ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF TRAILS AND GREENWAYS

OMMUNITY GEMS Like a magnificent gem on display, trails and greenways attract visitors from near and far. Many communities realize the economic potential of these highly desirable recreation destinations. Trails and greenways bring job growth in construction and maintenance as well as tourism-related opportunities like river rafting tours, bike rentals, restaurants and lodging. A National Park Service study revealed that the economic impact of a trail involves a combination of newly created trail-related jobs and the expansion of existing businesses related to travel, equipment, clothes, food, souvenirs and maps.1 That is only the beginning of the importance these amenities can have for a community's economy. The ecological benefits of greenways can help communities mitigate costs associated with the control of water and air pollution and flood management. Dedicated trail and greenway corridors can also play a valuable role in preserving linear space for future infrastructure needs. Trails and greenways can increase perceived quality of life in a community, and consequently attract new businesses. Americans living in rural, suburban and urban communities are demanding that green places be protected as a way to maintain their quality of life. Local governments are finding they can no longer permit poorly planned development if they are to compete for residents and businesses and pay for the infrastructure costs associated with sprawling growth. Many companies seeking to relocate or establish a corporate headquarters have cited the availability of trails as a significant factor in their decision to choose one locale over another. Cities such as Providence, Rhode Island and Chattanooga, Tennessee, transformed industrial blight into beautiful and useful riverfront greenways and WHAT ARE TRAILS AND GREENWAYS? Greenways are corridors of protected open space managed for conservation and recreation purposes. Greenways often follow natural land or water features, and link nature reserves, parks, cultural features and historic sites with each other and with populated areas. Greenways can be publicly or privately owned, and some are the result of public/private partnerships. Trails are paths used for walking, bicycling, horseback riding and other forms of recreation or transportation. Some greenways include trails, while others do not. Some appeal to people, while others exist primarily as a habitat for wildlife. From the hills and plains of inland America to the beaches and barrier islands of the coast, greenways provide a vast network linking America's special places. Service-related businesses such as equipment rental and gift shops, and cafes like the Prairie Path Delicatessen in Illinois, spring up near trails and greenways to take advantage of their popularity. (Photo: Jean Mooring)download