New Report Shows Benefits of Protecting Public Lands to Small Businesses; Outlines Policy Recommendations to Enhance Success of Local Businesses and Economies

Public lands are essential to local economies in the West and are the catalyst to creating new jobs, attracting entrepreneurs and visitors, and boosting consumer spending, according to a new economic report by Small Business Majority. "A Small Business Voice for Public Lands in the West" examines the importance of public lands in California, Colorado, Montana and New Mexico and provides recommendations policymakers can take to ensure the protection of America's public lands and natural assets.

"Small business owners—who account for nearly half of all private-sector employment in this country—understand the connection between the preservation of public lands and the benefit that brings to their bottom lines," said John Arensmeyer, Founder & CEO of Small Business Majority. "Washington should be focusing on creating new parks, expanding outdoor recreational opportunities and helping protect the public lands that draw in visitors and give an economic boost to their communities."

Below are some recommendations lawmakers should follow to help protect national public lands that sustain small businesses and local communities in the West:

• Congress should fully fund and reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund
• Berryessa Snow Mountain should be designated as a national monument
• Permanent protection of the Boulder-White Clouds landscape should be provided
• The federal government should formally track jobs in the outdoor recreation industry

Small business owners believe protecting public lands would positively impact small business opportunities, local job growth, state economies and more. National parks and monuments bring in tourism dollars and help attract talented employees, and many entrepreneurs point to their state's parks and public lands as a key reason for opening shop, according to Small Business Majority's opinion polling. Nearly two-thirds of small business owners believe designating new national parks and monuments would enhance local jobs and the economy, and a sweeping 90 percent believe public spaces that draw tourists can boost business for local restaurants, hotels, grocery stores and more.

"Protecting public lands is a chance for our government to demonstrate that they can do something for all of us," said Tina Cordova, president of Queston Construction in Albuquerque, New Mexico. "As a small business owner, public lands are an important part of the success of my business and other small businesses. Public lands attract tourists and consumers from around the world who shop at smaller local businesses, bolstering the local economy. Land is the one thing we can't make any more of, and protecting the public lands we have is necessary for the growth of our communities and the well-being of the small business community, to say nothing of the entertainment value of the land for those of us who enjoy the outdoors."

To view the full report, please visit: http://www.smallbusinessmajority.org/small-business-research/public-lands/041615-public-lands-west.php