature Scientific Reports 5, Article number: 11610 (2015) doi:10.1038/srep11610. 09 July 2015
- Treating drinking water from an unprotected watershed can cost 10 times more than treating water from a protected watershed.8
- Source: Trust for Public Lands. 2010. The Economic Benefits and Fiscal Impact of Parks and Open Space in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, New York.
- Trees can provide urban communities over $3.6 million in stormwater benefits annually.9
- Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency - Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds. 2013. Stormwater to Street Trees: Engineering Urban Forests for Stormwater Management, Washington, DC. [Note: Stormwater benefits were adjusted to 2016 dollars.]
- Proximity to protected lands, like National Wildlife Refuges, can increase urban home values by 3-9%.10
- Source: L. Taylor et al. 2012. Amenity Values of Proximity to National Wildlife Refuges.
- Nationally, bird watching supports more than 660,000 jobs and $31 billion in employment income.11
- Source: E. Carver. 2013. Birding in the United States: A Demographic and Economic Analysis. Retrieved from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Coastal wetlands provide storm protection valued at $23.2 billion per year by helping to reduce the severity of impacts from hurricanes in the United States.12
- Source: Robert Costanza, Octavio Perez-Maqueo, M. Luisa Martinez, Paul Sutton, Sharolyn J. Anderson and Kenneth Mulder. 2008. The Value of Coastal Wetlands for Hurricane Protection. Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Retrieved from NOAA
- An acre of protected land can save local communities an average of $380 in stormwater treatment costs annually.13
- Sources:
- GreenSpace Alliance & Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. 2011. Return on Environment – The Economic Value of Protected Open Space in Southeastern Pennsylvania
- Based on 10 economic reports prepared by the Trust for Public Land from 2009 to 2016:
- San Jose, California (2016)
- Johnson County Parks & Recreation District, Kansas (2015)
- San Francisco, California (2014)
- Cleveland Metroparks, Ohio (2013)
- Seattle, Washington (2011)
- Virginia Beach, Virginia (2011)
- Long Island New York (2010)
- Mecklenburg County, North Carolina (2010)
- Denver, Colorado (2010)
- Wilmington, Delaware (2009)
- Sources:
- One acre of mangroves can be worth more than $15,000 as a nursery for commercial fish.14
- Source: O. Aburto-Oropeza et al. 2008. Mangroves in the Gulf of California increase fishery yields. Retrieved from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
- Coral reefs have a value of over $100 million to commercial fisheries in the United States.15
- Source: Retrieved from NOAA