National public lands are vital to local economies

For more than 150 years, America’s national public lands have been a valuable economic and social asset—providing minerals, timber, grazing land, clean water, wildlife habitat, and cultural connections. But in the past few decades public lands have been recognized for another benefit: their significant contributions to job opportunities and economic growth. Without continued protection and investment in public lands, local economies will suffer.

• Visits to national forests and grasslands in 2021 resulted in $11 billion in spending and sustained more than 160,000 jobs.
• Recreation on BLM lands in 2021 supported another $11 billion in economic output and 76,000 jobs.
• Spending by national park visitors in 2023 totaled $26.4 billion, supporting 415,400 jobs.