In August 2024, the U.S. Department of the Interior reported that the National Park Service generated 415,000 jobs and contributed more than $55.6 billion to the nation’s economy in 2023 alone.
“This report illustrates the significant economic benefits national parks provide to nearby communities and the U.S. economy, and the value of our work to safeguard these public lands in the wake of the climate crisis, upgrade visitor experiences, and invest in park infrastructure and staff,” U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said in a statement.
And it’s not just national parks that are good for the economy. A 2024 economic impact report from the Trust for Public Land found evidence that municipal parks and “pocket” parks are good for business, too.
The report found that four out of five cities that had recently invested in their local parks — Atlanta, Boise, Boston, Minneapolis, and Plano — saw a surge in labor force growth, as well as higher rates of housing and office development.
Image via Chris J Mitchell / Pexels
Michael Halicki, the executive director of Atlanta-based nonprofit Park Pride, told local landscaping company HGOR that parks need to be protected, not just to create jobs, but to boost quality of life as well.
“We live in a city that has nature overflowing in many respects,” Halick said. “We have a great asset there, and I think it’s something that will certainly reward Atlanta in the future, the more that we’re protecting that nature and making sure that people have access to it.”
Header image via Chris J Mitchell / Pexels
