National Survey Shows Why Refuges Matter for Bird Watchers, Hunters, and Local Economies
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently released a new report, Characterizing the Experiences of Visitors to National Wildlife Refuges, summarizing results from over 20,000 visitor surveys at more than 140 refuges across the United States between 2018 and 2023. The report finds that National Wildlife Refuges are important destinations for bird watchers and hunters; that the people who visit them care deeply about habitat quality; and that these recreational activities contribute significantly to local economies.
The National Wildlife Refuge system is a vast network of public lands and waters, conserving diverse wildlife habitat as well as providing outdoor recreation opportunities for tens of millions of visitors each year. There are 11 National Wildlife Refuges as well as five Wildlife Management Areas in California’s Central Valley, together playing a critical role in CVJV’s work.
Bird Watchers and Hunters: Repeat Visitors Who Drive Local Economies
The report takes a close look at hunters, anglers, and bird watchers, who together made up nearly a third of all visitors to refuges. Bird watching was the primary activity for 13% of visitors, and 46% had gone bird watching in the past year. Hunters averaged 17 visits per year to the refuge where they were contacted, and bird watchers averaged eight. These repeat visits translate directly into spending at local businesses, on gas, food, lodging, and gear, underscoring the economic value that well-managed refuges bring to surrounding communities.
Satisfaction was high across the board: 98% of bird watchers and 94% of hunters reported being satisfied with their experience.
Habitat Quality Drives Participation
Perhaps the most important finding for organizations that promote and invest in conservation is that visitors said improved habitat conditions would increase their likelihood to keep coming back. Most bird watchers (76%) reported they would visit more often with greater species diversity, and both bird watchers (73%) and hunters (59%) said they would visit more often if wetland quality improved. These numbers make a clear case that investing in wetland restoration doesn’t just benefit birds; it also drives the economic boost that refuges provide to surrounding communities.
Central Valley Refuges in the Spotlight
Three Central Valley refuges participated in the survey, including the Sacramento River NWR, the Sacramento NWR Complex more broadly (a grouping of five refuges, including Sacramento River, and three Wildlife Management Areas), and the San Luis NWR near Los Banos (in the San Joaquin Valley). The report features a quote from a visitor to Sacramento NWR that captures the draw of the Valley’s refuges. They said: “I have been duck hunting for 43 years and have hunted all of the refuges in the Central Valley. This was the first refuge I hunted this year and I enjoyed it so much that I returned eight more times.”
For the CVJV partnership, these results reinforce what drives our work: Healthy natural habitats are the foundation not only of bird conservation, but also of the recreation and local economies that flow from them. Read the full report on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website.
