Some things I didn't include yesterday from the l996 Survey, USFWS News
Releases, and personal views:
Category
National Washington State
People participating 62.9
million 1.62l million
Total expenditures $29.2
billion $875.3 million
Total industry output $85.4
billion $1.45 billion
Employment
l,0l0,000 jobs 21,454 jobs
Employment income $24.2
billion $426.9 billion
Sales tax revenue $1.04
billion $56.9 million

Wildlife watchers 62.9
million l.62l million
Spectator sports watchers 73.8
million ?


Not included in the Survey was the amount of money brought into nearby
communities by over 100 birding festivals.
Also those areas near Federal and State wildlife refuges. Some examples:
$l4.4 million to McAllen, Texas by the Santa Ana N.W. Refuge visitors.
The $9.7 million to Chincoteague, Va. by the Chincoteague N.W.R.

Also is the great economic value of birds which annually consume
billions of of harmful insects and arthropods which destroy agricultural
grain and vegetable crops, fruits, defoliate forest and shade trees and
landscape plants and transmit plant and animal diseases, including some
human diseases. Mosquitoes and flies for instance.

American Birding Association had an item in their publication that
according to a survey by the Forbes Magazine more people relaxed by
watching birds than participating in hiking, tennis, skiing and (gasp!)
golfing.

All I'm trying to point out that wildlife watchers have great economic
clout if they would use it and not sit on their keisters.

But everybody to their own tastes said the man as he kissed the cow.

Eugene Kridler, Squirm - er - Sequim, Wa.