Contours: How do you put a value on a forest?

The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington is a place that, for us, is incalculably valuable for its many special backcountry campsites, wild rivers, ski lines, and soul-healing wild lands. When legislatures and other governing bodies must make decisions about the forest, however, they look for hard dollar values on the services these places provide which have been missing from the conversation—until now. Our first “Contours” short explores a recent economic study detailing the value of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, and reveals some interesting issues.

If you’re interested in the full text of the report, you can find it here.