Study
Home Mission Research Products Data/Tools Personnel
Economics Unit

The Value of Protecting Tropical Rain Forests to U.S. Citizens: A Contingent Valuation Analysis

Investigators:

Evan Mercer, Southern Research Station
Randall Kramer, Duke University
Narendra Sharma, World Bank

Description:

Although contingent valuation (CV) is the most common technique for valuing non-market environmental resources, rarely has it been applied to global environmental goods. This study uses CV in a national survey to assess the value U.S. residents place on tropical rain forest protection. On average, respondents were willing to make a one time payment of approximately $21-31 per household to protect an additional 5% of the world's tropical forests. Although respondents were able to give consistent responses across two different CV formats, focus groups were unwilling or unable to allocate their aggregate rainforest valuations across or among regions or specific rain forests.

Problem Area(s): Tropical forestry
Status: Completed

Products:

Kramer, R.A. and D. E. Mercer. 1997. Valuing a global environmental good: US residents' willingness to pay to protect tropical rain forests. Land Economics 73(2): 196-210.

Kramer, Randall A.; Mercer, Evan; Sharma, Narendra. 1996. Valuing tropical rainforest protection using the contingent valuation method. In: W.L. Adamowicz; P. Boxall; M.K. Luckert; [and others], comps., eds. Forestry, economics and the environment. Wallingford, Oxon, UK: CAB International: 181-194.

Kramer, Randall; Mercer, Evan;, Sharma, Narendra. 1995. Existence values. In: Valuing tropical forests: methodology and case study of Madagascar. World Bank environment paper 13. Washington, DC: The World Bank: 51-56.

Kramer, Randell A.; Mercer, Evan; Sharma, Narendra. 1993. Valuing tropical rain forest protection as a global environmental good. Center for Resource and Environmental Policy Working Paper. Durham, NC: Duke University, School of the Environment. 1-42.

modified: 13-MAR-2000
Home Studies Mission
USDA FS SRS