Valuing changes in forest biodiversity

Mikolaj Czajkowski, Malgorzata Buszko-Briggs and Nick Hanley

Ecological Economics, 2009, vol. 68, issue 12, 2910-2917

Abstract: The paper attempts to improve current understanding of the economic value of biodiversity. Instead of the prevailing approach of using only one indicator of biodiversity (typically, species richness) we provide evidence that it is possible to value changes in a number of attributes which describe complex characteristics of biodiversity, based on ecological knowledge. The attributes used include structural, species and functional diversity. The empirical application is a choice experiment study conducted in the Bialowieza Forest, Poland: our study is therefore also one of the first to cast light on the value of biodiversity protection in Eastern Europe. Interestingly, respondents valued passive protection regimes resulting in preservation of natural ecological processes. In addition, the respondents seemed to be concerned with the means, and not only the results of protection programmes.

Keywords: Biodiversity; Forests; Valuation; Eastern; Europe; Choice; experiments (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (42)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Valuing Changes in Forest Biodiversity (2008)
Working Paper: Valuing Changes in Forest Biodiversity (2008)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:68:y:2009:i:12:p:2910-2917

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