The Economic Benefits of the

Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program

The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) has done more than preserve Washington’s land, water and air. It has contributed billions of dollars to the Washington economy in jobs, taxes, tourism, and other revenue. Renewing and expanding funding for WWRP is an essential investment in the state’s long-term prosperity.

Direct Capital Development

· Development expenditures on projects, such as constructing visitor facilities, bike trails, campgrounds, athletic fields, boat ramps and docks, parking lots, and playgrounds, stimulate the economy and generate jobs.

o WWRP has directly provided $115 million in funding and engendered $138 million in matching funds, for 355 development projects in Washington.[i]

o For the current biennium, 45 percent of all proposed WWRP projects are capital construction projects. [ii]

§ "Is this a luxury? The realtors don't think that, this is the same as investing in basic infrastructure such as stormwater and roads." Bill Riley, President of the Washington Realtors [iii]

Protect Local Tax Base

· Protecting farmland and open space saves local governments money. Residential development imposes costs on communities in the form of increased demand for schools, roads, water, sewer and other community services – costs that usually exceed related tax revenue.

o A recent study in Okanogan County, Washington found that for every $1 paid in local taxes farmland and open space require $0.56 in services compared to $1.06 in services for the average home.[iv]

o The national median across 128 communities over 20 years is that for every $1 paid in local taxes farmland and open space require $0.37 in services compared to $1.19 in services for the average home. [v]

· Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) are paid by Washington Department’s of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Natural Resources (WDNR) to offset reduction in property taxes when the agencies purchase private land. These payments are equal to the amount of tax that would be due if the land were taxable as open space land.[vi] Both agencies pay PILT on all habitat lands.

o In 2010, WDFW paid $845,000 in PILT to 14 counties, covering 491,000 acres. [vii]

o In 2009, WDNR paid $1.16 million in PILT to 28 counties, covering 132,000 acres.[viii]

Support the Agriculture Industry & Rural Communities

· Farmland preservation helps sustain the agriculture industry, secures the food supply, and provides an economic stimulus to rural communities. WWRP is the only funded state program that protects working lands, both small and large farms and ranches.

o The state's $38 billion food and agriculture industry employs 160,000 people and contributes 12 percent to the state's economy. Nearly $14.8 billion in food and agricultural products were exported through Washington ports in 2008, the third largest total in the U.S.[ix]

o There are over 125 farmers markets in the state, these markets have a sizable economic impact. In 2009, there were 39 farmers markets in King County with produce from all over the state, sales at these markets were $20 to $30 million.[x]

o Valuable water rights are preserved when working lands are protected. Water rights in the state of Washington are currently up to $2,000 per acre-foot.[xi]

Enhance & Protect Property Values

· Preserving critical habitat, urban wildlife habitat and natural areas, creating new state and local parks and trails and providing water access increase the value of nearby homes. Property owners benefit from higher property values and local governments benefit from an increased tax base.

o A National Association of REALTORS, survey found half of respondents would pay 10 percent more for a house located near a park or open space.

o A recent report from the Association of REALTORS? found the premium for homes near parks and open space can extend three blocks and start at 20 percent for those homes directly adjacent.[xii]

o Regionally homes near natural area parks sell for 16 percent more than homes not near natural area parks.[xiii]

§ “Buyers will pay between 3 and 20 percent more for a home that is close to a park.” Bill Riley, President of the Washington Realtors.[xiv]

Generate Jobs & Strengthen Local Economies

· Preserving critical habitat, urban wildlife habitat and natural areas, creating new state and local parks and trails and providing water access creates recreation opportunities for residents and visitors and generates revenue and jobs in the local economy.

o Active outdoor recreation (e.g., hiking, biking, camping, boating, wildlife watching, sport fishing, hunting, etc.)[xv]

· Contributes $8.5 billion annually in actual retail sales and services across Washington –accounting for 3.5 percent of gross state product.

· Supports 115,000 jobs across Washington.

· Generates $650 million in annual sales tax revenue.

§ Wildlife watching[xvi]

· Contributes over $1.7 billion in retail sales and services annually to the Washington economy.

· Supports more than 21,000 jobs across Washington, yielding $426.9 million in job income.

· Generates $56.9 million in state and $67.4 million in federal tax revenues each year.

§ Sport Fishing[xvii]

· Contributes $1.04 billion in retail sales and services annually to the Washington economy.

· Supports 14,700 jobs across Washington, yielding $512 million in job income.

· Generates $89.4 million in state and local tax revenues and $121 million in federal tax revenues each year.

§ Hunting[xviii]

· Contributes $394 million in retail sales and services annually to the Washington economy.

· Supports 5,600 jobs across Washington, yielding $196 million in job income.

· Generates $35.2 million in state and local tax revenues and $46.4 million in federal tax revenues each year.

