Although I have done a poor job of updating this blog, I have decided to start another. It is more broad than this blog in many ways, though geographically limited to the Ozarks region of Missouri and Arkansas.
Here is a link to Ben's Blog, maintained by my nephew, Bennett Riley Cox a.k.a. Hot Rod Riley. The blog is dedicated to muscle cars, family, other vehicles, and Cars the movie.
I received my first fishing report of the year from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). While all of the rivers in the Ozarks were high, muddy, and all species were reported as slow, it still signals the beginning of Spring and the warming of water temperatures, releasing the Smallmouth from their Winter grogs. You can subscribe to the weekly fishing reports at http://lists.mo.gov/mailman/listinfo/mo-fish.
The vitality and importance of the outdoor recreation industry should not be underestimated when evaluating the economic potential of rural areas. Overall, outdoor recreation is estimated to contribute over $730 billion to the U.S. economy, supply 6.5 million jobs, and create $88 billion in state and federal tax revenues nationwide.[1] Fishing alone adds $61 billion to the economy, paddle-based recreation generates an additional $36 billion, and together fishing and paddle sports account for $8.9 billion of tax revenue.[2] In addition, the number of Americans participating in paddle sports is expected to increase at a rate 30 percent greater than population growth by 2050.[3]
This increasing demand for recreation opportunities involving rivers and streams can have a large impact on the economic development of rural areas.[4] Amenity based development benefits a community in two primary ways. First, it promotes the area’s appeal to tourists, increasing revenues and providing a base for tourism related businesses.[5] Second, natural amenities attract retirees and families, which adds to the need for additional services, creates new businesses, and draws employers to the community.[6] Due to the increased popularity of water related activities, rivers are a readily available resource for establishing this amenity based development.[7] Thus, rivers can act as a catalyst which spurs further economic activity due to increased appeal to tourists and to those seeking to live in a rural environment with outdoor recreation opportunities.
While money spent by visitors on renting canoes and lodging is significant, the benefits of tourist revenues from water related recreation is not limited to money spent directly on the activity.[8] Tourism can “diversify an economy, making the economy less cyclical and less dependent on the ups and downs of one or two industries,” it can increase employment, and it can increase tax revenues and improve public services.[9] In addition, the value of providing shopping opportunities for visitors and residents should be considered. Annual retail sales on gear and trips in the U.S. from active outdoor recreation exceeds $289 billion.[10]
While it is clear that tourism has a substantial impact on the economy and rural development, it is necessary to recognize that not all places possess the same attributes, which traditionally attract visitors.[11] In particular, landscapes dominated by farmland, such as those in Iowa, tend to be ranked relatively low in appeal for people other than farmers.[12] However, this does not preclude communities in areas dominated by farmland from benefiting from economic development based around their rivers and streams.[13] Due to changes in the nature of American vacations, places that lack geographic landscapes with traditional appeal, such as mountains or beaches, may be more desirable due to their proximity.[14] Because people are taking shorter vacations than they used to, opting for a few long weekends rather than full weeks off of work, there is less distance traveled in order to reach a recreation destination.[15] Thus, communities dominated by farmland may still be able to appeal to these weekend vacationers by tapping into the potential of their natural assets, such as their rivers and streams. Heritage and Agri-tourism can also be used to further the variety and appeal of such areas.
The economic development potential of rivers is also apparent in communities that have established programs to improve knowledge and accessibility to watercourses, such as water trails initiatives.[16] Water trails have become common-place in communities attempting to take advantage of their river resources.[17] These trails have been established across the country and in a large variety of landscapes.[18] The following excerpt summarizes the benefits of water trails for local communities: "Paddle trails are an effective and healthy approach to economic development and recreational access of otherwise untapped water resources, while conserving and maintaining the natural, scenic, and historic qualities of a community…. A water trail is a network of recreational and educational opportunities…. Interpreting cultural and environmental amenities enhances community character while making the area more attractive to new residents and employers."[19]
[1] Outdoor Industry Foundation, The Active Outdoor Recreation Economy: A $730 Billion Contribution to the U.S. Economy 3 (2006), http://www.outdoorindustry.org/research.php?action=detail&research_id=26%22%3EThe.
[2] Id. at 13, 19
[3] Lindsy Johnson, Case Studies of Water Trail Impacts on Rural Communities (unpublished M.A. thesis, U. of Or., Sept. 2002) http://www.nps.gov/ncrc/programs/rtca/helpfultools/wtimpacts.pdf
[4] See Rural Assistance Center, Rural Economic Development Resources, http://www.raconline.org/info_guides/communities/econ_dev.php (last visited Nov. 26, 2007); see also Johnson, Case Studies.
