Somerset Conservation District

Economic Impact of Natural Conservation

“Were not for tourism generated tax dollars each resident of Somerset County would pay $564.00 more in state and local taxes.”

The Somerset Conservation District and organizations that it supports successfully conserve and enhance watershed resources every day and have done so for years. The economic impact of these efforts have been studied and documented. For example, a mile of a trout stocked fishery, according to the PA Fish and Boat Commission, is worth $73,986.00 a year to the local economy. A conservative estimate of 16 miles of restored fishery in the county has largely been due to the projects of SCRIP (Stonycreek –Conemaugh River Improvement Project) and the Somerset Conservation District and their partners totals a value of $1,183,776.00 of economic value each year to Somerset County.

A conservative and older document shows that five miles of restored whitewater rafting, now available plus more on the Stonycreek River, is valued at 1.2 million dollars of economic value to the local economy each year. This impact too is derived directly from the regions improving water quality that has been the result of the local orchestrated resource conservation efforts.

Learn more at the Somerset Conservation District