Sunday, November 13, 2016

Valuing hypothetical wildfire impacts with a Kuhn–Tucker model of recreation demand

Abstract
This study uses a nonmarket valuation method to investigate the recreation values of the San Jacinto Wilderness in southern California. The analysis utilizes survey data from a stated-choice experiment involving backcountry visitors who responded to questions about hypothetical wildfire burn scenarios. Benefits of landscape preservation are derived using a Kuhn–Tucker (KT) demand system. Model results suggest that recreationists are attracted to sites with recent wildfires that can be viewed up-close. For example, recreational welfare estimates increased for sites that were partially affected by different types of wildfires, with the greatest gains being observed for the most recent wildfires. Per person mean seasonal willingness-to-pay varied from a low of $10 to a high of $48, for total gains ranging from $62,223 to $635,286. However, wildfires that cause trail closures create welfare losses. Seasonal losses per person for complete closure of particular sites range from $3 to $221, for total losses ranging from $29,600 to $2.9 million.
File:Wildfire in California.jpg
Highlights
• Analysis uses survey data from a stated-choice experiment involving backcountry visitors.
• Recreationists are attracted to sites with recent low intensity wildfires that can be viewed up-close.
• Recreational welfare estimates increased for sites that were partially affected by different types of wildfires.
• Wildfires that cause trail closures create welfare losses.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389934115300319
by José J. Sánchez 1, Ken Baerenklau 2, Armando González-Cabán 1
1. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, 4955 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside, CA 92507, USA
2. University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
Forest Policy and Economics http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/13899341 via Elsevier Science Direct www.ScienceDirect.com
Volume 71, October 2016, Pages 63–70;
Keywords: Kuhn–Tucker demand system model; Forest recreation value; Hypothetical burn scenarios; Web-based survey; Nonmarket valuation
☆ This article is part of a special issue entitled “Integrating ecosystem service concepts into valuation and management decisions" published in Forest Policy and Economics 71, 2016.

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