Colorado State University released an economic study recently showing that the creation of the proposed Grandfather National Scenic Area near Boone, N.C. would attract an additional 1.5 million visitors a year, create 724 new jobs, and generate an additional $38.4 million in annual revenue for surrounding counties.
The proposed scenic area would protect 25,000 acres of the Pisgah National Forest, some of which has been targeting for logging. The communities surrounding the proposed scenic area are largely dependent on tourism. The added protection would increase High Country tourism revenue and jobs by ten percent.
Find more here: Wildsouth.org