Protected Lands and Outdoor Recreation
Local, state, and national protected lands hold crucial ecological and recreational wealth. RFF experts are assessing the value of these lands to help policymakers craft effective funding models and account for trade-offs when considering changes to existing landscapes.
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Media Highlight — Apr 7, 2022
Washington Post: "A Pivotal Period: Century-Old State Park Systems Face Modern Issues"
Senior Fellow Margaret Walls is quoted five times in a story about the challenges facing state parks.
Working Paper — Dec 23, 2020
Efficiency and Equity of an Outdoor Recreation Equipment Tax to Fund Public Lands
This study analyzes the efficiency and equity implications of a federal excise tax on outdoor recreation equipment to fund public land maintenance. It finds that such a tax would cause a modest welfare loss per dollar of revenue raised, with the lowest in
Explainer — Jul 22, 2020
The Land and Water Conservation Fund 101
The Land and Water Conservation Fund 101
Common Resources — May 22, 2020
National Park Gateway Communities, the Outdoor Recreation Economy, and COVID-19
A bill before Congress could provide financial support for underfunded public lands, while offering local economies a much-needed boost.
Journal Article — Oct 21, 2022
Integrating Social and Ecological Predictors to Understand Variation within Ecosystems: A Case Study of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Pace
This article suggests that differences in management activities alter the ecological trajectory of sites across the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Protected Area-Centered Ecosystem.
Journal Article — Nov 13, 2021
Wildfire, Smoke, and Outdoor Recreation in the Western United States
Wildfire, Smoke, and Outdoor Recreation in the Western United States
Working Paper — Aug 2, 2021
Wildfire, Smoke, and Outdoor Recreation in the Western United States
This working paper finds that campers on public lands experience at least 400,000 days of wildfire smoke each year—but while smoke may cause negative health impacts, relatively few people cancel their trips as a result of poor air quality.
Explainer — Apr 14, 2021
Federal Climate Policy 107: Land Use, Forestry, and Agriculture
Federal Climate Policy 107: Land Use, Forestry, and Agriculture
Resources Radio — Dec 5, 2023
Creating an Equitable Urban Park System, with Norma García-González and Catherine Nagel
Norma García-González and Catherine Nagel discuss the social, environmental, and economic value of parks; the park system in Los Angeles County; and how data tools and community engagement can help urban park systems improve equity.
Common Resources — Aug 2, 2023
Evaluating Perceptions and Outcomes of Supplemental Environmental Projects
Recent research finds that voluntary public works projects that mitigate the penalties applied for violations of environmental law are favored by the public and provide benefits to violating firms, but primarily appear in high-income, white communities.
Common Resources — May 22, 2020
National Park Gateway Communities, the Outdoor Recreation Economy, and COVID-19
A bill before Congress could provide financial support for underfunded public lands, while offering local economies a much-needed boost.
Resources Radio — Mar 24, 2020
Do National Monuments Help or Hinder Local Economies?, with Margaret Walls
Margaret Walls discusses how designating historic sites as national monuments can benefit local economies without impairing nearby industries.
Press Release — Aug 14, 2023
Western US Wildfire Smoke Costs $2.3 Billion per Year in Health Impacts and Lost Enjoyment
A new working paper, published by scholars at RFF and the University of Alaska Anchorage, finds that camping trips to public lands are worth $107 less on average if they are affected by wildfire smoke.
Media Highlight — Jul 28, 2023
National Parks Traveler: "National Park System Expansion is Key to Biodiversity Protection"
RFF Senior Fellows Margaret Walls and Rebecca Epanchin-Niell are referenced in this article about the importance of natural landscapes for species conservation.
Media Highlight — Jul 19, 2022
WyoFile: "Antiquities Act and the Wyoming-Sized Legal Loophole"
An opinion piece arguing in favor of creating new national monuments in Wyoming cites RFF research about the economic benefits of national monument designation.
Media Highlight — Apr 7, 2022
Washington Post: "A Pivotal Period: Century-Old State Park Systems Face Modern Issues"
Senior Fellow Margaret Walls is quoted five times in a story about the challenges facing state parks.