Public and Private Lands
Research at RFF on the way land is used and managed spans natural, rural, and urban settings, including analysis of innovative policies to limit urban sprawl, the cost and effectiveness of natural infrastructure, and the costs and benefits of recreational land use, among other topics.
Nature-Based Recreation
Learn how campsite reservations can shed light on the increase in visitors to the National Parks.
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Featured Content
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On the Issues — Feb 26, 2021
Understanding the Texas Blackouts, Prospects for Climate Legislation, and More
A weekly newsletter connecting global current events, pressing climate and energy policy news, and economics research from RFF scholars.
Resources Magazine — Feb 25, 2021
More from the Climate Insights 2020 Survey
RFF and Stanford researchers provide follow-ups from our Climate Insights 2020 survey, which gauges American public opinion on climate change and the environment.
Media Highlight — Jan 29, 2021
National Monument Designation Leads To Job Creation
The Mountain West News Bureau reports on RFF analysis regarding national monuments and their effects on local economies.
Working Paper — Dec 23, 2020
Efficiency and Equity of an Outdoor Recreation Equipment Tax to Fund Public Lands
An analysis of the efficiency and equity implications of a federal excise tax on outdoor recreation equipment to improve funding for public land maintenance finds that such a tax would cause a sizable welfare loss and cost low-income households more as a share of income than higher-income households. However, the study also shows that raising the same amount of revenue through national park entrance fees would require large, and likely unacceptable, increases in fees.
Journal Article — Oct 15, 2020
Using a Hybrid Demand-Allocation Algorithm to Enable Distributional Analysis of Land Use Change Patterns
This article introduces and demonstrates an empirical seeding demand-allocation algorithm to model land use change and forest fragmentation in the continental United States.
Journal Article — Sep 20, 2020
Greater Contribution From Agricultural Sources to Future Reactive Nitrogen Deposition in the United States
This research identifies protected areas that would benefit most from better reactive nitrogen management strategies.
RFF Live — Jul 29, 2020
The Future of America’s Public Lands and the Outdoor Recreation Economy
A discussion on the implications of the Great American Outdoors Act, with Senator Maria Cantwell and RFF Senior Fellow Margaret Walls.
RFF Live — Dec 17, 2019
Healthy Soils for a Healthier Planet
Highlighting the important role of soil health in finding climate solutions
Workshop/Seminar — Dec 6, 2017
The Future of Agriculture: Rebounding Nature
The National Museum of Natural History and Resources for the Future invite you to join Jesse Ausubel, Director and Senior Research Associate of the Program for the Human Environment at Rockefeller University, for a look into the future as he explores how precision agriculture and better sources of food and fuel can benefit the natural world.
Media Highlight — Jan 29, 2021
National Monument Designation Leads To Job Creation
The Mountain West News Bureau reports on RFF analysis regarding national monuments and their effects on local economies.
Media Highlight — Jan 28, 2021
Oil and Gas Companies Say They Support Climate Action. Are They Serious?
The LA Times' Boiling Point newsletter cites Fellow Brian Prest's expertise on the possible impacts of a federal oil & gas leasing moratorium.
Media Highlight — Jan 27, 2021
What Biden's Pause on Oil and Gas Leases on Federal Lands Means for Colorado
Colorado Public Radio quotes RFF Fellow Brian Prest and cites his working paper on the impacts of a permanent leasing ban on federals lands.
On the Issues — Feb 26, 2021
Understanding the Texas Blackouts, Prospects for Climate Legislation, and More
A weekly newsletter connecting global current events, pressing climate and energy policy news, and economics research from RFF scholars.
Resources Magazine — Feb 25, 2021
More from the Climate Insights 2020 Survey
RFF and Stanford researchers provide follow-ups from our Climate Insights 2020 survey, which gauges American public opinion on climate change and the environment.
Common Resources — Jan 25, 2021
Restoring National Monuments: The Economics Say Yes
Biden has taken the first step toward restoring the Bears Ears & Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. Despite “environment vs. jobs” misconceptions, research shows that monuments can provide economic benefits.