Study says money grows on Denali trees.(PARKS)

The nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) recently released a new economic analysis that shows Denali National Park and Preserve provides more than 500 local, non-National Park Service jobs and returns 1.5 times what the federal government invests in the park to Alaska's state and local economies.

"We've always known that Denali is a great place to take friends and relatives-now we can see that Denali also is a powerful engine for local communities by providing much-needed employment, tax revenue for local schools, and support for local businesses," said NPCA Alaska Regional Director Jim Stratton.

The report, U.S. National Park System: An Economic Asset at Risk, produced for NPCA by independent economists Hardner & Gullison Associates LLC, shows that the U.S. National Park System generates at least $4 for state and local economies in return for every one tax dollar invested in the national parks' annual budget.

The report relies on a cost-benefit analysis methodology developed by the federal government under the Reagan Administration; economic impact analysis; and economic growth analysis. Through system-wide analysis and the study of 12 individual parks, the report shows that the National Park System, including parks such as Denali, play a major role in attracting and sustaining local businesses and communities in areas near parks. According to the report, Denali generates $20 million in annual recreational benefits while its annual budget is just $14 million. Visitors generate nearly $23 million annually in local revenue while supporting more than 500 local jobs (non-park staff).

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