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Ecosystem Preservation and the Economy in the Greater Yellowstone Area
Author(s) -
POWER THOMAS MICHAEL
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
conservation biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.2
H-Index - 222
eISSN - 1523-1739
pISSN - 0888-8892
DOI - 10.1111/j.1523-1739.1991.tb00153.x
Subject(s) - recreation , ecosystem services , ecosystem , element (criminal law) , economic impact analysis , natural resource economics , natural resource , geography , business , ecology , economy , environmental protection , economics , political science , law , biology , microeconomics
Because it is usually assumed that the economic health of the counties surrounding Yellowstone National Park is tied almost exclusively to mineral and timber extraction, protection of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem is seen as inevitably in direct and serious conflict with local economic well‐being. Such a conflict generally does not exist, however, because of the ongoing transformation of these rural economies over the last twenty years. Unpublished federal data on income and employment document the decline in the relative importance of extractive industry and the rise in the importance of service activities. These data also indicate major flows of income into the region that are not associated with current work effort but are at least partially associated with the residential choices of retirees. These income flows dwarf those associated with extractive industry. In addition, in terms of employment, the primary economic activity tied to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is not timber or mining but recreation. The character and quality of the natural and social environments in the region attract both permanent residents and temporary visitors. Both support and stimulate the local economy. These characteristics of the emerging economy suggest that protection of the Greater Yellowstone landscape is consistent with protecting a dominant element in the local economic base that has been a source of stability and expansion. In that sense, protecting the integrity of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is not only not in conflict with local economic well‐being but is a crucial element in any economic development strategy for the region.