The Capitalization of Wildlife Recreation Income into Farmland Values

Abstract

Wildlife recreation—hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching—appears to be an increasingly important pastime for many Americans. From 1991 to 2001, U.S. wildlife recreation expenditures surged from $77 billion to $108 billion in 2001 dollars. Land lease and ownership expenditures by wildlife recreation participants are also rising and appear to be capitalized into farmland values. This paper analyzes the impact of hunting lease rates on farmland values in Texas. The results indicate that counties with higher wildlife recreation income streams have higher land values.