Protected Lands and Outdoor Recreation
Local, state, and national protected lands hold crucial ecological and recreational wealth. RFF experts are assessing the value of public and private lands to help policymakers craft effective funding models and account for trade-offs when considering changes to existing landscapes.
Resources Radio Episode on the National Parks
Listen to Margaret Walls discuss the economics of the National Parks.
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The Outdoor Recreation Economy
Find out how the growing outdoor recreation economy affects public lands.
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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.
Media Highlight — Mar 27, 2020
New RFF Study on National Monuments' Benefits for American West Economic Growth Gaining Traction in the Media
A groundbreaking study by Resources for the Future (RFF) researchers, published today in Science Advances, has been receiving attention in the media.
Press Release — Mar 24, 2020
New Episode of Resources Radio: "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.
Journal Article — Mar 18, 2020
National Monuments and Economic Growth in the American West
A groundbreaking study by RFF researchers, published in Science Advances, shows that national monuments have had mostly positive effects on local economies in the American West.
Journal Article — Dec 2, 2019
The Unaddressed Threat of Invasive Animals in US National Parks
A detailed review about invasive animal species and their management finds that the global threat of invasive animals substantially undermines the National Park Service mission.
Report — Nov 29, 2018
Nature-Based Recreation: Understanding Campsite Reservations in National Parks
The government’s reservation system for activities on federal lands, Recreation.gov, is a rich source of data that can help shed light on managing the growing number of visitors to national parks.
Conferences & Panels — Sep 8, 2017
“Conservation Reconsidered” at 50
On September 8, 2017, Resources for the Future held a conference to honor the 50th anniversary of this article, discuss new developments in the field since it was written, and lay out some current research and policy issues related to the article.
Policy Leadership Series — Oct 5, 2009
The Perils of Energy Sprawl
Media Highlight — Mar 27, 2020
New RFF Study on National Monuments' Benefits for American West Economic Growth Gaining Traction in the Media
A groundbreaking study by Resources for the Future (RFF) researchers, published today in Science Advances, has been receiving attention in the media.
Press Release — Mar 24, 2020
New Episode of Resources Radio: "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 — Mar 18, 2020
New Study Explores How National Monuments Can Boost the Economy in the American West
A groundbreaking study by Resources for the Future (RFF) researchers, published today in Science Advances, shows that national monuments have had mostly positive effects on local economies in the American West.
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.
Common Resources — Mar 18, 2020
Local Economic Impacts of Federal Protected Lands: National Monuments in the Mountain West
The prospect of lost livelihoods can produce conflict over the limits that national monuments place on land use, but creating monuments can also create value by growing new industries related to recreation and tourism.