Restoration of national forests benefits local communities.

• Author: McIver, Chelsea P.
• Position: Brief article

The federal government is a major land owner in the western part of Montana, and many communities benefit from management of these lands. Restoration and maintenance projects on national forests can provide economic benefits to local and regional communities in the form of jobs, wages, and the secondary effects generated when businesses buy supplies in the community and workers spend their wages. Federal contracting of restoration and maintenance also provides other nonmonetary benefits: enhancement of natural and human capital such as improved ecosystem function, enhancement of business capacity, and the ability for individuals and families to stay in the community.

Counties in which local businesses conduct a larger share of the restoration projects on national forests generate the greatest benefits. Figure 1 shows the proportion of federal contract dollars that went to local businesses by county and the number of jobs created for every $1 million invested by the Forest Service. Figure 2 shows how economic...