Market Failures and the White River National Forest :: Economics Environment Research

Market Failures and the White River National Forest The two and one quarter acre White River National Forest is located in the heart of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, approximately two to four hours west of Denver on I-70. The scenic beauty of the area, along with ample developed and undeveloped recreation opportunities in the forest, accounts for the fact that the White River consistently ranks as one of the top Forests nation wide for total recreation use. The Forest provides for an excellent variety of recreation opportunities in all seasons with eleven ski areas, eight designated wildernesses, several national trails, approximately 70 forest service administered developed sites (campgrounds, picnic grounds), and over one and one half million acres for general motorized and non-motorized backcountry enjoyment. Popular recreation activities in the Forest include downhill and cross-country skiing, developed and dispersed camping, four-wheel driving, sightseeing, photography, hunting, fishing, hiking, boating, snowmobiling, picnicking, bicycling, horseback riding and backpacking. The elevation of the Forest ranges from 5,000 to 14,000 feet. Warm days and cool to freezing nights can be expected in the mountains during the summer. July and August are usually the warmest months, and afternoon thunderstorms are common. Fall in the Forest is brief but spectacular, as changing aspens cloak the mountains in gold. Peak color time is normally the last part of September. Crisp, sunny days mingle with early snowstorms in what many consider the premier season of the year. Winter brings the abundant powder snowfall that Colorado is famous for. Most winter recreation, including skiing and snowmobiling, occurs between Thanksgiving and Easter, but high elevation sites offer good snow much later into the spring. The park itself is obviously a source of great enjoyment to all and offers a plethora of opportunities for recreation. Unfortunately though, the park, as well as the surrounding environment, has become the victim of an increased population in the area, a growth in the number of annual tourists to the region, and an economic expansion which has utilized natural resources found within the park boundaries for the purpose of producing goods and services. Because White River National Forest is a national treasure, measures have been introduced to protect the environment in accordance with pollution limits, resource consumption, and economic efficiency. In the past few decades, forestry officials have implemented strategic plans for the preservation of the wilderness and resources with White River and update those plans every fifteen years or so.