Recently, dozens of academics and economists sent President Obama a letter encouraging him to continue to protect public lands in the western United States. The letter states that protected public lands, especially in the West, are helpful in growing the economy, not only through the recreational activities that take place on the lands, but also in attracting new companies and employees to a region. Ray Rasker of Headwater Economics, who organized the letter and its signers, states, “If you have a community that is surrounded by spectacular landscapes, wilderness areas and parks, companies can move to those areas. One of the things we’re seeing is that’s how they are recruiting really talented employees.”
The letter includes the signatures of three Nobel laureates and recommends that the president continue to protect public lands and even establish new wilderness areas, national parks and monuments- claiming that a high quality of life has become a strength in the West and significantly encourages economic growth.
While some law makers and free-market organizations, such as the Cascade Policy Institute, encourage selling public lands to help solve the federal budget issues, Colorado College professor Walt Hecox strongly advocates otherwise. According to Hecox, “It’d be like having a discussion about selling off the Washington Monument because it doesn’t make money.”
Read more here: http://www.durangoherald.com/article/20111205/NEWS01/712059948/0/API/Economists-to-Obama:-Public-lands-can-be-major-job-creators