Dear folks, The following is from an article in a Dept. of Interior
publication: People, Land, and Water, Special Issue, v.10,no.2 December 2003.
Enjoy! Art (rockdoc46@xxxxxxxxxxx)
A new federal economic report found that 46 million birdwatchers across
America spent $32 billion in 2001 pursuing one of the nation's most popular
outdoor activities. The report from the Interior Department's U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, "Birding in the United States: A Demographic and Economic
Analysis" is the first of its kind analyzing data from the 2001 National Survey
of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.
"Nearly one in five Americans is a bird watcher," said Service Director
Steve Williams. "This report recognizes what we always thought to be true.
Birdwatching is very popular and contributes greatly to our economy".
Birders spent $32 billion on gear such as binoculars, travel, food and big
ticket items such as canoes, cabins, and off-road vehicles. This spending
generated $85 billion in overall economic output and $13 billion in federal and
state income taxes, and supported more than 863,000 jobs.
The full report is available from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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