Using Random Parameters to Account for Heterogeneous Preferences in Contingent Valuation of Public Open Space

To test for preference heterogeneity in dichotomous choice contingent valuation responses, a random parameter logit (RPL) specification is used in this analysis. The RPL model confirms heterogeneity in respondents' preferences for protection of public open space, as reflected in statistically significant standard deviations of the normally distributed random parameters. Results show that while the majority of respondents indicate a positive willingness to pay (WTP), a minority of those surveyed report a negative WTP. Some of this variation in tastes remains even after individual characteristics and attitudinal variables are included in the model.contingent valuation, open space, random parameter logit, willingness to pay, Land Economics/Use,

The ecosystem service provision index as a generic indicator of ecosystem service supply for monitoring conservation targets

At present, most governments, particularly in low and middle-income countries, are not effectively using ecosystem services (ES) indicators for conservation monitoring, which is in part due to the complexity of current indicators. This study seeks to contribute to this implementation gap by illustrating the performance of a remote sensing based indicator, the Ecosystem Services Provision Index (ESPI) (based on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), as a feasible indicator for monitoring ES supply. We examined ESPI's performance by analyzing its spatial congruence (regression and cluster analysis) with four type-specific ES indicators, namely timber provision, forage provision, opportunities for recreation and water regulation, for different types of temperate native forests, non-native tree plantations, shrublands and grasslands, within a southern district in Chile. We additionally compared values of ESPI and ES indicators across land uses and covers by means of ANOVA and Tuckey test (post-hoc). The regression analysis showed medium to low fitting of ES indicators to linear and non-linear variations of ESPI. Unexplained variation can arise from different dispersion sources: a) uncaptured variation in specific ES flow by variation in their corresponding indicators (specific ES indicators and ESPI), b) distances between parametric values of different ES indicators and ESPI, and c) mismatches between ESPI and ES indicator scales and resolutions. Cluster analysis showed ESPI-ES hotspot congruence of 62% for water regulation, followed by the ES bundle (56%), recreation opportunities (38%), timber supply (36%) and forage provision (32%). The values of ESPI, water regulation and recreation opportunities were significantly higher on old growth forests. Our study contributes to establish to what extent remote sensing indicators can be used as a proxy of ES supply, which is relevant for the adoption of these indicators in monitoring conservation outcomes when specific ES indicators are not available or they lack the necessary spatial and temporal coverage.Fil: Jullian, C.. Universidad Austral de Chile; ChileFil: Nahuelhual, Laura. Universidad Austral de Chile; Chile. Instituto Milenio en Socio-Ecología Costera; ChileFil: Laterra, Pedro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; Argentina. Fundación Bariloche; Argentin

¿La gente prefiere paisajes naturales? Un estudio empírico en Chile

Existe una conciencia creciente de que la viabilidad de la planificación del paisaje depende del apoyo del público. Sin embargo, el conocimiento sobre percepciones y preferencias del público es generalmente limitado. Este estudio presenta una evaluación del paisaje basada en el observador y atributos físicos del paisaje. Para ello se aplicó un cuestionario en línea (n° respuestas = 643), a partir del cual se recolectó información sobre edad, género, lugar de residencia, nivel de ingresos y nivel educativo, y sobre las preferencias de los encuestados por diversas composiciones y niveles de belleza escénica de paisajes rurales del centro-sur de Chile, usando fotografías. Se analizaron los efectos de la composición y la belleza escénica sobre las respuestas (calificaciones individuales), así como los efectos de interacción entre esos atributos y características personales de los entrevistados mediante la aplicación de medidas multivariadas de repetición ANDEVA y prueba multivariada de Wilks. Las calificaciones tanto de la belleza escénica como de la composición del paisaje varían significativamente entre las fotografías, lo que revela una clara preferencia por paisajes dominados por vegetación nativa sobre paisajes dominados por plantaciones de árboles exóticos o tierras cultivadas. Una porción relativamente baja pero significativa de la variabilidad se explicó por diferencias en las preferencias derivadas de las características personales. Los resultados contribuyen a varios esfuerzos recientes para comprender la opinión pública sobre los cambios del paisaje rural. Específicamente, los resultados respaldan los efectos adversos de la pérdida de hábitats naturales en las apreciaciones de las personas.There is a growing consciousness that the viability of landscape-related policy depends on support from the general public. However, during planning stages, knowledge regarding landscape perceptions and preferences of people is generally absent or limited. This study presents an observer-based landscape assessment, applying a physical landscape attribute approach to measure visual preferences based on photographs. Data on age, gender, place of residence, income and education level were collected by means of a country-wide online questionnaire (n° answers=643), along with information from respondents on visual evaluations of images depicting various compositions and levels of scenic beauty of rural landscapes of south-central Chile. The effects of landscape composition and scenic beauty on responses (individual ratings), as well as the interaction effects between those attributes and personal characteristics, were tested by applying multivariate repeated measures ANOVA and Wilks multivariate tests. Ratings for both scenic beauty and landscape composition significantly varied across photographs, revealing a clear preference for landscapes dominated by native vegetation over landscapes dominated by exotic tree plantations or cultivated lands. A relatively low, nonetheless significant, portion of the rating variability was explained by subtle differences in preferences arising from personal characteristics. Results contribute to several recent efforts to understand public opinion regarding natural and rural landscape changes. Specifically, results sustain the adverse effects of loss of natural habitats on people’s appraisals of rural landscapes.Fil: Nahuelhual, Laura. Centro de Investigación en Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes; Chile. Universidad Austral de Chile; ChileFil: Laterra, Pedro. Fundación Bariloche; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Jiménez, Dana. Centro de Ciencia del Clima y la Resiliencia; ChileFil: Báez, Andrea. Universidad Austral de Chile. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas. Instituto de Estadística; ChileFil: Echeverría, Christián. Millennium Nucleus Center for the Socioeconomic Impact of Environmental Policies; Chile. Universidad de Concepción; ChileFil: Fuentes, Rodrigo. Universidad de Concepción; Chil

