Outdoor activities on national wildlife refuges help stimulate the economy and generate funding for wildlife conservation, according to Banking on Nature, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report.
The report found that refuges pumped $2.4 billion into the U.S. economy. Across the country, refuges returned an average $4.87 in total economic output for every $1 appropriated in Fiscal Year 2011.
Wildlife-dependent recreation on national wildlife refuges includes wildlife photography, environmental education, wildlife observation, hunting, fishing, and other activities.
source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service