Why Birds Matter?
From SongbirdReMixWiki
(Difference between revisions)
(→Scary Facts:) |
(→Money Talks:) |
||
* US Birders spend $3.1 billion on food for birds and other wildlife; $733 million on bird houses and feeders; $2.6 billion on cameras and associated photographic equipment; $507 million on binoculars and spotting scopes. (USFWS 2001). | * US Birders spend $3.1 billion on food for birds and other wildlife; $733 million on bird houses and feeders; $2.6 billion on cameras and associated photographic equipment; $507 million on binoculars and spotting scopes. (USFWS 2001). | ||
* The net economic value (willingness to pay above what is actually spent) for the chance to see wildlife is $134 a person per day within the US (National Survey on Recreation and the Environment 2000-01) | * The net economic value (willingness to pay above what is actually spent) for the chance to see wildlife is $134 a person per day within the US (National Survey on Recreation and the Environment 2000-01) | ||
- | * An estimated 75% of households in Britain provide food for birds at some point during the | + | * An estimated 75% of households in Britain provide food for birds at some point during the year. |
- | * The combined value of 17 different ecosystem services that birds provide | + | * The combined value of 17 different ecosystem services that birds provide (such as pollination and water catchment) is estimated between $16- 54 trillion per year worldwide. This is around double what all the worlds economies make together. Without birds, we'd have to pay for these "free" services ourselves... so protecting birds actually saves us all money. |
* Want more facts? Here's the 2001 USFWS report [http://www.fs.fed.us/outdoors/naturewatch/start/economics/Economic-Analysis-for-Birding.pdf "Economic Analysis for Birding"] | * Want more facts? Here's the 2001 USFWS report [http://www.fs.fed.us/outdoors/naturewatch/start/economics/Economic-Analysis-for-Birding.pdf "Economic Analysis for Birding"] | ||
* For many states within the US, and countries around the world, '''wildlife tourism is their top economic producer'''. Damaging environmental protections will damage economies... | * For many states within the US, and countries around the world, '''wildlife tourism is their top economic producer'''. Damaging environmental protections will damage economies... |