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Abstract
The National Park Service was established by the Organic Act of 1916 with the purpose of managing the crown jewels of the American landscape, the National Parks, along with other unique sites for their scenic, environmental, cultural, or historical significance. Today, there are 59 National Parks and over 400 total NPS units, which received over 330 million recreation visits in 2016. This thesis uses first difference regression models on panel data to estimate the relative effect on National Park attendance of several determinants of demand. The regression results are used to forecast future attendance, and a benefit transfer method is used to estimate the consumer surplus produced by visits. The results show that the two most important determinants of demand are gasoline prices, which act as a proxy for travel costs, and the number of U.S residents aged 65 or older. Implications of these findings are also explored below.