Stated preferences for the colours, smells, and sounds of biodiversity
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Forest creation and restoration are embedded in global policy. Both result in landscape changes that have far-reaching socioeconomic consequences. However, there is limited evidence on public preferences for the biodiversity these forests contain. Here we used a choice experiment to explore the British public's willingness to pay (WTP) for different forest biodiversity attributes. We began with a multiple-step deliberative participatory process. This revealed that participants conceptualised forest biodiversity through visual, aural and olfactory senses. We subsequently developed and pre-tested sensory attributes based on colours, smells and sounds. Depending on the size of the proposed change, participants (N = 1711) were willing-to-pay for a greater variety of sensory attributes and for an indicator of improved ecological functioning (deadwood for decomposition). WTP for sensory attributes was influenced by participants' having related sensory impairments or visiting forests frequently. Our wider contribution highlights the importance of participatory methods to unearth novel and uncommon attributes that can then be used in stated preference studies. Ensuring that we evaluate stated preferences in a manner that reflects how the public conceives biodiversity is important if we are to improve the alignment between forest creation/restoration and public views, which could thus help bolster public support for the planning and implementation of landscape changes.
Date Issued
2025-01-01
Date Acceptance
2024-09-25
Citation
Ecological Economics, 2025, 227
ISSN
0921-8009
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
Ecological Economics
Volume
227
Copyright Statement
© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
10.1016/j.ecolecon.2024.108410
Subjects
Business & Economics
Choice experiment
CHOICE EXPERIMENTS
Choice modelling
Conservation
DEAD WOOD
DIVERSITY
Ecology
ECONOMIC VALUATION
Economics
Ecosystem restoration
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
Environmental Sciences
Environmental Sciences & Ecology
Environmental Studies
Forest
FOREST BIODIVERSITY
HETEROGENEITY
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
MANAGEMENT
PEOPLES PERCEPTIONS
RECREATION
Science & Technology
Social Sciences
Willingness to pay
Woodland
WTP
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
108410
Date Publish Online
2024-10-08