Quality of Life

· Preserving critical habitat, urban wildlife habitat and natural areas, creating new state and local parks and trails and providing water access all contribute to Washington’s high quality of life.

o The best places to do business are also the best places to live. Washington is ranked at the top for Quality of Life, in CNBC’s 2010 Top States for Business ranking.[xix]

o Quality of life ranked highest in a recent survey on business advantages for Washington. ‘Access to outdoor recreation’ was cited by many respondents who ranked Quality of Life number one. [xx]

§ "…[O]ur state is the one that retains more of its college graduates than any other. That's because of the quality life we have here." Sally Jewell, CEO REI Inc.[xxi]

Reduce Health Care Costs

· Preserving critical habitat, urban wildlife habitat and natural areas and creating new state and local parks increase resident’s level of physical activity and generates medical cost savings for those who exercise in these important places. The average medical cost difference between active and inactive persons is $250 for adults under the age of 65, and $500 for those over 65 years of age.[xxii]

§ "The availability of green spaces has a strong connection to lower obesity rates and better outcomes for chronic illnesses.” Scott Armstrong, EO of Group Health Cooperative[xxiii]

Provide Clean Water & Protect Puget Sound

· WWRP projects protect Puget Sound. The significant population growth in the Puget Sound area over the past decade has greatly increased stormwater runoff into Puget Sound. Population in the Puget Sound region will grow by over 1 million people by 2020, and the cost of improving stormwater systems and restoring Puget Sound’s water quality will run into the billions. Approximately 63 percent of WWRP projects will help to protect and restore Puget Sound. [xxiv]

Leverage Local & Federal Funds

· WWRP requires local matching funds. Local agencies, special purpose districts, salmon recovery lead entities, and nonprofits must provide 50 percent match and at least 10 percent of the total project cost must be from a non-state, non-federal contribution. From 1990 to 2009, WWRP brought about $420 million in matching funds.[xxv]

· WWRP funds are often used to match federal grants. Most federal habitat grants require non-federal matching funds, often provided by WWRP. From 2003 to 2008, $100 million was received from just the following four federal programs, much of which would not have been possible without WWRP:[xxvi]

o Cooperative Endangered Species (Section 6) Conservation Grants - $63.1 million

o National Coastal Wetland Conservation Grants - $20.7 million

o North American Wetlands Conservation Act Grants - $13.0 million

o Forest Legacy Program –$3.34 million

§ “Conservation efforts of the Department and our many partners are significantly greater because of the use of WWRP funds to provide match for national grants,” said WDFW Director Phil Anderson. “These funds have allowed the Department to bring to the state more than $100 million from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the last 10 years for critical conservation efforts-- dollars that would not have come to the state without WWRP.”

· WWRP attracts significant federal funding. From 2000 to 2008, Washington State received $93.8 million from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from their habitat conservation plan and recovery land acquisition grant programs; 5 of those 9 years receiving 20 percent or more (39 percent in 2006) of the national funds available in the Habitat Conservation Plan Land category.


The Economic Benefits of the

Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program

[i] WWRP development statistics provided by the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office.

[ii] Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office.

[iii] Lynch, Jake. Money Does Grow On Trees, and On Trails and Park Spaces, Say Business Leaders. Issaquah Reporter, September 21, 2010.

[iv] American Farmland Trust. 2007. Cost of Community Services Fact Sheet. Farmland Information Center, Northampton, Massachusetts.

[v] American Farmland Trust. 2007. Cost of Community Services Fact Sheet. Farmland Information Center, Northampton, Massachusetts.

[vi] §77.12.203 In lieu payments authorized — Procedure — Game lands defined; §79.70.130 Distribution of amount in lieu of real property taxes, weed control assessment; §79.71.130 Distribution of amount in lieu of real property taxes, weed control assessment.

[vii] Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Draft Fact Sheet – Property Taxes.

[viii] Washington Department of Natural Resources. Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT): Information Reported by Counties - 2009.

[ix] Washington State Department of Agriculture. Agriculture: A Cornerstone of Washington's Economy. Available at .gov/AgInWA/ Updated August 9, 2010.

[x] King County. Farmers Market Report. Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Water and Land Resources Division. February 2010.

[xi] Seely, Harry. 2010.Water Right Valuation in the Northwest. Environmental and Land Use Law. 37(2)

[xii] National Association of Realtors. On Common Ground. Winter 2009.

[xiii] Lutzenhiser, Margot and Noelwah Netusil. 2001. The Effect of Open Spaces on a Home’s Sale Price. Contemporary Economic Policy. 19(3).

[xiv] Bill Riley, President of the Washington Realtors speaker at the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition Breakfast on September 21, 2010.

[xv] Outdoor Industry Foundation. 2006. The Active Outdoor Recreation Economy: Washington.

[xvi] Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Wildlife Viewing: Nature Tourism Benefits Washington Communities. Available at .gov/viewing/tourism/

[xvii] Southwick Associates. 2007. Sportfishing in America: An Economic Engine and Conservation Powerhouse. Produced for the American Sportfishing Association with funding from the Multistate Conservation Grant Program.

[xviii] Southwick Associates. 2007. Hunting in America: An Economic Engine and Conservation Powerhouse. Produced for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies with funding from Multistate Conservation Grant Program.

[xix] CNBC scored the states on several factors, including local attractions, air and water quality, as well as overall perceived livability. CNBC. America’s Top States for Business 2010. July 13, 2010.

[xx] Washington Department of Commerce. Commerce Connections Survey Results: Preliminary Findings on an Open-Ended Survey of Department of Commerce Stakeholders. September 2009.

[xxi] Lynch, Jake. Money Does Grow On Trees, and On Trails and Park Spaces, Say Business Leaders. Issaquah Reporter, September 21, 2010.

[xxii] The Trust for Public Land. 2009. Measuring the Economic Value of a City Park System.

[xxiii] Lynch, Jake. Money Does Grow On Trees, and On Trails and Park Spaces, Say Business Leaders. Issaquah Reporter, September 21, 2010.

[xxiv] Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office.

[xxv] Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office

[xxvi] Conservation Almanac available at www.conservationalmanac.org