IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecoser/v77y2026ics221204162500110x.html

Valuing hunting as an ecosystem service: a national-level assessment using cost-based and benefit transfer methods in the Czech Republic

Author

Listed:
  • Horváthová, Eva

Abstract

Hunting provides both provisioning and cultural ecosystem services, yet its economic value remains underrepresented in natural capital accounting. This study presents the first comprehensive, national-level assessment of hunting-related ecosystem services in the Czech Republic. Using a combination of market price valuation, cost-based methods, adjusted benefit transfer, and spatial allocation, the analysis estimates the 2022 value of wild game meat and recreational hunting. Results show that recreational hunting generates CZK 9.33 billion (USD 677 million), while the value of game meat provision totals CZK 548 million (USD 39.7 million). The comparison of primary valuation and benefit transfer methods reveals substantial discrepancies, with transferred values overestimating provisioning services and underestimating recreational values. Values are spatially allocated to ecosystem types using CORINE land cover, making them compatible with the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting – Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA-EA). The study presents an indicative methodological framework for valuing hunting-related ecosystem services and highlights the importance of context-specific data for informing natural capital accounting, and sustainable wildlife management.

Suggested Citation

  • Horváthová, Eva, 2026. "Valuing hunting as an ecosystem service: a national-level assessment using cost-based and benefit transfer methods in the Czech Republic," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoser:v:77:y:2026:i:c:s221204162500110x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2025.101806
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221204162500110X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ecoser.2025.101806?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Huber, Christopher & Meldrum, James & Richardson, Leslie, 2018. "Improving confidence by embracing uncertainty: A meta-analysis of U.S. hunting values for benefit transfer," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 33(PB), pages 225-236.
    2. Maes, Joachim & Egoh, Benis & Willemen, Louise & Liquete, Camino & Vihervaara, Petteri & Schägner, Jan Philipp & Grizzetti, Bruna & Drakou, Evangelia G. & Notte, Alessandra La & Zulian, Grazia & Boura, 2012. "Mapping ecosystem services for policy support and decision making in the European Union," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 31-39.
    3. Richardson, Leslie & Loomis, John & Kroeger, Timm & Casey, Frank, 2015. "The role of benefit transfer in ecosystem service valuation," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 51-58.
    4. Cori, Viola Di & Robert, Nicolas & Mainar-Causapé, Alfredo José & Franceschinis, Cristiano & Pettenella, Davide Matteo & Thiene, Mara, 2025. "Revealing the hidden socioeconomic role of wild forest products for the European bioeconomy," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    5. Martin Němec & Andrea Skřivánková & David Vaca & Jan Novák & Marcel Riedl & Roman Dudík & Vilém Jarský, 2023. "The factors limiting the venison market in the Czech Republic and options for limiting their impact on the Forestry," Journal of Forest Science, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 69(3), pages 101-113.
    6. Ian Bateman & Georgina Mace & Carlo Fezzi & Giles Atkinson & Kerry Turner, 2011. "Economic Analysis for Ecosystem Service Assessments," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 48(2), pages 177-218, February.
    7. Ing-Marie Gren & Geoffrey Kerr, 2022. "A Meta-Regression Analysis of Hunters’ Valuations of Recreational Hunting," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    8. Remme, Roy P. & Edens, Bram & Schröter, Matthias & Hein, Lars, 2015. "Monetary accounting of ecosystem services: A test case for Limburg province, the Netherlands," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 116-128.
    9. Hein, Lars & Remme, Roy P. & Schenau, Sjoerd & Bogaart, Patrick W. & Lof, Marjolein E. & Horlings, Edwin, 2020. "Ecosystem accounting in the Netherlands," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 44(C).
    10. Frey, Gregory E. & Kallayanamitra, Chalisa & Wilkens, Philadelphia & James, Natasha A., 2021. "Payments for forest-based ecosystem services in the United States: Magnitudes and trends," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sylla, Marta & Harmáčková, Zuzana V. & Grammatikopoulou, Ioanna & Whitham, Charlotte & Pártl, Adam & Vačkářová, Davina, 2021. "Methodological and empirical challenges of SEEA EEA in developing contexts: Towards ecosystem service accounts in the Kyrgyz Republic," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    2. Pelletier, Marie-Chantale & Heagney, Elizabeth & Kovač, Mladen, 2021. "Valuing recreational services: A review of methods with application to New South Wales National Parks," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    3. Comte, Adrien & Sylvie Campagne, C. & Lange, Sabine & Bruzón, Adrián García & Hein, Lars & Santos-Martín, Fernando & Levrel, Harold, 2022. "Ecosystem accounting: Past scientific developments and future challenges," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    4. Heink, Ulrich & Jax, Kurt, 2019. "Going Upstream — How the Purpose of a Conceptual Framework for Ecosystem Services Determines Its Structure," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 264-271.
