Additionally, Barcott drives home the point that Wilderness Economics seeks to quantify the economic impact of recreation. “In 1995, U.S. Forest Service economists took stock of the agency’s land and found that national forests generated $125 billion a year in economic activity. Recreation accounted for 75 percent of that figure. Timber and mining made up 15 percent. ”
New media represents an enormous opportunity for conservationists to educate the public about the economic value of environmental ecosystems. We all need to keep in mind that this opportunity can be leveraged by framing the conservation message in terms of dollars and cents.