Chapter 5: Recreation The Highlands are within a day’s drive of approxi- Question 5.1: What are the current supply of and mately 58 million people—21 percent of the Nation’s projected demands for outdoor recreation in the population (USDC BC 1993, 1997c)—that live in rural Ozark-Ouachita Highlands, and what is the settings as well as the metropolitan areas of Des Moines, economic importance of recreation? IA; Omaha, NE; St. Louis and Kansas City, MO; Mem- phis, TN; Little Rock, AR; New Orleans and Shreveport, LA; Houston, Dallas, and Ft. Worth, TX; Tulsa and Outdoor recreation plays important roles in American Oklahoma City, OK; Kansas City, Topeka, and Wichita, society. A 1994 survey found that people who participate KS; and Chicago, IL. Many inhabitants of these cities in outdoor recreation lead more satisfying and fulfilling and surrounding areas look to the public lands of the lives (Roper Starch, Inc. 1994). People engage in outdoor Ozark-Ouachita Highlands to provide settings for outdoor recreation because it is fun, relaxing, fosters good health, recreation. reduces stress, contributes to family togetherness, The national forests, national and State parks, and increases knowledge of the environment and, for many U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ lakes, combined with the activities, is affordable, regardless of income level. mild climate and scenic quality of the Highlands region, Recreation-based business is a significant factor in attract tourists and people looking for a place to retire or national, regional, and local economies, and recreation to have a vacation home. As described in Chapter 2, the amenities can be an advantage for communities inter- population of the Highlands has increased dramatically ested in attracting new industry and creating jobs. This over the last three decades. From 1970 to 1996, the chapter addresses the economic importance, current population grew by 1.2 million people (48 percent); most supply, and projected demand for outdoor recreation in of this increase was due to in-migration, i.e., people the Ozark-Ouachita Highlands. The report focuses on moving into the Highlands. Some of the fastest growth those natural-resource-based activities such as camping, occurred in counties with major tourist attractions, such hiking, fishing, and hunting that typically take place on as Taney County, MO (Branson music and tourism public lands but occur on private lands as well. community), and retirement communities such as Baxter The Ozark-Ouachita Highlands provide outstanding County, AR (Mt. Home recreation and retirement resources for outdoor recreation and tourism. The natural community). Sixteen counties in the Highlands, including scenic beauty and the culture and folklore of the inhabit- eight with national forest land, have been designated ants contribute to the region’s charm. The Highlands “retirement-destination” counties by the Economic contain the only mountainous terrain in the Midwestern Research Service (see Chapter 2). United States. The large areas of public lands within the Individuals moving to the area bring with them expec- Highlands have long been important recreation settings tations for recreation activities other than (or in addition for the inhabitants of the Midwest and the lowlands of to) the traditional hunting and fishing that have been a Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi (Rafferty 1980). One part of the lifestyle of many of the lifelong inhabitants. consultant to the State of Arkansas recommended that Developers have built golf courses, marinas, and resorts the State market itself as a park “in the middle of” across the region, and demand for such facilities contin- Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Dallas, and other major ues to grow. Middle Western, Southwestern, and Southern metropoli- tan areas (NABFCB 1998). 131 Key Findings forests (timberland) in three of the Highlands’ four ecological sections—the Ozark Highlands, Boston 1. Approximately 58 million people (21 percent of the Mountains, and Arkansas Valley. In the Ouachita U. S. population) live within a 1-day drive of Mountains, forest ownership is almost evenly split outdoor recreation opportunities in the Ozark- among industrial forest lands, national forests, and Ouachita Highlands. non-industrial, private lands. 2. In 1996, travel expenditures in the Assessment 8. There are 238,012 ac of federally designated area counties of Arkansas and Missouri totaled wilderness in the Highlands that represent 5 over $9 billion and accounted for nearly 167,000 percent of the land area managed by the Forest jobs. A 1995 study for Oklahoma indicated that Service, USDI National Park Service, and the U.S. statewide, travel-related expenditures totaled over Fish and Wildlife Service. Wilderness accounts for $3 billion. Public lands, by providing many of the 4.4 percent of all national forest lands. Wilderness settings for outdoor recreation, are important to areas occur in all four ecological sections of the maintaining and enhancing a strong tourism indus- Highlands. try. Private lands that dominate the forested 9. Approximately 523 miles of rivers in the Highlands landscape and influence scenic quality in a large have received Federal designations based on their part of the Highlands are also important to the exceptional scenic and recreational value. More region’s tourism industry. than 2,000 additional miles of rivers may merit a 3. State and national parks, national forests, national special designation for their recreational values but wildlife refuges, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineer lack either complete studies to determine their lands and waters account for 13 percent of the suitability for inclusion in the National Wild and Highlands’ area and provide the principal settings Scenic Rivers System or legislative action to for many kinds of outdoor recreational activities formalize State designation. that are based on natural resources. National 10. Annually, more than 7 million people travel over the forests total 4.4 million acres (ac), more than any 9 national forest and State scenic byways in the other public land category. Assessment area. 4. The three national forests provide recreation 11. Residents of the Highlands’ “draw area” exceed opportunities principally in roaded-natural (75 the national average in percent of population percent) and semi-primitive (20 percent) settings. participating in every major category of outdoor There is very little national forest land in the recreation available in the Highlands. More than 90 primitive setting class. percent of the draw area population participates in 5. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provides 51 activities associated with viewing and learning percent and State parks provide 30 percent of the about nature and human history, such as sight- developed campsites in the Assessment area. seeing, bird watching, and visiting historic sites. National forests account for only 6 percent of the Approximately 40 percent participate in fishing, 41 area’s campsites, while the private sector makes up percent participate in outdoor adventure activities 12 percent. (such as hiking or off-road driving), about 35 6. Among the public land-managing agencies, the percent participate in boating, 31 percent participate USDA Forest Service is the principal provider of in camping, and 14 percent participate in hunting. dispersed recreation opportunities (e.g., primitive 12. Nationally, demand for nearly all categories of camping, hunting, trails). Approximately 63 percent recreational activities is expected to increase in of the trail miles in the Assessment area are the next decade. For the southern Renewable located in the national forests. Resources Planning Act (RPA) region, participa- 7. Nonindustrial, private forest lands dominate the tion in most recreational activities is projected to forested landscape of the Highlands. These lands increase significantly more than the Nation as a account for between 65 and 85 percent of the whole and/or the northern RPA region. 132 13. Because of their age and heavy use, many public insight to the magnitude of retail sales for outdoor recreational facilities are deteriorating. Lack of recreation products. Although tourism, activities associ- funds to maintain and repair these facilities is a ated with wildlife, and retail sales are discussed sepa- widespread concern among land managers in the rately, there is some overlap among the three since Assessment area. many tourists participate in fishing, hunting, or wildlife 14. Recreation overuse, particularly off-road vehicle viewing as part of their travel activities, and their driving, dispersed (primitive) camping, and river expenditures include retail purchases associated with use, is occurring in some areas, resulting in re- outdoor recreation pursuits. source damage and conflicts among users. Since many of the region’s recreation participants come from outside the Highlands, the Social-Economic Team defined a larger “draw area” as the basis for Economic Importance of Outdoor analyzing some elements of the demand for outdoor Recreation recreation within the Assessment area. A number of studies and surveys show that most outdoor recreation activities take place within a day’s drive (approximately Data Sources and Methods of Analysis 300 miles (mi)) of the participant’s home (AR DPT 1997, SYNERGY Group 1996, MO DT 1995, Turner 1995). Data were not available to quantify the full economic Therefore, the draw area for this Assessment includes impact of all aspects of outdoor recreation occurring in