Social and Economic Benefits and Costs of Elk in Michigan

Principal Investiagator

Frank Lupi, Ph.D.

Professor
lupi@msu.edu
517-432-3883

The project will quantify recreational uses related to Michigan’s elk herd and estimate social and economic implications of those uses. The project objectives are: 1. Measure expenditures by hunters and other outdoor recreationists in the study area; 2. Measure economic losses caused by elk through damage to crops and property; 3. Assess recreation specifically due to and incidental to elk presence in the study area; 4. Examine features of the elk population, landscape characteristics, and infrastructure that influence choices regarding recreational behaviors and expenditures. Project results will be synthesized and disseminated to the DNR and other audiences through presentations and publications.