Passport to Texas

 

This is Passport to Texas

A recently completed survey of state parks reveals they provide meaningful economic value to Texas and Texans.

24—State parks are a good economic value for Texas. Overall, the state park system had an estimated increase of 774 million in sales to the state economy. That represents value added of 351 million dollars. Overall, that resulted in an additional 202 million dollars into the pockets of Texans.

Texas has 95 parks, historic sites and natural areas, with 91 of those open to the public. Kevin Good, with state parks, says the survey, headed by Dr. John Crompton of Texas A & M University, reveals state parks created 58-hundred jobs statewide.

15—Caprock Canyons, for instance, was estimated to create 14 jobs; now 14 jobs does not sound like a whole lot until you think of the context of Quitaque, Texas, which is a small community in the Panhandle. And that type of impact is certainly noticeable in a small town.

Nearly 4 percent of the Quitaque population earns a living working at Caprock Canyons. Good says parks conserve habitat and history, provide recreational opportunities, and bring money into communities. And the best way to support them?

03—The best way for people to support state parks is to go out and use them.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.