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Toward empirical estimation of the total value of protecting rivers
Author(s) -
Sanders Larry D.,
Walsh Richard G.,
Loomis John B.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr026i007p01345
Subject(s) - recreation , consumption (sociology) , estimation , willingness to pay , value (mathematics) , population , sample (material) , recreational use , environmental science , natural resource economics , environmental resource management , business , geography , environmental protection , agricultural economics , water resource management , economics , statistics , mathematics , ecology , microeconomics , environmental health , management , sociology , biology , medicine , social science , chemistry , chromatography
The purpose of this paper is to develop and apply a procedure to estimate a statistical demand function for the protection of rivers in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Other states and nations around the world face a similar problem of estimating how much they can afford to pay for the protection of rivers. The results suggest that in addition to the direct consumption benefits of onsite recreation, total value includes offsite consumption of the flow of information about these activities and resources consumed as preservation benefits. A sample of the general population of the state reports a willingness to pay rather than forego both types of utility. We recommended that offsite values be added to the value of onsite recreation use to determine the total value of rivers to society.