According to the most recent (2001) survey by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, on wildlife-related activities, wildlife-watching (which includes birdwatching, they don't separate it from other activities such as whale-watching) contributes almost a billion dollars annually into Maryland:

Here are the figures:

Wildlife Watching in Maryland
Total wildlife-watching participants . . . . . . . . . . .1,524,000
Nonresidential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .533,000
Residential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,261,000
Total expenditures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$862,687,000
Trip-related . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$129,692,000
Equipment and other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$732,995,000
Average per participant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$566
Trip and equipment expenditures by
nonresidents in Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$96,247,000

I do not have the web site immediately at hand, but google wildlife survey US F&WS and you should get it.

A 2006 survey is being finalized, I am not sure if pre-publication numbers could be obtained by the governor's office.

Gail Mackiernan
Colesville, MD


 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Eugene J. Scarpulla" <>
> I have been contacted by a member of a subcommittee of Governor-elect Martin 
> O'Malley's transition team requesting information on the economic benefits 
> of birding/birdwatching in Maryland.  Didn't someone in MOS compile this 
> sort of information a few years ago?  (Although I don't remember if it was 
> specific for Maryland or was on a national scale.)
> 
> Time is of the essence!  Thanks.
> 
> Gene
> 
> Gene Scarpulla
> Millers Island, Maryland
>