tourism and recreation in vermont promoting conservation and sustainable development lisa c. chase...

Tourism and Recreation in Vermont

Promoting Conservation and Sustainable Development

Lisa C. Chase

Natural Resources Specialist, UVM Extension

Director, Vermont Tourism Data Center March 13, 2009

Logic Model

Source: University of Wisconsin Extension website. Accessed: April 18, 2008.

http://www.uwex.edu/ces/pdande/evaluation/evallogicmodel.html

Situation

Recreation and tourism in Vermont have a long history of contributing to the economy, influencing the culture of local communities, and impacting the natural environment. Although many communities are quick to embrace tourism for its perceived economic benefits, tourism development can result in negative social and environmental impacts and inequitable distribution of economic benefits.

OutputsOutputsActivities

Agritourism Support in the Northeast

Recreation on Private Lands

Vermont Travel Industry Conference

National Extension Tourism Conference

Economic Impacts of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail

Sustainable Transportation for Tourism

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service 2007 Census

Direct Sales

$0

$20,000

$40,000

$60,000

$80,000

$100,000

$120,000

$140,000

$160,000

$180,000

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2007 Direct Sales by State

MA=9, CT=13, VT=17, ME=23, NH=25, RI=42


Direct Sales by State

$0

$5

$10

$15

$20

$25

$30

$35

$40

thou

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2007 Direct Sales Per Capita by State

VT=1, ME=3, NH=4, CT=5, MA=12, RI=14


Direct Sales by State

Direct Sales Per Capita

$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

$250,000

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2007 Agritourism and Direct Sales by State

Direct Sales & Agritourism

0.00%

0.50%

1.00%

1.50%

2.00%

2.50%

3.00%

3.50%

4.00%

4.50%

pe

rce

nta

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2007 Percentage of Farms Involved in Agritourism

RI=3, NH=8, CT=9, MA=10, VT=16, ME=19


Percentage of Farms

Addison$5,512,000.00

Orleans$1,592,000.00

Franklin$1,528,000.00

Orange$1,580,000.00

Windsor$2,557,000.00

Rutland$2,153,000.00

Windham$2,125,000.00

Essex$172,000.00

Bennington$489,000.00

Washington$1,345,000.00

Caledonia$1,209,000.00

Chittenden$2,957,000.00

Lamoille$582,000.00

Grand Isle$540,000.00

US County ranking:

Addison Co. ranked 28th

Chittenden Co. ranked 105th

Windsor Co. ranked 129th

Rutland Co. ranked 153rd

Windham Co. ranked 154th

2007 Census of Agriculture Combined Direct Sales and Agritourism Income by County


County Breakdown

InputsInputs

USDA SARE grant

Extension faculty

Extension staff

Partners (VF!A)

Collaborators

OutputsOutputs

Participation

Farmers

Woodland owners

Tourism and recreation businesses

Extension colleagues and collaborators

OutputsOutputsActivities

1. Agritourism training modules are developed

2. 700 farm operators participate in workshops in the Northeast

3. 140 farm operators receive technical assistance

4. Publications include scholarly journal articles and mass media outreach.

OutcomesOutcomes - Short Term - Learning

Agritourism workshop 2/9/09

No opinion14%

Agree68%Strongly agree

18%

Increased knowledge of income-generating opportunities for agritourism businesses (86%).



No opinion32%

Agree59%

Strongly agree9%

Given me the knowledge needed to implement these opportunities in my own agritourism business (68%).



No opinion14%

Agree18%

Strongly agree68%

Helped me identify useful agritourism resources such as people knowledgeable in agritourism, publications, and websites (86%).



Disagree5%

No opinion5% Agree

23%

Strongly agree68%

Expanded my contacts with other farmers, potential business partners, service providers, community leaders, and/or collabora-

tors (91%).



No opinion18%

Agree65%

Strongly agree18%

Gained skills to better market and promote my business (83%).



No opinion39%

Agree39%

Strongly agree22%

Gained skills to better assess the liability and risk associated with my business (61%).



No opinion29%

Agree53%

Strongly agree18%

Gained skills to increase the profitability of my business (71%).

OutcomesOutcomes – Medium Term

Agritourism project

140 farmers will take actions that help them: (1) start a new agritourism venture; (2) improve an existing venture; or (3) decide not to begin a venture based on business analysis.

Comments from the eval are good, along with the numbers.


Agritourism project

Not Likely11% Maybe

16%

Likely47%Definitely Will

26%

Thoroughly assess business to determine where improvements or new ventures are needed (73%).


Agritourism project

Not Likely20%

Maybe35%

Likely35%

Definitely Will10%

Create a new or change an existing business plan to accommodate the improvements or new ventures identified today (45%).


Agritourism project

Not Likely5%

Maybe20%

Likely65%

Definitely Will10%

Implement improvements or new ventures based on information provided in today’s workshop (75%).


Agritourism project

• “Will increase being available to schools and organizations.”

• “Sell membership to farm club.”• “Maple tours for the off-season.”• “Pairing and tasting events.”• “Green Hotel certification.”• “Customer satisfaction survey.”• “Value added products.”

OutcomesOutcomes – Long Term

Agritourism project

70 farmers that have adopted new agritourism practices report improved farm viability

Next Steps

Follow-up survey

Regional collaboration

Complementary grants

tourism and recreation in vermont promoting conservation and sustainable development lisa c. chase...

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