Our staff frequently meets business people whose success depends on the protection of our public lands and wildlife. One is Mark Paigen, who discovered the natural qualities of Paonia, a small western Colorado town, while rafting the Gunnison River. He decided to start a shoe-manufacturing business and build his home there, near public lands. Chaco, Inc., now employs 125 people, many of whom joined because of the proximity to great climbing, mountain biking, rafting, and skiing.
Chaco is one of a number of businesses that our economists looked at in preparing a new report titled “Natural Dividends: Wildland Protection and the Changing Economy of the Rocky Mountain West.” The oil and gas industry turns out to be anything but a juggernaut in the Rockies these days, accounting for just 1.3 percent of personal income. The vitality in local economies is coming from the natural features that attract and retain a talented work force, creating jobs in recreation and the service and professional sectors, as well as attracting retirees and their accumulated wealth.
Seeing these trends, The Wilderness Society began hiring economists 30 years ago. We believed that the conservation community needed to marshal evidence that land protection and a healthy economy go hand in hand. Today we are seeing that our national forests and parks also pay dividends by storing carbon, thereby helping us combat global warming.
“Our company is founded on product principles of functionality and durability—which are key to sustainability,” says Mark. “Similarly, we need to sustain our public lands over generations, not just exploit them for near-term gains.”
--Bill Meadows
