A new report released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) reveals that national wildlife refuges have a $1.7 billion impact on the U.S. economy. With nearly 35 million people visiting refuges in 2006, 27,000 private sector jobs were supported, producing about $543 million in employment income. More than $185 million in tax revenue was generated at the local, county, state and federal levels.

The positive impacts were focused largely on communities located near refuges, reports the Wildlife Management Institute. Although, 87 percent of refuge visitors came from out of the area, most visitors likely were drawn to the communities specifically because of the refuges. Their spending generated new jobs and income and was shown to have a direct and significant local and regional economic influence.

"We've always known that national wildlife refuges enrich Americans' lives," said FWS Director H. Dale Hall. "This report reveals that the [National Wildlife] Refuge System, while admirably fulfilling its conservation mission, also repays us in dollars and cents. Those economic benefits go far beyond the system's mandated mission to ensure wild creatures will always have a place on the American landscape."

Recreational activities assessed included hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing. According to the report, approximately 82 percent of the economic activity came from nonconsumptive uses of refuges, whereas fishing accounted for 12 percent and hunting 6 percent.

The economic analysis was conducted using information from the FWS National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife Associated Recreation and from detailed reviews of visitation at 80 refuges considered typical in terms of the nation's recreational interests and spending habits. Refuges with fewer than 1,500 visitors per year and those in Hawaii and Alaska (because travel there is so expensive) were excluded from the final calculations. Economic calculations were based on money spent for food and refreshments, lodging at motels, cabins, lodges or campgrounds, and transportation.