THE EFFECT OF STATE-PARKS ON THE COUNTY ECONOMIES OF THE WEST

The local economic impact of State Parks is analyzed using a cross-sec tion sample of 250 non-metropolitan counties from the eight-State inte rmountain west. The analysis consists of the estimation of a disequili brium, simultaneous econometric model of county economic development. The number of State Parks per acre of county land area is found to hav e a positive, statistically significant, but relatively small effect o n both county population and employment densities. Specifically, 10 pe rcent higher State Park densities are associated with 1.4 and 2.3 perc ent higher long run population and employment densities, all else cons tant. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that household s are attracted to high amenity regions and that regional amenities su ch as State Parks can have both direct and indirect economic developme nt implications.