The Economic Impact of National Parks


Economic Impact of National Parks
During the 35-day partial government shutdown, many of the 58 National Parks in the United States remained open but unstaffed. In many of the parks with wildlife close by, trash was collected likely habituating bears to humans, which could easily lead to more bear attacks on a human. There were off-road marks, over landscapes, and at Joshua Tree National Park the damage done will take between 200 and 300 years to be repaired. It is not just the land at these parks that have been damaged, but also the revenue generated by them each day. It has been estimated that $400,000 in revenue was lost each day during the shutdown. This is money spent on the economy of our country, the staff at the parks, and the preservation of these parks.
   The visitation from the United States National Parks in 2015 brought in 32 billion dollars contributing to the National Economy and the U.S. Economy. This money goes to the military, education, agriculture, transportation, and many other important parts of our country. People are drawn to these parks for many different reasons, but whatever they are they are paying the parks who recycle the money back to the economy which pays for many peoples needs. With the government shutdown, this major source of money for the U.S. was lost, and the parks were damaged, some beyond repair for 200+ years. These parks attract a large portion of the tourism generated by the U.S. each year making them a valuable asset to have, and also a spot for younger generations to be able to learn about these things in a way where you get to experience nature. Using the natural resources of our national parks is a way to be able to show these natural landmarks that we have with other people, and also as a way to make money off of them. The government shutdown caused damage to the workers at the park, and the parks themselves some in damage that can never be repaired because of the effects on the delicate nature in the parks. Although they can never be fully repaired they will be reopened and re-staffed so they can continue to generate money and benefit the U.S.





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