Open Space and Public Access: A Contingent Choice Application to Coastal Preservation

Abstract

States and municipalities have committed over $24 billion in bond issues for land conservation in recent years, yet the structure of the land conservation industry and markets is poorly understood. Using a stated choice experiment survey, we examine the role of public access in willingness to pay (WTP) for coastal land conservation. We identify complex patterns in WTP, as related to level of access and to attitudes toward access and environmental protection. Our findings contribute to understanding market segments that may motivate heterogeneity in land conservation agents and that reveal opportunities to optimize conservation programs that serve heterogeneous populations.