Enhance the quality of life
Provide a safe, non-motorized transportation system
Reduce crime
Promote health benefits
Increase property values
Establish wildlife corridors and habitat
Offer opportunities for social interaction
Generate economic benefits
Become a venue for family recreation
Serve as a non-discriminating recreational amenity
Economic Benefits of Open Space and Trails:
· Real estate industry analyses predict that over the next 25 years, real estate values will rise fastest in communities with open space and networks of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails.
· Owners of small companies ranked trails, parks, and open space as the highest priority in choosing a new location for their businesses.
· Open space and trails are among the top five factors that large companies consider when deciding where to locate their businesses.
· Hiking and trails stimulate tourism. In Moab, Utah, for example, trails-related tourism supports over 1700 local jobs, generates over $1.5 million in annual tax revenue, and accounts for over 75 percent of the local economy.
Health Benefits of Walking on Trails and Playing in Parks:
Open Space and Trails are Valued by the Community:
A 2002 Survey of residents near Ogden’s Bonneville Shoreline Trail revealed that:
82% believe their property would be easier to sell because it is near a trail
88% believe that the trail improved the quality of their neighborhood
94% said that having a trail nearby added to the appeal of their homes