A new report shows that every dollar spent on parks and recreation generates three dollars in annual economic benefits for U.S. communities. The findings come from the Trust for Public Land and emphasize health, social and climate advantages as well.
The report states that Americans widely support parks, with 88 percent having visited one in the past year. Support crosses party lines, as nearly 90 percent of Kamala Harris voters and 80 percent of Donald Trump voters view the spaces as critical infrastructure. Will Klein, director of parks research at the Trust for Public Land, noted the broad returns. “You really do get so much goodness out of them,” he said, citing improved health, social connections and business activity for small firms. Physical activity in parks is estimated to save about two thousand dollars per person each year in health care costs. The spaces also raise nearby property values, support tourism and help manage stormwater to reduce flooding expenses. One project cited is the Florida Gulf Coast Trail, expected to generate two hundred million dollars in economic activity in Sarasota County through recreation and tourism.