[5] Chuck Hassebrook, Strategies to Revitalize Rural Communities: Making Communities Desirable Places to Live, Center for Rural Affairs–Newsl., June 2003, http://www.cfra.org/newsletter/2003_06.htm.
[6] David McGranahan & Patrick Sullivan, Farm Programs, Natural Amenities, and Rural Development, Amber Waves, Feb. 2005, http://www.ers.usda.gov/Amberwaves/February05/Features/FarmPrograms.htm.
[7] Hassebrook, Strategies.
[8] Richard Reeder & Dennis Brown, USDA, Recreation, Tourism, and Rural Well-Being 7 (2005), http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/ERR7/.
[9] Id. at 1.
[10] Outdoor Industry Foundation at 16.
[11] Hassebrook, Strategies.
[12] McGranahan & Sullivan, Farm Programs.
[13] Hassebrook, Strategies.
[14] Ken Belson, Vacations Get Shorter, but Turn Up More Often, N.Y. Times (Aug. 18, 2007), available at http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/08/18/nyregion/18weekend.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/B/Belson,%20Ken; Johnson, Case Studies
[15] Johnson, Case Studies.
[16] Johnson, Case Studies.
[17] Johnson, Case Studies.
[18] See National Park Service, River Projects: Water Trails, http://www.nps.gov/ncrc/portals/rivers/projpg/watertrails.htm (last visited Nov. 26, 2007) (providing examples of water trails in locations as diverse as Washington, Maryland, Connecticut, New York, Maine and Wisconsin).
[19] Johnson, Case Studies.
Often environmental concerns are viewed as adverse to the growth or maintenance of rural economies. The approach taken by the Nature Conservancy, working in conjunction with government, non-profits, and landowners, for improving the Boone River Watershed in Central Iowa is an example of a cooperative method used to improve water quality and biotic diversity, while also attempting to improve the economy and maintain large-scale agricultural production. A brief introduction to this effort can be found on the Nature Conservancy's Website and a more in-depth analysis is described in the Nature Conservancy's Boone River Watershed: Ecological Assessment.
The Nature Conservancy has taken efforts to create a non-confrontational approach to improving biodiversity in many of its projects. This approach is also apparent in the organization's role in protecting the Current River in the Missouri Ozarks. Here, the Conservancy is purchasing land in the watershed, recording a conservation easement on that land, and then resaling the land for the harvest of timber. The easement ensures sustainable forestry practices while resaling the land allows for the continuation of private ownership and a tax base for the rural community.
For information specifically oriented toward fly fishing in the Ozark Mountains here is a link to Fly Fish the Ozarks. This blog is maintained by my brother, Russell Cox. He may have some tangents also.
His blog is more congenial than he appears in this picture, taken at a spring cave on the Jack's Fork of the Current River. It was a hard day of fishing.
Here is another addition. A couple of links with good information on canoeing and fishing in Missouri. The River Water Level provides real time data on stream flow throughout the state. Great information as many rivers become difficult to float during the dry summer months, or extremely dangerous during flash floods. My friend Josh and I once attempted canoeing Swan Creek, near Forsyth, MO, while it was at flood stage. I would not recomend this, and after several long portages and a cell phone call to my brother at the first low water bridge we left the river with a much greater appreciation for the force of water.
One of the rivers with the most consistent flow, yet one of the least travelled rivers, is the Eleven Point. This river has a constant flow from Greer Spring, one of the largest springs in the country, and has excellent trout fishing. I've attached a link to the only outfitter within walking distance to the Eleven Point. It is one of the original National Wild and Scenic Rivers designated in 1968.
The plan is to add some more links on Ozark rivers soon. Unfortunately, a take-home exam in Federal Income Tax is consuming most of my time.
I have a added some links to the site. These informative links are intended to represent the broad array of actors required to promote the beneficial management of river resources. While complete by no means, this list should include groups, which working together are representative of what might be referred to as horizontal cooperation. This includes government, academics, non-profit organizations, industry, and individuals.
In addition, to effectively protect rivers as a natural resource, and to promote rivers as a source of sustainable economic development, vertical cooperation amongst government entities is also beneficial. This involves local municipalities and watershed communities taking advantage of the expertise and resources available at the state and federal level.
These links, thus far, focus primarily on Iowa's rivers, as this is where I currently reside, and my research has shared this focus. However, I plan to expand the information available to include efforts in the Ozark Highlands regarding conservation and promotion of this region's river resources. It is important to note that problems, solutions, and opportunities will differ in various regions and that approaches must be tailored based on the geography, geology, changing industrial and demographic demands, as well as societal values and expectations.
