Bluebirds are common throughout the region and can be found in small
town parks and neighborhoods.
A boater on the Barren Fork River in McMinnville, Tennessee
My wife, Maxine, heading out for a hike near Young Harris, Georgia
A view from the top in Young Harris, Georgia
Little River Falls outside of Fort Payne, Alabama
The new trail in Port St. Joe, Florida
The Jackson Street Plaza fountain in Dublin, Georgia
Covered bridge over Euharlee Creek in downtown Rockmart, Georgia
Mural in Opp, Alabama
Full disclosure: I am a bird nerd.
That's what some of us birders call ourselves. Birding is different than birdwatching. The latter is more of a casual approach to viewing our feathered friends. Birders are more serious. We arm ourselves with binoculars, siting scopes, and cameras. We often trek deep into parks and wildlife refuges and stalk hard-to-find species for hours. There are also different levels of birder, from novice to expert. My boss, Atlanta Fed president Raphael Bostic, is an expert birder. I'm still working towards his level of skill.
We are not alone. According to a study from the National Institutes of Health, "The growth and popularity of birding has provided new revenue to rural communities, regions, and countries. Expenses related to wildlife viewing in the U.S. increased 29% from 2011 to 2018. In 2016, there were 45 million birders in the U.S. spending $39 billion on travel and equipment aimed at observing birds."
The thing birders have in common: we spend money on our hobby. Beyond the gear, we stay in campgrounds or hotels, eat at restaurants, shop at grocery stores, and purchase things we forgot to pack, like bug spray, sunscreen, and lots and lots of water. We buy park passes when we have to and sometimes shop for souvenirs. Some of us even lock our keys in the trunk. All these activities support the local economy, including locksmiths.
Birding falls under the "recreational tourism" umbrella, as do other outdoor activities like boating, fishing, camping, hiking, biking, and so on. Nearly every small town I've visited within the Atlanta Fed district has some form of recreational tourism, and every local chamber of commerce has brochures that highlight the area's natural attractions, which often play a large part in supporting the local economy.
According to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the outdoor recreation economy generated nearly $79 billion in the six states of the Sixth District in 2021. The BEA measure includes economic activity as well as the sales or receipts generated by outdoor recreational activities. These statistics also measure each industry's production of outdoor goods and services. The agency also reports that about 795,000 jobs in our region are directly related to outdoor recreation.
Something for everyone
Towns that are situated on waterways and lakes have a particular advantage in the outdoor recreation world. Two towns I've visited in Georgia—Hartwell and Hiawassee—stand out. Both draw recreational boaters and anglers from crowded cities. They have also become destinations for retirees and those fortunate enough to purchase second homes. Just down the road from Hiawassee is Young Harris, a college town in the North Georgia mountains with numerous hiking paths nearby. Several other towns in this area offer kayaking and canoeing opportunities for weekend nature lovers. Ask anyone from Atlanta about "shooting the Hooch" and they know immediately you are talking about tubing down the Chattahoochee River, as I did with my family when we visited the picturesque town of Helen, Georgia. All these activities pump money into the local economy.
Although I didn't get a chance to visit McMinnville, Tennessee's Cumberland Caverns or the waterfalls at Rock Island State Park, I did enjoy a stop at Riverfront Park, where I watched lots of boaters and kayakers enjoying the day. Speaking of waterfalls, just outside of Fort Payne, Alabama, I discovered two amazing natural attractions: Little River Canyon National Preserve and DeSoto State Park, both featuring beautiful waterfalls along with miles of hiking trails. In addition, a short drive to town took me to Manitou Cave, a natural wonder and sacred Cherokee site associated with the modern game of lacrosse. In nearby City Park, I added another bird to my lifelist: a yellow-bellied sapsucker. A "lifelist" is where birders record all the bird species we identify. (Told you I was a nerd!)
All along the Southeast's Gulf and Atlantic Coasts are parks, wildlife refuges, and other places where birders and other nature enthusiasts can enjoy the beauty of the natural surroundings. Small towns that are not typical vacation destinations are just as committed as the vacation spots to making themselves attractive for recreation enthusiasts.
Port St. Joe, Florida, recently completed a walking trail that links its shoreline with its downtown. My wife and I stopped there while on vacation, and I sighted a new bird for my lifelist, a Gray Kingbird. We also stopped in the nearby towns of Carrabelle, Eastpoint, and Apalachicola. The economist in me is never really on vacation—I couldn't help but see how all these towns have invested in tying their natural surroundings to their economic development plans.
Fun for the staycationers, economic boon for the town
Not everyone can afford to spend a lot of time or money on outdoor recreation. As I noted earlier, even a leisurely activity like birding requires some level of investment in equipment. The outdoor recreation enthusiast also has to consider transportation and lodging costs, which can add up quickly and put some activities out of reach. But if an attraction is near home, residents can avoid many of those costs. A town that has outdoor recreational pursuits for visitors most definitely has amenities for its residents, too. Local parks and walking trails abound in many small towns, offering residents much-deserved down time. You can usually find these parks and trails in or near town squares. Some local parks also serve as gathering places and event spaces for cultural activities.
Even something as quaint and simple as the little plaza I stumbled on in Dublin, Georgia, made me want to spend time there. I stopped in this town just to make a call but stayed a bit to admire the fountain and statues. Being outdoors, listening to the trickle of water, watching families enjoying the space—all this left an impression on me of how much the town values itself and how hard its residents work to make people feel a part of the place they call home.
When a town has well-kept parks and trails, the local businesses benefit as well. All the economic development professionals I've spoken to recognize that having clean, safe, and attractive common areas for the residents—and potential residents—is critical to the appeal, and the economy, of a town. Economic activity comes with visitors, whether they're residents or out-of-town guests. Rockmart, Georgia, for example, built an elegant park in its downtown area that connects with the Silver Comet Trail, a popular bike path that runs from the Atlanta suburbs to the Alabama state line. The park serves as a waypoint for bicyclists, who can rest in a beautiful setting and visit local shops and restaurants. The park is also a focal point for the community, as are many parks in small towns throughout the region.
My visit to Greenville, Alabama—the "Camellia City"—featured a discussion with residents about how hard they are working to beautify their downtown area. I saw flowers everywhere that I'm guessing were camellias, but I was too embarrassed to ask. When I was in LaGrange, Georgia, my host Ted from the local Rotary Club gave me a driving tour to show me how the town has invested in its outdoor recreation facilities and in the downtown area. The city of Opp, Alabama, has also invested in beautifying its downtown, and is letting potential visitors know about Frank Johnson State Park, which is one of the most beautiful places I've visited. And I added a Forster's Tern to my lifelist there!
Whether you are a birder or someone who more generally enjoys the outdoors, small towns throughout the region offer many opportunities to get in touch with nature. You can walk or bike trails, camp in canyons, boat on lakes, kayak on rivers, and simply sit in large and small city parks. Whether you're a resident or an out-of-town visitor, your use of these areas benefits the economies. Outdoor recreation creates and supports employment, both directly and indirectly. When a town showcases its natural endowments, it demonstrates its commitment to preserving and protecting the places and spaces they call home.
Mike Chriszt
Atlanta Fed's vice president for regional outreach