Northern California - California State Parks Foundation

Northern California Regional Profile
The Economic Value of California’s State Park System
Supporting California’s
state park system supports
an investment in the state’s
current and future economic
development. The planned
closure of one-quarter
of the state park system
by July 1, 2012, makes it
imperative to recognize
the substantial economic
benefits in terms of jobs,
businesses, tax revenue,
and other spending that is
created and supported by
California’s state parks.
Montgomery Woods State Park © Mike Ryan
California’s state park system represents the best of California. The 279 parks
feature unmatched natural, cultural, and recreational treasures and span ancient
redwoods, sandy beachfronts, historic sites and monuments, and more. With
more than 65 million visits made from Californians and out-of-state tourists alike,
California’s state park system is an economic engine– generating more in visitor
spending and tax revenues than the parks system is annually allocated in the state
budget process.
• 65.5 million people visited California’s state parks in Fiscal Year 2009-10.1
• Visitors spend on average of $42 per day on items such as food, gas, gear,
overnight accommodations, and equipment.
• Visitors spend $3.2 billion annually on goods and services directly related to
park visits.
• Total economic impact increases to $6.41 billion annually when visitor
spending, operating expenses and purchases of goods and services that support
parks and related businesses are included.
• $289 million in state tax revenue and approximately $145 million in local tax
revenues are on average generated annually.
• Approximately 56,000 jobs across California are supported by visitors spending
and operating expenditures.
Prepared by the California State Parks Foundation and The Trust for Public Land as part of the Save Our
Parks Campaign.
Northern California Regional Profile
McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park
© Hemalatha Sukumar
Sinkyone Wilderness State Park
© Cynthe Brush
Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park
© Mike Ryan
State Parks in the Region
Valley’s strength
“Anderson
as a visitor destination
is its diverse variety
of activities. Closing
Hendy Woods State Park
will rip the heart out of
that mix. Fewer people
will be stopping at our
stores, restaurants, and
bakeries. Without Hendy
Woods [State Park] it is
reasonable to assume we
will lose a very substantial
portion of our visitors and
the tax revenue we collect
from them for the state.
Kathy Bailey
”
Anderson Valley Chamber
of Commerce
52 state parks are in the region consisting of the following counties: Del Norte, Glenn,
Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama,
and Trinity. These counties include over a little more than 716,000 residents. The Northern
California region has the fifth highest amount of annual park visitor expenditures of all
regions, and ranks sixth of all regions in overall economic contribution received from
California’s state parks.
Notable parks in this region include Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park, the oldest
continuously used Chinese Temple in California. Humboldt Redwoods State Park encompasses
nearly 53,000 acres, of which over 17,000 acres are old growth coast redwoods and includes
the iconic 32 mile Avenue of the Giants. Anderson Marsh State Historic Park protects
archeological sites over 10,000 years old, the oldest in California. Jug Handle State Natural
Reserve features The Ecological Staircase, which showcases five wave-cut terraces formed by
glacier, sea, and tectonic activity that built the coast range.
Create Jobs and Strengthen Local Economies
• Spending by visitors to the region’s state park units directly supports 4,300 private jobs.
When the overall economic impact of visitor spending is considered, 5,660 jobs in private
businesses are supported.
• Over $172 million in labor income is earned annually by workers in jobs that are supported
by the state parks.
Attract Visitors Who Support Local Businesses
• Approximately 5.25 million visitors each year come to state park units in the region, or over
14,300 on average every day. About 86 percent of these visitors represent day trip visits.
• These visitors spend $332 million annually in local communities on things like food,
lodging, gas, and supplies.
• The overall economic impact of visitor spending in this region totals nearly $486 million.
CALIFORNIA
STATE PARKS
FOUNDATION
For more information, please contact CSPF – (916) 442-2119, 1510 J Street, Suite 220, Sacramento, CA 95814
1 California Department of Parks and Recreation. State Park System Statistical Report 2009/10 Fiscal Year
Source: All economic data from California Outdoor Recreation Economic Study: State Park System Contributions and Benefits.
Prepared by BBC Research & Consulting. 2010.