How landscapes change: integration of spatial patterns and human processes in temperate landscapes of southern Chile

A comprehensive understanding of the patterns that occur as human processes transform landscapes is necessary for sustainable development. We provide new evidence on how landscapes change by analysing the spatial patterns of human processes in three forest landscapes in southern Chile at different states of alteration (40%&#-90% of old-growth forest loss). Three phases of landscape alteration are distinguished. In Phase I (40%&amp;amp;-65% of old-growth forest loss), deforestation rates are < 1% yr&;8722#1, forests are increasingly degraded, and clearance for pastureland is concentrated on deeper soils. In Phase II (65%&#-80%), deforestation reaches its maximum rate of 1&amp;amp;-1.5% yr&;8722#1, with clearance for pastureland being the main human process, creating a landscape dominated by disturbed forest and shrubland. In this phase, clearance for pastureland is the primary driver of change, with pastures expanding onto poorer soils in more spatially aggregated patterns. In Phase III (80%&#-90%), deforestation rates are again relatively low (<1% yr&;8722#1) and forest regrowth is observed on marginal lands. During this phase, clearance is the dominant process and pastureland is the main land cover. As a forest landscape is transformed, the extent and intensity of human processes vary according to the existing state of landscape alteration, resulting in distinctive landscape patterns in each phase. A relationship between spatial patterns of land cover and human-related processes has been identified along the gradient of landscape alteration. This integrative framework can potentially provide insights into the patterns and processes of dynamic landscapes in other areas subjected to intensifying human use.European ComissionFONDECYT Chil

Who dominates the territorial processes? Importance of the different capitals for sustainable development. Case study: Balcarce, Argentina

En las últimas décadas están teniendo lugar en Argentina procesos territoriales como la agriculturización (intensificación y avance de la agricultura sobre otros usos de la tierra) y el desarrollo de planes de ordenamiento territorial rural. En ambos casos los agentes del territorio afectan la evolución de estos procesos y a la vez son afectados por los mismos. Este estudio analiza ambos procesos en el Partido de Balcarce (Argentina) bajo el enfoque de campos sociales de Pierre Bourdieu. Se observa que la posición de los agentes dentro del campo no solo está determinada por el volumen total del capital que poseen, sino también por la estructura de dicho capital y por el capital dominante dentro del campo, afectando esto las relaciones de poder entre agentes. Si bien el capital que rige la evolución de ambos procesos es el económico, se observa que el capital social cumple un rol estratégico dentro del campo de la comunidad rural y el capital simbólico en el campo del ordenamiento territorial.In recent decades are taking place in Argentina territorial processes as agriculturization (intensification and advancement of agriculture over other land uses) and the development of rural land–use plans. In both cases, the territory agents affect the evolution of these processes and at the same time, they are affected by them.This study case analyzes both processes in the County of Balcarce (Argentina) under the social fields approach of Pierre Bourdieu. It is noted that the position of agents in the field is not only determined by the total volume ofagent’scapital, but also by the structure of their capital and by the dominant capital in the field, affecting the power relations between agents. While the capital that governs the evolution of both processes is the economic, it is noted that the social capital has a strategic role in the rural community field and the symbolic capital in the land–use planning field.Fil: Auer, Alejandra Denise. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Maceira, Nestor Oscar. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; ArgentinaFil: Nahuelhual, Laura. Universidad Austral de Chile; Chil

