Wildlife Key to Georgia’s Coastal Economy

As new residents and visitors flock to Georgia’s coast, the Sapelo Island Reserve is demonstrating that the state’s natural areas and economic prosperity go hand in hand. A recent study led by the Reserve and University of Georgia Marine Extension and Sea Grant found that coastal nongame wildlife recreation contributes billions of dollars to the state’s economy.

“The motivation for this study came from local concerns about lost tax revenue because of conservation land in McIntosh County,” says Brittany Dodge, the Reserve’s collaboration and training coordinator. “We wanted to reframe that question; instead of looking at the impact of conserved lands on the tax base, we examined the economic contribution of wildlife.”

The results were staggering. In 2023 recreation tied to coastal nongame wildlife contributed $1.44 billion to Georgia’s economy. This contribution is driven by recreationists’ direct spending on items like auto fuel and food, which in turn stimulates both business-to-business and business-to-consumer activity. The study also found that people take roughly 20 recreation trips tied to coastal nongame wildlife each year, with the most popular activities being wildlife and bird watching, relaxation, and hiking.

The study fills an important gap in understanding how wildlife supports Georgia’s economy. Several economic studies have explored the relevance of game species to the economy, but none have looked at the impact of Georgia’s coastal nongame wildlife, such as shorebirds, dolphins, marsh birds, turtles, and other species central to the state economy. By quantifying the economic contribution of these species along the coast, the study provides communities with the information they need to make decisions that protect the places these wildlife need to survive and the businesses that rely on them to succeed.

“Ecotourism is a sustainable model that helps grow our local economy by supporting small businesses, creating jobs, and driving visitor spending directly into our community,” says Katarina Hoyt, president and CEO of the Darien McIntosh County Chamber of Commerce. “It drives economic impact while protecting the natural and cultural resources that make coastal Georgia special.” 

“Being able to quantify the importance of nongame wildlife-based recreation on the Georgia coast not only helps elevate this sector in the eyes of policy makers and managers, it also reinforces how special such opportunities are to the millions of visitors who come to our coast annually,” says Bryan Fluech, associate marine extension director at Georgia Sea Grant. “Our coastal habitats with their variety of wildlife are worth conserving so future visitors, residents and the communities that support them may continue enjoying what our coast has to offer.”

With support from the Reserve and Sea Grant, ecotour guides, hotel owners, shellfish farmers, filmmakers, county officials, and conservation practitioners came together last December for a Coastal Tourism Conference. There they learned about the study and explored how to provide jobs and grow local economies in ways that support the natural areas and wildlife they depend on.

“One huge takeaway was that interactive, meaningful visitor experiences can strengthen conservation outcomes,” says Rachel Guy, the Reserve manager. “This was a valuable outcome of bringing industries that rarely talk to each other into conversation; it helps them understand they all depend on the same ecosystem for survival.”

Photos courtesy of Georgia Sea Grant.