While there are about 285,000 registered all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), also known as four wheelers, in Pennsylvania, there are only 11 public trails where people can legally ride ATVs. In 2020, Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) launched a pilot project dubbed the Northcentral Regional ATV Trail (NRAT) Connector - formerly known as the Northcentral ATV Regional Trail Connector pilot - to expand regional riding opportunities and provide economic opportunities to surrounding rural communities by connecting previously isolated trails and extending ridable paths. An economic analysis led by researchers at Penn State found that the ATV trail generated over $23.5 million in economic revenue for area businesses over a two-year period.
The evaluation was detailed in a report to the state general assembly that was released publicly in September.
The 793-mile trail, comprising township roads, state forest roads and trails, and roads administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, generated an estimated revenue of $10.4 million in 2022 and $13.1 million in 2023 for businesses primarily in Potter and Tioga counties. The trail was open seasonally, from the end of May through the end of September, each year.
Principal investigator Michael Jacobson, professor of forest resources at Penn State, said DCNR - the state agency responsible for managing state forests - provided funding to conduct an economic evaluation to assist stakeholders in planning ATV recreation to produce higher-quality decisions, build trust and foster public acceptance.
"Historically, ATV recreating is a controversial topic in land management, potentially creating impacts on health, safety, environment, quality of roads and more," Jacobson said. "The study was conducted during the initial phase of the pilot connector project, and the economic benefits to the businesses and the public were impressive."
According to Lisa du Preez, who earned her master's degree in forest ecosystem management at Penn State while working on the project, the study changed the directory of her career.
"I wasn't planning on getting my master's degree, but the project caught my interest because I was concerned about the impacts of ATVs on the forest," du Preez said. "I figured the opportunity would give me a better understanding of how to sustainably manage forests for ATV recreation and how to balance that with other recreational uses."
For the evaluation, du Preez conducted 27 interviews with stakeholders potentially impacted by the ATV connector trail pilot project. She interviewed five DCNR managers who were involved with 41 ATV recreation groups, as well as 16 business owners to document the economic impact. In addition, du Preez conducted additional interviews with tourism groups, motorized and non-motorized recreation groups, environmental groups, residents and local experts.
"I collaborated with county planners and DCNR managers to get a list of local businesses in Potter and Tioga counties," du Preez explained. "I asked questions about their experiences with the ATV pilot, how their business changed and changes they made as a result."
The businesses reported that about 28% of their revenue was from ATV riders, who spent approximately $124 per visit. Businesses also reported that about 35% of their summer customer base was a result of the trail connector pilot project.
Additionally, $430,000 in revenue was generated from the 10,799 passes sold to ATV riders during the pilot project. NRAT passholders reported making about nine trips to the region, where they spent an average of three nights each trip. More than 75% of passholders shared that they visited the area because of the pilot, with 18% reporting that the ATV trail system brought them to Potter or Tioga counties recreationally for the first time.
"Moving forward, this implies one can expect additional and multiplicative economic impacts from additional ATV riding opportunities as the program grows," Jacobson said. "It was great to see DCNR trying to balance the importance of economic benefits with their mandate to conserve forest and natural resources in this region."
According to du Preez, who is currently working as a forester in the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the project gave her a big picture view of ATV recreation and the multiple factors at play.
"Forestry is never just science - the public, politics, economics, various interest groups and more are all factors - and I continue to see this in my current role as a forester," she said. "The economic aspect of this study was only a sliver of what I wanted to understand but doing the research for it gave me the chance to understand how DCNR operates, stakeholder involvement, the limitations of economic impact studies and the political powers behind outdoor recreation."
The evaluation was also led by co-principal investigator Tim Kelsey, professor of agricultural economics and associate head of the Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education.
Penn State's Social Science Research Institute and DCNR provided support for the evaluation project.
