Des Moines Register
12-22-07
Study: Recreation impacts Iowa's economy
By PERRY BEEMAN • REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Iowans and visitors spend $2.6 billion in their 50 million annual treks to state and
county parks, trails and lakes, according to a new study by Iowa State
University.
The study, commissioned by the Iowa Legislature, also found that recreation in
Iowa has the potential to add another $1.1 billion a year to the economy.
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Outdoor recreation in Iowa accounts for more than 27,400 jobs and $580 million
in income, the report by the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development and
ISU's economics department found.
Lawmakers appointed a panel, the Sustainable Funding for Natural Resources
Study Committee, to look for ways to pay for improvements to Iowa's outdoor
recreation offerings into the future.
The panel has studied sales taxes, tax credits and other methods to secure
funding for the work, including a constitutional amendment to prevent raiding of
the money.
The broad-based panel has recommended $150 million a year in spending on
the programs.
A final decision on recommended sources of cash will come after the panel's next
meeting on Jan. 7. The Legislature will have the final say.
A constitutional amendment also would have to be approved by voters.
Iowa has seen a surge in outdoor activity in some arenas, particularly in park
visits, lake use and canoeing and kayaking. Fishing and hunting remain popular,
although license sales have been down some years.
The report found that Iowa's state parks and lakes record more than 25 million
visits a year. County parks add another 23 million visits.
The economists found that recreation is a significant industry in Iowa.
"Recreation opportunities and natural resources are important to retaining and
attracting skilled workers in the state," the study's authors wrote. " ... National
and regional studies, which include Iowa, have consistently identified quality
natural resources as an important factor in rates of economic growth."