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Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge contributed nearly $2.2 million to the Maui economy in 2017, according to a new economic report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The report found that visitor spending at national wildlife refuges across the country boosted local economies by $3.2 billion and supported more than 41,000 jobs in 2017. U.S. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said Thursday that 53.6 million people visited national wildlife refuges that year.
The "Banking on Nature 2017" report analyzes recreational visitation at 162 national wildlife refuges around the country to estimate the economic role refuge visitors play in local economies.
According to the report, Kealia Pond saw 53,100 recreational visits in 2017, for a total economic output of $2,167,100. The refuge employed 18 people for a total employment income of $620,400.
Of the three Hawaii wildlife refuges included in the report, Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge on Hawaii island was the busiest, drawing 1,147,503 visits and generating $34,250,400 in 2017. Kilauea Point employed 293 people for a total income of $10,196,000.
Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge on Kauai saw 407,440 visits that generated $12,454,900. The refuge employed 107 people for a total income of $3,707,300.
The economic output refers to the total spending by consumers of all goods. It reflects the amount of money that actually stays in the area after all "leakages," or money leaving the local area, are accounted for, according to the report.