Banking on Nature: The Economic Benefits to Local Communities of National Wildlife Refuge Visitation
Waubay Wetland Mangement District Description Waubay National Wildlife Refuge Complex is located in the tallgrass prairie area of northeastern South Dakota. Waubay Refuge, in the Central Flyway, was established in 1935 to provide a safe place for migrating birds to feed and rest. The Refuge includes 4,650 acres of marsh, prairie, and forest habitat. “Waubay” a Lakota word literally translates to “a nesting place for birds”. More than 100 species of birds nest on the Refuge; their abundance fluctuating with the dynamic prairie changes in habitat. A visitor center, trails, and an observation tour are provided for those coming to observe wildlife. Waubay Wetland Management District (WMD) covers six counties and protects 100,000 acres of wetlands and 150,000 acres of grasslands. In addition 40,000 acres of fee title lands called Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs) are located here. The first WPA in the nation was purchased in Waubay WMD in 1959. WPAs are managed to provide nesting habitat for waterfowl in this critical Prairie Pothole Region and are open to public hunting. Area Economy Table 6-46 shows the area economy for Waubay NWR. The area population increased by 3 percent from 2001 to 2011, compared with a 9 percent increase for South Dakota and a 9 percent increase for the U.S. as a whole. Area employment increased by 7 percent from 2001 to 2011, with South Dakota showing a 10 percent increase and the U.S. a 6 percent increase. Per capita income in the area increased by 23 percent over the 2001-2011 period, while South Dakota and the U.S. increased by 25 and 5 percent respectively. Table 6-46. Waubay WMD: Summary of Area Economy, 2011 (Population & Employment in 000’s; Per Capita Income in 2011 dollars) Population
County Codington SD
2011
Employment
Percent change 2001-2011
2011
Per Capita Income
Percent change 2001-2011
2011
Percent change 2001-2011
27.4
5%
21.5
10%
$41,322
18%
5.7
-6%
3.6
-5%
$45,836
45%
33.2
3%
25.1
7%
$42,103
23%
South Dakota
824.1
9%
564.4
10%
$44,217
25%
United States
311,591.9
9%
175,834.7
6%
$41,560
5%
Day SD Area Total
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce November 2012. Activity Levels Table 6-47 shows the recreation visits for Waubay WMD. Waubay WMD had 62,625 visits in 2011. Hunting accounted for 40,225 visits with residents comprising 44 percent of Refuge visitation.
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