MONROE - The final report of the year-long study of the Cheese Country Trail is complete. The collaborative effort of local groups and UW Extension was designed to assess how many people are using the trail, the user characteristics and the user perceptions of trail conditions.
The final report is also an overall evaluation of local economic impacts of the recreational asset.
During the 12-month study period, 74 local volunteers spent more than 1,400 hours collecting the data summarized in the report. They conducted 683 randomly allocated two-hour trail observations and a total of 730 face-to-face interviews. Results of their work highlight several implications for outdoor recreation planning and local economic development. The results included the following.
n During the study period, 98,000 people used the trail. Almost 75 percent of all visitor days occurred on weekends or holidays, with the majority of usage occurring between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
n A modest amount of snowmobile usage occurred during the winter of 2010-11 but was hampered by lack of snow and trail closures.
n According to respondents, the trail was the primary reason why most non-local visitors were in Green, Lafayette and/or Iowa Counties.
n Two-thirds of all trail users were not from the local tri-county region. The average age of users was in the mid-40s with non-local trail users tending to be older than local users. Non-local trail users were more apt to be college educated and had significantly higher household incomes when compared to local users.
n Non-locals often spent overnights in the area in local campgrounds or hotels and motels. Trail users also participated in related activities such as dining and shopping during their trips.
n On average, individual non-local trail users spent between $175 and $220 per trip, depending on the time of year. Individual trip expenditure patterns were very different when comparing local trail users with non-local users.
n Total spending of trail users exceeded $15 million during the 12-month study period. Non-local trail user spending provided an economic stimulus that infused over $13 million into the local economy during the 12-month study period. Non-local trail user spending supported almost 190 local jobs and contributed to almost $3 million in employee compensation for local residents of Green, Lafayette and Iowa Counties.
The Tri-County Trails Commission plans to use the results of the study to improve trail experiences for future users. Short fact sheets will be developed to summarize the report. Presentations and fact sheets will be available for local communities, businesses and counties to help create economic development related to the trail and its users.
The report is available online at the Green County UW Extension website, green.uwex.edu.
More information is available by contacting Cara Carper at the Green County UW Extension Office at (608) 328-9440 or cara.carper@ces.uwex.edu.
The final report is also an overall evaluation of local economic impacts of the recreational asset.
During the 12-month study period, 74 local volunteers spent more than 1,400 hours collecting the data summarized in the report. They conducted 683 randomly allocated two-hour trail observations and a total of 730 face-to-face interviews. Results of their work highlight several implications for outdoor recreation planning and local economic development. The results included the following.
n During the study period, 98,000 people used the trail. Almost 75 percent of all visitor days occurred on weekends or holidays, with the majority of usage occurring between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
n A modest amount of snowmobile usage occurred during the winter of 2010-11 but was hampered by lack of snow and trail closures.
n According to respondents, the trail was the primary reason why most non-local visitors were in Green, Lafayette and/or Iowa Counties.
n Two-thirds of all trail users were not from the local tri-county region. The average age of users was in the mid-40s with non-local trail users tending to be older than local users. Non-local trail users were more apt to be college educated and had significantly higher household incomes when compared to local users.
n Non-locals often spent overnights in the area in local campgrounds or hotels and motels. Trail users also participated in related activities such as dining and shopping during their trips.
n On average, individual non-local trail users spent between $175 and $220 per trip, depending on the time of year. Individual trip expenditure patterns were very different when comparing local trail users with non-local users.
n Total spending of trail users exceeded $15 million during the 12-month study period. Non-local trail user spending provided an economic stimulus that infused over $13 million into the local economy during the 12-month study period. Non-local trail user spending supported almost 190 local jobs and contributed to almost $3 million in employee compensation for local residents of Green, Lafayette and Iowa Counties.
The Tri-County Trails Commission plans to use the results of the study to improve trail experiences for future users. Short fact sheets will be developed to summarize the report. Presentations and fact sheets will be available for local communities, businesses and counties to help create economic development related to the trail and its users.
The report is available online at the Green County UW Extension website, green.uwex.edu.
More information is available by contacting Cara Carper at the Green County UW Extension Office at (608) 328-9440 or cara.carper@ces.uwex.edu.