The economics of amenities and migration in the Pacific Northwest: review of selected literature with implications for national forest management.

Garber-Yonts, Brian E. 2004. The economics of amenities and migration in the Pacific Northwest: review of selected literature with implications for national forest management. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-617. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 48 p. This paper reviews literature on the influence of nonmarket amenity resources on population migration. Literature reviewed includes migration and demographic studies; urban and regional economics studies of amenities in labor markets, retirement migration, and firm location decisions; nonmarket valuation studies using hedonic price analysis of amenity resource values; land use change studies; and studies of the economic development influence of forest preservation. A synthesis of the literature finds that the influence of amenities is consistently shown to be a positive factor contributing to population growth in urban and rural areas characterized by proximity to public forest lands. Beyond this broad finding, however, little research has been conducted at an appropriate scale to be directly useful in forest management and planning decisions. Areas for further research are identified.