Every year millions of Americans grab their fishing poles, hiking boots or paddles and strike out to explore the vast wild areas of the United States. Their desire to enjoy the outdoors comes with an inadvertent benefit - an economic boost felt both locally and across the nation. Outdoor recreation creates jobs and generates billions of dollars annually in consumer spending and tax revenue. These economic benefits should be kept in mind when policies are made that affect public lands and natural resources.
March 2018 | Sources: Outdoor Industry Association, U.S. Census Bureau, Natural Earth | Fonts: Open Sans, Boogaloo | Data Visualization By: Jessica Kane, supported by an AAUW Career Development Grant