Elk and Tourism

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End date: 
PROJECT COMPLETE
Elk at Peck Ranch CA
Project Summary

MDC’s key message that “Conservation pays by enriching our economy and quality of life” implies that MDC needs to be accountable to Missourians by evaluating and publicizing those benefits. Successful management of Missouri’s natural resources involves a partnership with citizens, organizations, and agencies. During the decision making process on the elk restoration plan one idea communicated to the public was the potential for economic benefits from the restoration of elk. Using onsite visitor surveys, we estimated the number of people visiting specifically to view elk and both the economic impact of these visits to local communities and the economic value that elk provided to the visitors.