Valuing special forest products harvesting: a two-step travel cost recreation demand analysis

摘要

Currently, the empirical literature on outdoor recreation demand lacks estimates of the benefits of special forest products harvesting. This paper provides a recreation demand analysis of non-commercial hucklebeny and mushroom picking on the Giffbrd Pinchot National Forest in southwestern Washington State (USA). Using available survey data and a two-step structural equations model of harvesting and travel cost recreation demand, with a Murphy-Topel(J. Bus. Econ. Stat. 3 (1985) 88) standard error correction, we estimate the consumer surplus associated with special forest products harvesting. Per recreation visitor day consumer surplus is estimated at 30. 82 dollar in 1996 dollars (36. 06 dollar in 2003 dollars). Estimated values for the full range of non-timber values are becoming increasingly important as public lands management agencies expand theit focus to include consideration of alternative forest uses.