The importance of South Carolina’s natural heritage transcends monetary measure. Even so, the state’s bountiful resources deliver tangible economic benefits. And their economic value improves as those resources are given adequate protections.

A new study by the University of South Carolina’s Moore School of Business aptly describes those benefits as “immense.” And the study’s title – “Underappreciated Assets: The Economic Impact of South Carolina’s Natural Resources” – conveys a timely tone of warning.

If we squander those resources, we won’t merely put them at risk. We’ll put our economic future at risk.

The researchers report that activities “most clearly tied” to our natural resources (excluding agriculture) annually sustain nearly $30 billion of economic impact while supporting 236,000 jobs. The numbers would be much higher if anybody could accurately gauge how powerfully those quality-of-life edges attract new businesses and residents.

John Frampton, director of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, and DNR Board Chairman Mike McShane persuasively cite the Moore School’s study in making the case for adequately funding the agency. During a visit to our newspaper last week, Mr. Frampton recalled a major victory for South Carolina in its competition for economic development. “The deciding factor for BMW was land- and water-based recreational opportunities,” he said.

Whether South Carolina preserves and enhances those opportunities will be a deciding factor for other businesses with site-location options down the line. Yet DNR’s budget is about $18 million, roughly 40 percent less than last year’s $26 million. Its law-enforcement will decline to 230 from the previous 300. That’s a scant force for a state with the nation’s fourth highest number of boats per capita and lots of hunters. And DNR doesn’t just enforce hunting and fishing laws. It protects habitat, and as home of the state climatology program advises the governor on hurricane evacuations. It also oversees water quality, including well monitoring.

We should recognize that while we’re struggling to lift our public-education system out of lowly national rankings, we’re ranked quite highly for our remarkably pristine woodlands, wetlands and waterways.

We should know, too, that if we lose that lofty status as an outdoors mecca, we’ll lose economically, too.