The Recreational Value of Rare Species: Causal Evidence from the Cassia Crossbill

Arthur R. Wardle

Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, 2025, vol. 12, issue 5, 1133 - 1164

Abstract: Valuation of rare species is a critical input to both benefit/cost analysis and post hoc valuation of environmental damages. This research makes use of a taxonomic species split as a natural experiment to study how visitation to affected forests shifted with the newfound presence of a unique, rare species and develops a novel method for mapping these causally identified visitation changes to a piecewise linear demand curve and consumer surplus estimates. Results indicate that visits to see the new species are highly valued by a small but intensely interested group of birders. I compare the new method to traditional discrete choice approaches, highlighting trade-offs and noting opportunities for future research.

Date: 2025
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