We all know that the natural beauty and landscapes that surround this valley are valuable. Many of us live here for access to those conserved natural spaces and many more visit here to recreate in those same areas. But can you put a number on that value? In the case of Colorado National Monument, at least, you can.

Last year the monument saw nearly half a million visitors and the National Park Service has estimated that generated about $35 million in visitor spending, according to reporting by The Daily Sentinel’s Dennis Webb.

That $35 million includes everything from hotel stays to restaurant visits to purchases of gas and groceries.

All in all, the Park Service says the spending derived from the 499,841 recreation visits recorded at Colorado National Monument last year supported 453 jobs and about $13.7 million in labor income and payroll benefits, as well as incomes for business owners.

That spending altogether supported about $43.6 million in economic output and that’s just visitors to the monument.

Undoubtedly the monument is a gem of a park and a major draw for tourists and local and regional visitors, as well, but it’s far from the only draw. We don’t have the numbers, but we’re sure if you add up visitors to our National Recreation Areas, National Forests and Bureau of Land Management trail networks, it’s likely many times the economic impact of the monument alone.

It is so unique and extraordinary to have these lands so close to town — literally in our backyard. It’s a privilege few communities have, but it can be easy to take these places for granted since we’re all lucky enough to live in such close proximity to them. We should remember that pound-for-pound they punch way above their weight when you consider how much we spend on these areas as a community and what they generate.

Obviously most of these areas are managed federally so they require little local investment, but even when we invest locally in building or maintaining things like roads to access these areas or taking on some of the maintenance, we’re getting much more back than we put in.

There are many reasons to want these lands protected. There are obvious environmental and aesthetic reasons, as well as quality-of-life benefits from having these places in our community.

It can feel a bit cold or narrow-minded to look at these places from a pure dollars and cents perspective. After all, the view of Independence Monument or the experience of seeing a collared lizard aren’t really quantifiable, but there is a reason the Park Service does these types of analysis.

When it comes down to just the economic impact alone it’s obvious that these places are valuable. Every other argument for protecting wildlife — from the natural beauty to the personal enjoyment of the outdoors — can build on top of it.

If you live here and have no interest in visiting any of these places or taking part in any of the recreation, you are still benefiting from having them protected and available to everyone who does enjoy them. Having a number to back that up makes the point all the more clearly.

Grand Junction Daily Sentinel editorial board