Outdoor Recreation Roundtable – Outdoor Recreation on Federal Public Lands & Waters

On America’s balance sheet: Outdoor recreation on federal public lands and waters is a sustainable, appreciating asset—delivering compounding returns for our economy, our health, and future generations. 

Big picture: Outdoor recreation on federal public lands and waters is fueling America’s economy. A new report from the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) reveals the immense, often overlooked value these landscapes and waterways generate every day. This new analysis underscores that conserving and maintaining access to our shared natural resources is not only a business imperative but also a consistent, high-return investment in the nation’s health and economic growth.  

Why it matters: Outdoor recreation already drives $1.2 trillion in economic output and supports 5 million U.S. jobs each year. But until now, we haven’t had a clear, comprehensive picture of how federal public lands and waters contribute to those numbers. 

The numbers: 

  • $351 million added to the U.S. economy every day from recreation on federal lands and waters. That’s like hosting eight Super Bowls every month in economic impact. 
  • Through receipts, permits, entrance fees, leases, and other payments, outdoor recreation on federal public lands and waters directly contributes at least half a billion dollars annually to federal coffers. 
  • Maintaining federal public lands for outdoor recreation is an investment that yields incredible returns. These returns include $128 billion in economic activity and nearly $6 billion in federal tax revenue, and significant contributions to the physical and mental health of Americans.  
  • Of the 5 million American jobs created by outdoor recreation, one out of five depend on federal public lands.  

The takeaway: On America’s balance sheet, outdoor recreation on federal public lands and waters is a sustainable, appreciating asset. It delivers compounding returns for our economy, supports public health, and safeguards opportunity for future generations.  

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