Newswise — The National Parks Conservation Association has awarded researchers in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences a grant to study the economic opportunities associated with Big Thicket National Preserve in Southeast Texas.
The six-month study aims to help policymakers, conservation organizations, community leaders and regional planners better understand the preserve’s role as both a natural resource and an economic asset.
A collaboration rooted in relationships
Connor Clark, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Arch H. Aplin III ’80 Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism, co-leads the project in collaboration with the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management.
The grant, awarded by the National Parks Conservation Association and facilitated through a longstanding relationship between Texas A&M University and the National Park Service, connected Clark with the nonprofit that supports America’s national parks.
“It shows the importance of our relationships with these agencies, especially those focused on conservation and public lands,” Clark said.
Quantifying the value of a natural treasure
Only about 3% of Texas land is publicly owned, making Big Thicket, one of just 16 National Park Service sites in the state, a particularly significant ecological and economic resource.
The two-department collaboration divides the work by discipline. Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management researchers led by Roel Lopez, Ph.D., director of the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute and department head, will map land use changes around the preserve and assess implications for its future. Clark’s team will analyze visitor numbers, spending patterns and the economic ripple effects on surrounding communities, from hotels and restaurants to fuel stations and retail shops.
The project will also identify opportunities to link Big Thicket into a broader regional tourism network, potentially connecting the preserve with attractions in the Houston area and on Galveston Island.
Clark and a graduate student will travel to the Big Thicket area this fall to interview park officials, local business owners and community members. A visitor survey will run simultaneously to capture spending data for the economic analysis.
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