Autumn McGowan

July 2023

Michigan the Beautiful: The Value of Conserving Nature for Recreation

Michigan is home to a variety of nature-based activities all year long. From hiking, fishing, skiing and birding, let’s explore how outdoor recreation plays a big part in our individual lives and provides value to the Michigan economy.

Many recognize the beautiful state of Michigan as one full of year-round opportunities for a range of nature-based recreational activities. In the summer, people looking to be outdoors in our Great Lakes state go hiking, biking, camping, fishing, boating and birding, to name a few. In winter, Michiganders switch to enjoying the outdoors with skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding and other unique winter activities. 

Michigan residents truly value this access to nature for recreation, with 86% of Michiganders involved in trail or other land activities, 80% participating in water activities, 40% in snow activities and 52% in wildlife viewing activities.¹ Hunting is also a popular Michigan outdoor activity, and about 6.7% of Michigan residents have paid hunting licenses, according to 2020 data.² Tourism to outdoor destinations in Michigan has grown, especially because of the pandemic.³ One of the greatest features of the state, to tourists and residents alike, is the variety of nature-based recreation options that offer something for everyone. 

What is the value of outdoor recreation?

Being in nature and participating in outdoor recreation is known to have many benefits for individuals’ physical and mental well-being, such as reduced stress and anxiety and improved cognitive abilities.⁴ Arguably, access to nature and nature-based recreation is highly valued by residents and tourists alike, but to what extent does our participation in outdoor recreation define Michigan, and what is the economic value?

Thinking of nature as having an economic value may feel strange. How do you put a dollar amount on recreation? Michiganders and visitors truly value the nature-based activities our state has to offer, and it adds up to the outdoor recreation industry being important to Michigan’s economy. Each nature-based activity, like skiing, boating or birding, is essentially its own sub-industry with the associated costs of participation supporting it. Some of these contributing costs are park passes, transportation, gear or various taxes and fees, and they vary based on activity or sub-industry.

What does it add up to? In 2021 the outdoor recreation industry added $10.8 billion in value to the Michigan economy, a 15.4% increase from 2020,⁵ and it doesn’t stop there. The projected net economic value in Michigan from 2023 to 2027 for outdoor recreation is approximately $165 billion.¹ The contribution of various forms of outdoor recreation to the economy ranks Michigan among the top compared to other states, with the state being 5th for boating, 6th for recreational vehicle use, and 8th for hunting, shooting and trapping.⁶

Besides the economic value, this impacts the lives of Michiganders as well. The outdoor recreation industry includes almost 110,000 jobs and encompasses a wide range of occupations.⁵ This is just one more way to look at the value of nature-based activities and recognize that outdoor recreation is more than just fun; it supports people and the economy across the state.

Protecting What We Love

In Michigan, conservation work by organizations like The Nature Conservancy does more than just preserve habitats and biodiversity, although that certainly is a big part of it! Conservation of the state’s natural areas not only protects nature, but also provides opportunities for people to get out and experience the outdoors. By conserving the lands and waters of our state, we continue to support biodiversity, habitat, human well-being, outdoor activity and the state’s economy.

Michigan offers more than 8,000,000 acres of publicly accessible lands, 12,000 miles of state-designated trails and four of the Great Lakes at our fingertips. The Nature Conservancy in Michigan also maintains more than 35 preserves and reserves across the state, many of which are open to the public year-round. So, if you want to help protect nature, continue doing what you love and get outside!

Sources:

¹https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/-/media/Project/Websites/dnr/Documents/managing/SCORP2023/SCORP_2023-27.pdf?rev=69246bfe4f7e462babc24f9ca84b6fcb

² https://stacker.com/michigan/see-how-many-registered-hunters-are-michigan

³ https://medc.app.box.com/s/4bk5k9s8c5u40zt2n7vqgsuslpjgw5k7

⁴ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8125471/

⁵ https://www.michiganbusiness.org/news/2023/05/outdoor-recreation-industry/

⁶ https://www.pressandguide.com/2021/12/28/cultivating-growth-in-michigans-outdoor-recreation-business-the-michigan-office-of-outdoor-recreation-industry/