Costs and Economic Impacts of Public Recreation and Habitat Lands

1. Costs and Economic Impacts of Public Recreation and Habitat Lands Proposed Scope and Objectives JLARC Staff: Rebecca Connolly Stephanie Hoffman Ryan McCord

2. Recreation and Habitat Lands Vary in Purpose, Funding, and Potential Economic Impacts • Statute authorizes DFW, DNR, and Parks to acquire land for recreation and habitat purposes • Agencies acquire land through purchases, donations, transfers, and exchanges • Other state, federal, local, and tribal governments also own land in the state • Public ownership and use may affect a county’s economy Public Recreation and Habitat Lands

3. 2013-15 Capital Budget Directs JLARC to Study Public Recreation and Habitat Lands • 1 • Create an inventory of the recreation and habitat acquisitions made by DNR, WDFW, and Parks over the last ten years, including associated costs 2 • Evaluate the measures used to estimate benefits and costs of habitat and recreation land We are working with economists from WSU for Parts 2 and 3 3 • Identify mechanisms to estimate the impact of public recreation and habitat lands on the economic vitality of Washington’s counties Public Recreation and Habitat Lands

4. JLARC Study Will Address the Following Objectives Related to Part One Public Recreation and Habitat Lands

5. JLARC Study Will Address the Following Objectives Related to Part Two Public Recreation and Habitat Lands

6. JLARC Study Will Address the Following Objectives Related to Part Three Public Recreation and Habitat Lands

7. Next Steps and Contacts Preliminary Report Parts 1 & 2 January 2015 Preliminary Report Part 3 April 2015 Proposed Final Report May 2015 Rebecca Connolly, Project Lead rebecca.connolly@leg.wa.gov 360-786-5175 Stephanie Hoffman, Research Analyst stephanie.hoffman@leg.wa.gov 360-786-5297 Ryan McCord, Research Analyst ryan.mccord@leg.wa.gov 360-786-5186 John Woolley, Project Supervisor john.woolley@leg.wa.gov 360-786-5184 www.jlarc.leg.wa.gov