FYI – webinar on springs…
Economic Contributions and Ecosystem Services of Selected Springs in the Lower Suwannee and Santa Fe River Basins of North-Central Florida
Webinar presented on Tuesday June 17, 2014, 2-3 pm
Join at:
http://ufifas.adobeconnect.com/r1clnbynxfu/
(space is limited, so please join by 1:45 pm to assure a place)
Presented by Alan Hodges and Tatiana Borisova, University of Florida, Food & Resources Economics Department
Abstract.
This study examined the economic contributions from recreational use of fifteen major springs in a nine-county area of the lower Suwannee and Santa Fe River basins in north-central Florida. The study
included springs at state parks (Fanning, Ichetucknee, Lafayette Blue, Manatee, Troy, Wes Skiles Peacock), county parks (Hart, Little River, Poe, Rum Island), and privately owned sites (Gilchrist Blue, Ginnie, Hornsby, Devil’s Den, Blue Grotto). Information
on annual attendance and recreational spending by springs users was compiled from published reports and interviews with spring owners and other stakeholders.
Attendance at the fifteen springs over the past five years averaged slightly over one million visitor-days annually, including four springs with attendance exceeding 100,000 visitor-days annually
(Manatee, Fanning, Ichetucknee and Ginnie). Diving is a particularly high valued recreational use of springs, with about 57,000 visitor-days annually. Springs in this area are a global attraction, and typically about two-thirds of all visitors to the major
sites originate from outside the local nine-county area. Annual visitor spending related to springs recreation was estimated at $83.8 million, including $45.2 million by non-local visitors.
Economic contributions of recreational spending, including regional multiplier effects of industry supply chain activity and income respending, were estimated with a regional economic input-output
model (IMPLAN). The annual economic contributions of springs recreation were: 1,160 fulltime and part-time jobs, $94.00 million in industry output (revenue), $52.58 million in value added or Gross Domestic Product, $30.42 million in
labor
income, and $6.56 million in local/state government tax revenues. In addition, the consumer surplus realized by springs visitors was estimated at $9.44 million annually, based on previous research measuring the willingness to pay for springs recreation in
excess of actual expenditures.
Finally, ecosystem services provided by freshwater springs were summarized, including provisioning services (e.g. bottled water), nutrient cycling, flood control, and cultural services for
art, heritage, scientific knowledge, environmental education, and existence value for endangered species, among others. It is suggested that future studies should conduct surveys of springs users to better document spending and use advanced econometric methods
to assess ecosystem service values provided by springs.
Funding for the study was provided by the
Wildlife Foundation of Florida and
Save our Suwannee.
The final study report is available at:
http://www.fred.ifas.ufl.edu/economic-impact-analysis/pdf/Springs_Economic_Report_6-4-14.pdf
For questions about the study, contact the investigators ([log in to unmask];
[log in to unmask])
or the project manager: Stacie Greco, Alachua County Environmental Protection Department (352-264-6829,
[log in to unmask]).
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Tatiana Borisova, PhD,
Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Water Economics and Policy,
Food and Resource Economics Department,
University of Florida,
1097 McCarty Hall B
P.O. Box 110240 IFAS
Gainesville, FL 32611-0240
(352) 294-7666