Major findings of the economic analysis of the WMNF
- The White Mountain National Forest makes a significant contribution to the local economy in terms of jobs and income. It supported 2,910 jobs in 2010 through its activities in the Forest. This accounted for about 2% of the total number of jobs in the four counties within or adjacent to the Forest - Coos, Grafton, Carroll of NH and Oxford of Maine. The White Mountain National Forest supported $ 89.2 million in labor income in 2010. This accounts for about 1.4% of the total labor income in the four-county region in the same year.
- The national forest contributes to the local economy primarily through the recreation activity. Total annual spending by recreation visitors to the Forest was $157 million in 2010. This accounts for about 4% of the total visitor spending in New Hampshire. The hospitality/leisure sector is the largest beneficiary of the White Mountain National Forest. For example, the Forest supported 995 jobs in the Accommodation and Food Services industry, which is over 7% of the industry’s jobs in the Four-County Region.
- The Forest Service makes provides financial support to local governments. It returns some of its revenues to towns and counties for public schools and roads. For some small towns, this payment makes up more than 4% of their total revenue.
The above estimates are conservative in the sense that they do not include local visitors drove less than 50 miles to the recreation sites in the Forest. If it can be assumed that local visitors go outside the region for recreation if it weren’t for the White Mountain Forest, spending by local visitors would be included in the analysis and the economic contribution by the Forest would be larger than above figures.