Reducing Acidification: The Benefits of Increased Nature Quality. Investigating the Possibilities of the Contingent Valuation Method

In order to complete cost benefit analyses of acidification policies, an attempt was made to monetarize the benefits of increased nature quality. So far, several benefits of acidification abatement, such as reduced health risks, had been determined, but the benefits of increased nature quality were lacking, although nature is actually one of the most important reasons for abating acidification in the Netherlands. This study shows that CVM can be used to estimate two specific benefits of increased nature quality due to acidification abatement: the non-use value and the recreational perception value. For other benefits, other valuation methods are needed. This study also shows that CVM is not suited for specifying benefits of different acidification scenarios, which differ little in physical effects on ecosystems. If abatement scenarios are rather extreme, it may be possible to differentiate benefits per scenario. A CVM questionnaire was designed to determine the difference between the welfare generation of healthy ecosystems not suffering from acidification and unhealthy ecosystems affected by acidification. A striking result of the pre test was that all respondents were familiar with the environmental theme of acidification. The results of the pre test suggest that the benefits of nature may be quite large and that they should therefore not be overlooked.Acidification, Biodiversity, Economic value, Nature, CVM, Non use value

The Socio-Economic Value of Natural Riverbanks in the Netherlands

Ecologists and economists both use a different approach to determine the value of nature. Its ecological value can be measured using criteria like rarity and diversity of species in an ecosystem. The economic value can be determined using non-market valuation techniques. This paper focuses on an empirical application of the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) to find out whether this valuation method is a suitable method to estimate the economic value of natural riverbanks in the Netherlands. Natural riverbanks will provide habitat for species that particularly depend on the land water transit area. Since common riverbanks do not provide this habitat, natural river banks increase biodiversity in the Netherlands. On the basis of technical and ecological characteristics nine different types of natural riverbanks were distinguished. For each type a laymen description was made. This description served as a basis for economic valuation by means of CVM. The results of the CVM study shows that the average willingness to pay for non-use of a natural riverbank varied between 16 and 25 Dutch guilders per household year. The willingness to pay for recreational use ranged from 1,07 to 2,50 guilders per visit. The generated outcomes proved to be consistent with results from other studies. At first sight, the economic value of natural riverbanks seemed to be higher than their construction and maintenance cost.Nature friendly river banks, Land water interactions, Economic value, Nature, CVM, Non-use value