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Recreational demand for Tuskegee National Forest, a non-market valuation

Informally Refereed

Abstract

The demand for outdoor recreational activities has been increasing in the United States and is a significant part of the lifestyle in the South over the last few years. Forest recreational opportunities are available on public owned forests. and some provide amenities such as. drinking water, electricity, flush toilets. and sewer at each campsite. Some charge a form of service fee. Tuskegee National Forest (TNF) is the smallest of four of Alabama's national forests that serves visitors from the surrounding counties but does not provide amenities. However, the public demand has not been assessed. The purpose of this study was to use non market valuation methods to estimate the visitors' demand and willingness to pay for such amenities, if they were to be provided as well as to assess the different recreational activities in TNF. Visitors' data were collected and regression analysis was employed to estimate the recreational demand. The result suggests that there is a demand for the TNF. The visitors who come from distance are more willing to pay entrance fee than the visitors from closer proximity.

Citation

Kebede, Ellene; Ngandu, Mudiayi; Schelhas, John; Batalia, Doris. 2006. Recreational demand for Tuskegee National Forest, a non-market valuation. The business Review, Cambridge: 232-238
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/29046