Preço de reserva e "caronas" para o bem público: área de proteção ambiental (APA) São José - MG

Abstract

Despite the importance of its ecosystem and being an environmental preservation area, the São José Environmental Protection Area (EPA) in the State of Minas Gerais has shown deterioration in recent years. Because of this, public policy becomes relevant to São José EPA´s conservation. Given to the difficulty of obtaining the true current benefits of those policies, the present article aimed at: a) to estimating benefit´s public policy obtaining of medium reservation's price, starting from the contingent valuation; e b) to analyzing the "free riders" in the demand for the improvement and preservation of EPA. It was possible to notice the "free riders's" existence, because people that enjoy the benefits of EPA are not willing to contribute for its preservation. As for reservation's price, it was obtained a monthly medium value quite significant of R$22,88, indicating that the population recognizes São José EPA as an important patrimony able to supply valuable environmental services.Public goods, São José EPA, “Free Rider" problem, Reservation price, Environmental Economics and Policy,