The following facts were extracted from Balancing Nature and Commerce in Gateway Communities by Jim Howe, Ed McMahon, and Luther Propst

• The U.S. Travel Data Center estimates that every mile of a designated "scenic highway" generates between $30,000 and $35,000 in tourist spending annually.  --Balancing Nature and Commerce in Gateway Communities, Howe/McMahon/Propst
• Attractive design and landscaping also translate into a better financial return for landowners and developers.  A 1994 study by the Urban Land Institute found that visual amenities added a sales or rental rate premium of at least 5 percent above the local market.
• According to the National Association of Homebuilders, "Developed lots with trees sell for an average of 20-30 percent more than similarly sized lots without trees."  Trees can also reduce runoff, substantially decreasing a project's stormwater management costs.
• According to the U.S.Department of Commerce, wildlife-related tourism generates nearly $60 billion a year for the U.S. economy.
• Bird-watchers in search of species won't hesitate to travel long distances and spend lots of money.  A 1995 study of communities bordering national wildlife refuges found that birders generated between half-a-million and several million dollars a year of economic benefits in each community.

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