Here’s a re-cap of some of the noteworthy recreation economy stories from the past month.

What is an intact forest worth? Up to $1 trillion, in the case of Greater Seattle’s Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie
A new analysis of Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (PDF) estimates its total value could be several times the annual revenue of Amazon.com—as much as $1 trillion.

Spending in the Sea to Sky: How Mountain Biking Boosts Tourism
Mountain biking is big business, particularly in the Sea to Sky corridor. Capturing the impact of that business though can be hard; how does one quantify an MTB trip, and separate the out of town cash from the locals? Thankfully, the folks over at the Western Canada Mountain Bike Tourism Association have crunched the numbers, and come up with some heady facts. Read on in the release below to get a full breakdown of the dollars and cents.

Oregon hires director of newly created Office of Outdoor Recreation
Cailin O’Brien-Feeney will head a small team tasked with “elevating outdoor recreation in every corner of the state,” by promoting legislation and practices that improve access, encourage public participation and protect natural resources

What if shoes were built just for you? Automated plant brings craft to Ferndale
Superfeet recently opened Flowbuilt, a manufacturing facility that makes custom shoes and insoles. Flowbuilt, which will operate as a separate company but be owned by Superfeet, is making footwear based on detailed custom information. Customers are able to send in that data after using the company’s FitStations, which are in retail stores across the U.S., including Fairhaven Runners & Walkers.

Kristi Kucera: Awesome Experiences on the Salish Sea
Kucera and her guides make the day fun, enjoyable and educational. Her love of the area, habitat and land is palpable. She and her guides teach a mixture of geology, geography, ornithology, biology and history of the region.

April Claxton

April is a co-founder and former co-Executive Director for Recreation Northwest. She has a passion for place and loves exploring, experiencing and sharing the beauty of the pacific northwest.  She is currently working with Ocean Conservancy to protect our oceans, specifically the Arctic.