Ø      Preserves our ecosystems which are the source of materials for human wealth and livelihood

Ø      Creates health benefits by preserving clean water, air and soil

Ø      Results in increases in property values nearby nature parks and greenspace
(see the 1995 document Economic Impacts of Protecting Rivers, Trails and Greenways Corridors, Fourth Edition by the United States National Parks Service, http://www.nps.gov/pwro/rtca/econindx.htm ).

Ø      Protects biodiversity, which preserves the resilience of natural systems and buffers the effects of climate change

Ø      Increases our food security by protecting local sustainable agriculture

Ø      Increases our economic security by protecting land for sustainable forestry-based business

Ø      Reduces health costs by providing recreational, social and spiritual benefits

Ø      Provides land for native wildlife to move safely, feed and raise their young

Ø      Helps prevent soil erosion and flooding by protecting vegetation

Ø      Produces physical and psychological benefits by providing the opportunity for time spent in nature

Ø      Preserves nature, which is the source of human culture and intelligence

Ø      Preserves the options of future generations