Economic Impacts of the Shortleaf-Bluestem Community Restoration Project

Ecological restoration is currently a priority for national forests in the United States. However, the ecological benefits of such projects have been more widely studied than the economic benefits. This study estimated total economic impacts of the Shortleaf-Bluestem Community Restoration project currently being implemented in the Ouachita National Forest of Arkansas and Oklahoma, USA. These impacts were estimated at the regional and national levels. The difference in local expenditures by local and nonlocal contractors working for the project was also calculated. The restoration project generated a total of 275 jobs and $14.6 million of value added within the regional economy. The regional multipliers of the project for employment and value added were 1.8 and 2.18, respectively. Local expenditures within the regional economy were higher by local contractors as opposed to those from outside the regional economic area. The restoration project had maximum impacts within the regional economy, thereby creating jobs and supporting local businesses.