Demanda por importaciones de uva de mesa chilena en el mercado de Estados Unidos

En este trabajo se investigó el mercado estadounidense de importaciones de uva de mesa chilena, con el objetivo de analizar la competitividad de Chile en este mercado. Los estimadores de demanda para Chile, México y el resto del mundo (RDM) se obtuvieron usando el modelo LA/AIDS (Linear Approximation Almost Ideal Demand System). Se usaron datos trimestrales de cantidades de uva importadas por Estados Unidos desde cada país, valor de las importaciones y precios CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) de importación para el período comprendido entre el primer trimestre de 1989 y el segundo trimestre de 2002. Los estimadores de elasticidad precio propio mostraron una demanda inelástica para los tres países, con valores de ¿0,79; -0,86; y -0,82 para Chile, México y RDM, respectivamente. Las elasticidades precio cruzado entre Chile y México mostraron relaciones de sustitución entre ambos, lo cual fue respaldado por una elasticidad parcial de sustitución igual a 0,51. Conjuntamente, estos resultados mostraron que si bien Chile tiene una participación sólida en este mercado, México se ha posicionado como un competidor potencial en aquellos trimestres en que ambos países se traslapan

Demanda por importaciones de uva de mesa Chilena en el mercado de Estados Unidos

This paper studied the United States import market for Chilean table grapes, with the objective of analyzing the competitiveness of Chile in this market. Using the LA/AIDS model (Linear Approximation almost Ideal Demand System), the import demand parameters were obtained for Chile, Mexico and the rest of the world (RDM). Quarterly data were used for import quantities, import values, and CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight) prices for the period between the first quarter of 1989 and second quarter of 2002. Own price elasticity estimates indicated inelastic demand for all three countries with values of -0.79, -0.86, and -0.82, for Chile, Mexico, and RDM, respectively. Cross price elasticities between Chile and Mexico indicated significant substitution relationships, which was further supported by a partial elasticity of substitution equal to 0.51. Jointly these results showed that although Chile has a strong position in this market, Mexico has also positioned itself as a potential competitor in those quarters where both countries overlap.En este trabajo se investig\uf3 el mercado estadounidense de importaciones de uva de mesa chilena, con el objetivo de analizar la competitividad de Chile en este mercado. Los estimadores de demanda para Chile, M\ue9xico y el resto del mundo (RDM) se obtuvieron usando el modelo LA/AIDS (Linear Approximation Almost Ideal Demand System). Se usaron datos trimestrales de cantidades de uva importadas por Estados Unidos desde cada pa\ueds, valor de las importaciones y precios CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) de importaci\uf3n para el per\uedodo comprendido entre el primer trimestre de 1989 y el segundo trimestre de 2002. Los estimadores de elasticidad precio propio mostraron una demanda inel\ue1stica para los tres pa\uedses, con valores de -0,79; -0,86; y -0,82 para Chile, M\ue9xico y RDM, respectivamente. Las elasticidades precio cruzado entre Chile y M\ue9xico mostraron relaciones de sustituci\uf3n entre ambos, lo cual fue respaldado por una elasticidad parcial de sustituci\uf3n igual a 0,51. Conjuntamente, estos resultados mostraron que si bien Chile tiene una participaci\uf3n s\uf3lida en este mercado, M\ue9xico se ha posicionado como un competidor potencial en aquellos trimestres en que ambos pa\uedses se traslapan

Import demand for Chilean table grapes in the United States market

This paper studied the United States import market for Chilean table grapes, with the objective of analyzing the competitiveness of Chile in this market. Using the LA/AIDS model (Linear Approximation almost Ideal Demand System), the import demand parameters were obtained for Chile, Mexico and the rest of the world (RDM). Quarterly data were used for import quantities, import values, and CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight) prices for the period between the first quarter of 1989 and second quarter of 2002. Own price elasticity estimates indicated inelastic demand for all three countries with values of -0.79, -0.86, and -0.82, for Chile, Mexico, and RDM, respectively. Cross price elasticities between Chile and Mexico indicated significant substitution relationships, which was further supported by a partial elasticity of substitution equal to 0.51. Jointly these results showed that although Chile has a strong position in this market, Mexico has also positioned itself as a potential competitor in those quarters where both countries overlap