Monument Review: Recreation a Larger Economic Benefit Than Ranching and Timber Combined

Why is the Department of Interior considering a reduction of the size of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument?

1 minute read

July 5, 2018, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"Recreation in an untamed part of Southern Oregon generated far more economic benefit than grazing and logging put together," writes Tony Schick. "Yet it’s difficult to say how changing the boundaries of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument might alter that mix."

Schick writes in reaction to documents released, heavily redacted, from the Interior Department's review of National Monuments. The documents to make it clear that recreation produces tremendous economic benefit—more so than the industries fighting to shrink the footprint of public lands in the West:

Among the newly public documents is an economic assessment from the Bureau of Land Management that estimates recreation generated $16.6 million in economic output and supported 200 jobs in 2016. Estimates for ranching and timber were $1.1 million and $600,000 respectively.

Beyond that information, a lot of key information about the review is still unknown to the public, such as who reviewed the draft memo and what input they gave.

Thursday, June 28, 2018 in Oregon Public Broadcasting

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

The Seat of Government

Good Planning Under Bad Leadership

Planners must sometimes work under bad leadership. Here are suggestions for responsive planning in challenging political environments.

February 3, 2025 - Todd Litman

Close-up of Donald Shoup during interview.

Legendary Parking Guru Donald Shoup Dies at 86

Urbanists are mourning the loss of a dynamic voice for parking reform and walkable cities.

February 10, 2025 - StreetsBlog NYC

Amtrak train with downtown Seattle in background.

Amtrak Cascades Line Breaks Ridership Record

The route linking Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC served nearly one million riders in 2024.

February 2, 2025 - Daily Hive

Vacant interior of open plan office with large buildings and stacked wood planks on floor.

Over 71K Office-to-Apartment Units in the Pipeline for 2025

Adaptive reuse projects are continuing to bring thousands of new housing units onto the market as demand for office space remains low.

7 hours ago - RentCafé

Crane and construction on multi-story buildings in downtown Houston, Texas.

How Houston Can Be a Model for Housing Reform

The city builds more new housing than almost any other and has dramatically reduced homelessness, yet low-income families struggle to find affordable housing.

February 12 - Urban Edge

Small rural USPS post office in manufactured one-story grey building with American flag in front.

Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes

Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.

February 12 - Cowboy State Daily