Individual Industries

The manufacturing sector as a whole plays a more prominent role here than compared to its role in the three-state region or the entire U.S. The textile and apparel industry is arguably the most important industry in the area, accounting for nearly half of the manufacturing jobs. The wood products industry (a part of the manufacturing sector including lumber and wood products, paper and pulp, and furniture) accounted for only 1.3% of total personal income in the Chattooga area and 1-2% of total employment in our area. Dr. Morton refers to two separate studies (Wade and O'Conner 1993; USDA Forest Service 1988) that projected declines in employment in the industry due mainly to plant modernization. Such impacts of larger-scale modernization have already been felt by workers in the wood products industry in our area.

The recreation and tourism sector was estimated by using a composite of service-producing businesses (mostly wholesale and retail trade, non-business services, and transportation). Local residents use these businesses also, but assuming that 20-50% of their use is attributable to recreationalists and tourists, then the recreation and tourism sector accounted for 2-4% of total personal income and 3-8% of total employment in our area in 1990. Morton draws two conclusions from these figures. First, that recreation and tourism diversifies, but does not dominate, our economy. And second, that recreation and tourism are relatively more important than the wood products industry to our area's economy. Morton cites another study which found that rural areas experiencing rapid population growth in the 1970's and 80's were highly concentrated in areas adjacent to large tracts of public land that offered recreational and scenic amenities.

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