Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Maine’S State Parks: Their Value To Visitors And Contribution To The State Economy, Robert Roper, Charles E. Morris, Thomas Allen, Cindy Bastey

Maine Policy Review

Maine’s state parks are important to the social and economic well-being of the state, and provide public access to a variety of outdoor activities. In the study reported here, the authors find that visitors have a high level of satisfaction in Maine’s day-use parks, campgrounds and historic sites. Moreover, the overall impact of visitor-related park spending exceeds $30 million in income and 1,449 jobs annually. Nonetheless, the majority of Maine’s state parks suffer from long-deferred maintenance and are in immediate need of major capital improvements if they are to continue their vital role in supporting tourism and outdoor recreation.