    5. Martin-Ortega, Julia & Young, Dylan M. & Glenk, Klaus & Baird, Andy J. & Jones, Laurence & Rowe, Edwin C. & Evans, Chris D. & Dallimer, Martin & Reed, Mark S., 2021. "Linking ecosystem changes to their social outcomes: Lost in translation," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    6. Valencia Torres, Angélica & Tiwari, Chetan & Atkinson, Samuel F., 2021. "Progress in ecosystem services research: A guide for scholars and practitioners," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    7. Vallecillo, Sara & La Notte, Alessandra & Ferrini, Silvia & Maes, Joachim, 2019. "How ecosystem services are changing: an accounting application at the EU level," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 40(C).
    8. Karabulut, Armağan & Egoh, Benis N. & Lanzanova, Denis & Grizzetti, Bruna & Bidoglio, Giovanni & Pagliero, Liliana & Bouraoui, Fayçal & Aloe, Alberto & Reynaud, Arnaud & Maes, Joachim & Vandecasteele,, 2016. "Mapping water provisioning services to support the ecosystem–water–food–energy nexus in the Danube river basin," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 17(C), pages 278-292.
    9. Hein, Lars & van Koppen, C.S.A. (Kris) & van Ierland, Ekko C. & Leidekker, Jakob, 2016. "Temporal scales, ecosystem dynamics, stakeholders and the valuation of ecosystems services," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 21(PA), pages 109-119.
    10. Vári, Ágnes & Adamescu, Cristian Mihai & Balzan, Mario & Gocheva, Kremena & Götzl, Martin & Grunewald, Karsten & Inácio, Miguel & Linder, Madli & Obiang-Ndong, Grégory & Pereira, Paulo & Santos-Martin, 2024. "National mapping and assessment of ecosystem services projects in Europe – Participants’ experiences, state of the art and lessons learned," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    11. Schirpke, Uta & Marino, Davide & Marucci, Angelo & Palmieri, Margherita & Scolozzi, Rocco, 2017. "Operationalising ecosystem services for effective management of protected areas: Experiences and challenges," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 28(PA), pages 105-114.
    12. Wilker, Jost & Rusche, Karsten & Benning, Alexander & MacDonald, Michael A. & Blaen, Phillip, 2016. "Applying ecosystem benefit valuation to inform quarry restoration planning," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 44-55.
    13. Remme, Roy P. & Schröter, Matthias & Hein, Lars, 2014. "Developing spatial biophysical accounting for multiple ecosystem services," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 10(C), pages 6-18.
    14. Jianxiong Bao & Wen Wang & Tianqing Zhao, 2023. "Spatiotemporal Changes of Ecosystem Service Values in Response to Land Cover Dynamics in China from 1992 to 2020," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-28, April.
    15. Polmann, Nico, "undated". "Farmers in metropolitan areas: managers of natural capital," 147th Seminar, October 7-8, 2015, Sofia, Bulgaria 212253, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    16. Campos, Pablo & Oviedo, José L. & Álvarez, Alejandro & Ovando, Paola & Mesa, Bruno & Caparrós, Alejandro, 2020. "Measuring environmental incomes beyond standard national and ecosystem accounting frameworks: testing and comparing the agroforestry Accounting System in a holm oak dehesa case study in Andalusia-Spain," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    17. Giles Atkinson & Paola Ovando, 2022. "Distributional Issues in Natural Capital Accounting: An Application to Land Ownership and Ecosystem Services in Scotland," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 81(2), pages 215-241, February.
    18. Crossman, Neville D. & Burkhard, Benjamin & Nedkov, Stoyan & Willemen, Louise & Petz, Katalin & Palomo, Ignacio & Drakou, Evangelia G. & Martín-Lopez, Berta & McPhearson, Timon & Boyanova, Kremena & A, 2013. "A blueprint for mapping and modelling ecosystem services," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 4(C), pages 4-14.
    19. Paul A. Sandifer & Ariana E. Sutton‐Grier, 2014. "Connecting stressors, ocean ecosystem services, and human health," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 38(3), pages 157-167, August.
    20. Lu Jiao & Rui Yang & Yinling Zhang & Jian Yin & Jiayu Huang, 2022. "The Evolution and Determinants of Ecosystem Services in Guizhou—A Typical Karst Mountainous Area in Southwest China," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-23, July.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecoser:v:77:y:2026:i:c:s221204162500110x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/ecosystem-services .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.